Vancouver Courier
for March 18, 1998

Jack Weisgerber is the rarest of people - an honest politician.

Of course most politicians are honest in that they don't steal or take bribes. Jack's honest in the sense that he's true to himself and the noble precepts of the profession he practices.

That's not to say that he hasn't played the political game. Having gone from a Socred minister, to Socred leader to Reform to Independent, Weisgerber's no stranger to the rough and tumble of politics.

But surely that's no bad thing if only because blind loyalty to party is why all Canadians are so badly governed. Moreover, if power isn't the real name of the political game, what's it all about?

Power doesn't necessarily mean just political office but influence on affairs of state. Churchill, in the 1930s, was approached by a man who said "but Mr Churchill, you are out of power."

"Out of office, perhaps,", replied the great man, "but certainly not out of power."

The CCF/NDP under the likes of Woodsworth, Coldwell, Douglas and Lewis were never in office but always powerful.

What's sometimes seen as personal aggrandizement by Weisgerber was in reality an attempt to rally the anti NDP forces without the new force being simply an extension of the Federal Liberal Party. He knew that unless the B.C. Liberals could be seen not just as the feds in drag, but an independent B.C. party, they could never replace the NDP in office. (It's encouraging to note that, as mentioned in previous columns, Gordon Campbell may have finally put clear blue water between his party and the federal Liberals though the jury's still out.)

I'd like to say that Jack Weisgerber's latest move will bring him lasting honour - but it won't. We'll forget. And that's a pity.

In a rare flashback to more honourable times, Jack reminds us of what public office is supposed to entail. We all know the story. He stands charged with an offence under the Wildlife Act involving a passenger in his vehicle allegedly firing two shots at a dummy deer set up by a conservation officer beside the highway. When the charge was laid, Mr Weisgerber immediately withdrew from the race for the Speaker's chair, a race he was bound to win.

It's interesting to note his reasons. He knew he would still win because he had the backing of both the Premier and Mr Campbell. But as he told me last week, this charge would be part of the election and that would, to some degree, sully the office. So it wasn't that his chances were impaired but that the office would be hurt.

He saw too that in the rough and tumble of future debates and challenges to his rulings occurred, this issue would be raised, throwing a personal issue at the Office of Speaker.

But there's more. Jack could have pleaded guilty and paid a fine putting the matter behind him. But for Jack Weisgerber, that didn't wash. For one thing that would have foreclosed his option to fight to clear his name. But most importantly, he felt this would compromise the position of his companion, the man who allegedly shot at the fake deer. He was entitled to his day in court and Jack wasn't going to jeopardfize that for personal considerations, no matter how important.

High Office of State within his grasp with just a teeny little sacrifice of principle here and there - Jack Weisgerber turned it down.

I have no doubt that he could've weathered the storm and gone on to be a very fine Speaker. But that's never been his style. He's always had a deep respect for the traditions of public life and knows that holders of high office must, like Caesar's wife, be above reproach.

What a stark contrast to recent issues of honour.

In the last three years we've had two cabinet ministers badly compromised. Tradition requires in these circumstances that the minister stand aside until he is cleared. It's not a question of presumption of innocence but honour and principle. In assuming high office the minister accepts that he must resign, until cleared, if his conduct as minister is impugned.

Dan Miller authorized a call to a judge hearing a very sensitive matter in which his government was deeply involved. When called to account, Miller figuratively speaking gave everyone, including the judge, the finger. Even though several federal ministers have resigned for similar though less serious attempts to interfere in court cases, Miller and the NDP don't feel bound by those rules.

A few years ago NDP Attorney-General Colin Gabelman swore a clearly false affidavit in a court case. Here was, on the face of it, the Province's Chief Law Enforcement Officer perjuring himself. He stayed in office until he was cleared by a lawyer who had, the previous year, been paid $155,000 in fees by his ministry.

Jack Weisgerber's an old fashioned politician whose notions of dignity, decency and honour are, alas, out of date.

We'll not likely see his kind again.