CKNW Editorial
for March 29, 2001

I find it very hard to understand how Gordon Campbell and his wife could buy a property and not register it in time with the Conflicts of Interest Commissioner given the reaction of him and his party to the goings-on of the NDP over the years. It's not a big deal on the surface ... family buys house, busy politician forgets to register. But in another sense it is a big deal because it exposes a carelessness we have come to know in government and hope we'll see the end of when there is a change in that government

It raises a much larger question. When, as everyone expects, the Liberals come to power, all of a sudden the rules of the game apply to them. And they're going to be applied with diligence by both the opposition, if any, and the media. This is because they have raised expectations considerably. Indeed, Mr Campbell can have no objection close scrutiny and neither can his caucus.

This raises another question. What about other expectations they have raised?

We can start with what appears to be a minor matter - that raised by the Metro Theater in Marpole who find that their property values have plummeted by 90% because their land has been declared a heritage site. Val Anderson, Liberal MLA for the area has been very sympathetic meaning, one assumes, that he has declared for fair compensation for those hit with the same problem. But how big is the problem? We are told - and this program is investigating - that there are several hundred of these sites and that the list is a secret one. Does this mean that the Liberal government will fully compensate all who are hit by this law? Will they also compensate those whose land values have deteriorated because they have a fish bearing stream on their property and are now subject to different rules than when they bought? I believe they should but I raise the matter because in opposition the name of the game is to show sympathy - in government the name of the game is to protect the public purse and the two objects are often incompatible.

The impact is even greater than it first appears for the prices paid for heritage designated property may have an impact on native land claims and the compensation paid for land held by non natives in fee simple. We may well find that, like the city of London, excavations open up archaeological sites all over the province.What then?

And what about expectations raised in other areas?

To have heard the Liberal talk over the past number of years - though the bleating has become somewhat muted the closer they get to government – all will be well in the Healthcare system when they get the keys to the provincial vault. Doctors will be treated better - meaning more money one assumes - as will nurses - again more money - there will be more operating theaters - meaning more money - better homecare - meaning more money and on the story runs.

The Children and Families Ministry will be properly funded. There will be no increase in student fees at Universities – the freeze will continue. Fine and dandy except so far no has had to pay the piper. Freezing fees doesn't make the cost of university education go away – it has simply shifted the burden, without regard to the student’s ability to pay, from the student to the general taxpayer. Up until now, the loss of revenue has been seen by those who teach in the system and by some or the more observant students but the fact is plain - unless student fees go up, provincial transfers to the Universities will have to increase substantially. And that will all happen on the Liberals’ watch.

The budget for 2001-2 is, by my rough calculation, at least one billion dollars in the red, not balanced as Paul Ramsey disingenuously suggests. If I am close to being right, how on earth can Mr Campbell come up with any meaningful tax cuts?

I guess the point of all this is that the cold pail of water of reality is about to be thrown in the faces of the Liberal party of B.C. and they should know it. They will have to perform, not criticize and they will have to start living up to the high standards they called for while in Opposition.

And it starts with Gordon Campbell setting a better example to his party than he has with his family's recent house purchase.