Vancouver Courier
for November 8, 1998

This column could be entitled "The Making of a Political Issue" subtitled, how to create a political campaign and make the public finance it.

We all know that native land claims must be fairly settled and soon but I think it also fair to say that most British Columbians, especially since the Charlottetown referendum in 1992, want a direct say in the outcome.

October 26, 1992 – the day of that referendum - not a bad place to start for Canadians were asked, amongst other things, if they wanted to see a "third order of government" established for aboriginals. This was rejected by almost 70% of B.C. voters including most natives. From that point forward, the federal and provincial governments have ignored the wishes of the people and are about to entrench a "third order" of government in the Constitution.

One of the most egregious sins of the Indian Act (which everyone wants abolished) is that it creates status based upon race. This is what natives fought against with might and main – this is what liberal minded non-natives strove to see eliminated. Yet the Nisga’a treaty sets up a "nation" where the right to a commercial fishery is based upon race and clan of that race.

Natives have, since the time the white man arrived, protested against legal discrimination. Until recent times Indians were not allowed the vote and were otherwise discriminated against on the basis of their race. Aboriginal people want racial discrimination eliminated. So do right thinking Canadians across the land. Yet Nisga’a discriminates against non natives on Nisga’a territory.

So on two fundamental issues – the type of governance and equality, Nisga’a not only doesn’t rid the land of the evil of the Indian Act but in fact constitutionalizes it!

Why then would Glen Clark want to make this into a political issue for the next election? And how, in the name of God, can he hope to succeed?

The first part of the plan is to soften up the opposition. Lob as many slow pitches into Bill Vander Zalm’s court as possible. Abortion is a good subject for that – get the Liberals squabbling about that amongst themselves.

Then exploit differences on the Nisga’a deal within the Liberal Party. Hold a "free" vote, which clearly isn’t "free" for your people but exposes any fault lines in the opposition. This not only opens sores within the caucus but also picks at the scabs of wounds inflicted between the federal Liberals and the Campbell bunch. Perfect.

Then make sure that your own folks are on side. Change the labour laws and bring back Moe Sihota thus showing Ken Georgetti that his cares and concerns are in the very best of hands.

Now take great gobs of taxpayers’ money, give it to your favourite ad agency and flog the hell out of your issue without ever, even by accident, being truthful.

Lastly, go after support from big business not to gain their support but to neutralize them. After all, industry has always been prepared to go along with any government if they think they might get better treatment. Remember Charlottetown where a few cozy ear lobe nibbles from Mulroney got management across the nation scurrying about pleading his case for a "yes" vote? Business people don’t philosophize, they make deals.

You start by not so subtle threats. The forest industry, upon which we all depend for our standard of living, is the first stop. There’s no need to say much to get the captains of that industry obsequiously clutching at the forelock – they’re in deep doo-doo.

Then you call in your counters. For while it is true to say that a good politician is one who, when bought, stays bought that aphorism applies even more to the piggies that politicians appoint to the trough. Two of the more prominent of these little piggies are David McLean, the Chair of the CNR, the biggest political plum in the land and Brian Smith, Chair of B.C. Hydro, the best bit of political slop it’s within the premier’s power to grant. To get McLean, you must get the Prime Minister so you ask him to pull his chain. Which he does whereupon McLean orchestrates a pep talk to 125 businessmen by Mr Smith - the same Brian Smith who vigorously opposed any settlement of land claims until Mr Clark gave him the opportunity to take a bucket of white wash to the "Hydrogate" scandal and stay on, as his reward, as Chair of Hydro.

Improper for these public servants to do this?

Of course it’s improper as hell. But who cares about impropriety these days? Glen Clark’s object is to get enough voters to agree with Nisga’a so that these votes, added to the NDP’s traditional support, will win him the next election.

The business community, forever moaning that the NDP is ruining the province may well, with the substantial help of two prominent capitalists, play a major role in seeing it get re-elected.