CKNW Editorial
for October 3, 2001

I want to talk a bit about Premier Gordon Campbell this morning but first I think I should bare my biases for all to see. I am a friend and great admirer of Bill Bennett under whom I served as a Cabinet minister in the late 70s. I remain convinced that had Bill tried to save himself instead of being loyal he would never have had the problems he did with the Superintendent of Brokers in what has become known as the Bennett/Doman affair. But that’s irrelevant because he’s my friend and I think he was a hell of a good premier. And it is Bill Bennett the premier that I talk about hereafter.

I mention this because I think Premier Campbell is acting and sounding more like Bill Bennett each day – and that he would take that as a compliment as, probably, would Mr Bennett.

I have known the premier for many years but not socially. I have watched his political career with interest. And my assessment of him has changed considerably which, I suppose, is natural considering that for most of that time he was out of power and he now very much is in power.

Bill Bennett learned his trade coming out of a big loss – it was his father’s loss, of course, but he had to build a party from a very unpromising beginning. Gordon Campbell, though the Liberals had won a surprising 19 seats two years before, took over a party that was never all that united but had now become badly divided over a scandal involving their leader.

Bill Bennett hated being in opposition though his instinct for the jugular made him an effective Opposition leader. Gordon Campbell also was uncomfortable in opposition though he seemed driven after he blew the 1996 election and he became, like Bennett, uncomfortable but effective.

When Bill Bennett took office at Christmas 1975 few expected much of him. The non left simply wanted the NDP out and would no doubt have accepted a fence post with hair if it got the job done.

Gordon Campbell carried with him remarkably few positive expectations, but 2001 was 1975 tenfold so badly did most of the province want to see the back of the NDP.

Bill Bennett quickly seized control of his cabinet, caucus and the issues. We were all a little scared of him to be truthful – I was especially because I couldn’t believe that I was in the cabinet on my first time in the Legislature. I remember well the first cabinet meeting after the swearing-in on December 22^nd. Then Deputy Provincial Secretary, the doyen of the senior public service, Laurie Wallace guided us into the cabinet room. "There", said Laurie, pointing to the chair on the right of the Premier’s chair, "is where your father had the Attorney-General sit."

"Garde", said Bennett to his new Attorney-General while giving Laurie Wallace his steely look, "you will sit in the chair on my left." It’s rather like male dogs peeing on trees and Bill Bennett left no tree unadorned.

Within hours Allan Williams, Minister of Labour, Evan Wolfe, Finance Minister and I, accompanied by our three deputies were off in a government aircraft to Ottawa to show the feds that we were in business. What a gawdawful trip in that cruddy little plane but though I can’t remember any tangible results, Bill Bennett wanted everyone to know early that he was running things – and they did.

I have observed Gordon Campbell with considerable interest these past four months. I have watched a man who was seen by many as a loser turn into a man who looks as if he very much likes winning and means to keep it that way. I have seen a man with the handicap of a far too large caucus take charge, in no uncertain terms, of that caucus before it took charge of him. I have seen much of Bill Bennett in Gordon Campbell.

It’s not all good, of course. Bill Bennett could be petty when it came to his enemies, He didn’t see the opposition as colleagues with a different political opinion but as enemies to be treated as such. All the same Mr Campbell who petulantly and childishly refused to recognize the NDP as the Official Opposition. Bill Bennett liked to steamroller over issues, uncompromisingly and fast. Mr Campbell betrays a similar attitude of "my way or the high way".

But there’s something else. Both Bill Bennett and Gordon Campbell clearly changed the moment they got into power. Each gained a confidence that while it might have been there before, wasn’t obvious. I have watched Gordon Campbell over the past four months and he is definitely a confident man.

I by no means agree with all Mr Campbell has done or intends to do. But I disagree with political leaders as a profession. And whether Mr Campbell has done good things or bad things is irrelevant to this theme which stated simply is that after a desultory career in opposition, Mr Campbell has shown himself comfortable in the Premier’s chair.

In this and other things I have mentioned he reminds me a great deal of my old boss.

If I’m right in this assessment, no matter that he makes some mistakes, Gordon Campbell will become, like Bill Bennett was, very difficult to dislodge.