CKNW Editorial
for August 5, 1999

I found the recent federal cabinet shuffle interesting. For one thing, demotion from Cabinet is clearly a two step process. Diane Marleau a failure as Health Minister and Fred Mifflin, a disaster as Fisheries Minister were demoted last time to lesser posts and dumped this time. Which leads to the question, was David Anderson demoted to the relatively minor post of Environment Minister? The post is minor because most of the jurisdiction is with the provinces so the portfolio has always been seen as minor. Back in 1979, when Joe Clark put John Fraser in the post there was quite an outcry that our boy had been insulted.

The Liberal spin is that this signals that Prime Minister Chretien is going to take a higher profile in environmental matters and that this is in fact a promotion for Anderson. If that’s the case he must be expecting and indeed asking for confrontation with the provinces because Anderson is scarcely a diplomat.

Mr Anderson is essentially a spent force in Fisheries. After a slow start where he preferred a private fishing trip in Labrador to coming home to Prince Rupert to face the blockading fishermen he did a good job. I think it took the pail of cold water Premier Clark threw at him with Nootka 1 to attract his attention but thereafter he clearly outgunned and out manouvred Mr Clark and established his position of conservation above all else. In doing this he earned the grudging respect if not affection of British Columbians. Having done that, the portfolio is ready for a caretaker which Herb Dhaliwhal will do admirably. I think it’s a pity Mr Chretien didn’t forget about a few of those silly secretary of state half-assed portfolios like the one Hedy Fry parades around in and establish a Fisheries Minister for each coast. The problems on each coast are big enough for separate portfolios and one can easily understand the annoyance of Atlantic Canada when a British Columbian with no experience in fishing, period, is in charge of their problems.

I think the litmus test demonstrating the seriousness or otherwise of the environment to the feds will be our old friend the Nechako River. This is not just a fisheries matter because degradation of the environment is what the Kemano Completion Project was all about. The Cold Water Release facility is what can make a huge difference and virtually save the late Stuart River Sockeye run. The problem that run has – though certainly not this year – is low water caused by Alcan taking down water for its own use. Low water means hot water and hot water means enormous stress on the sockeye. The last I looked, both the provincial government and Alcan were prepared to chip in $50 million for this facility leaving the last $50 million to Ottawa. Ottawa from the time of Brian Tobin through to today has shown no interest in the matter. For one thing, their nose is out of joint because their pet project was tubed by the provincial government. But David Anderson, if he is indeed in Environment to make a mark there for the feds, is just the man to get this job done. It will be interesting to see how he responds to this issue right here in his own back yard.

Mr Dhaliwhal’s appointment is, it’s said, useful because he and Moe Sihota are such pals. I certainly hope that this doesn’t mean that Mr Dhaliwhal will be granting Moe any fishing licenses! But it does make good politics because in the next election, BC votes might just count for something. If the Liberals lose a lot of ground to the Tories in Ontario and Atlantic Canada – as well as in Quebec – seats in BC could become important. Never mind that the NDP is keenly disliked in BC. Chretien has obviously received some good advice to the effect that even despised governments in BC are given the benefit of any doubt when Ottawa is seen as the enemy. Mr Dhaliwhal, less abrasive than Mr Anderson – though you can say that about almost anyone – will keep the temperature low and that’s what the Federal Liberals need.

It has been said that BC got shortchanged – perhaps it did but it’s hard to see where else the Prime Minister could have turned. As Sir John A Macdonald once said, if you want a better cabinet, send me better wood.

An interesting shift from BC’s point of view, no more than that.