Vancouver Province
for February 21, 1999

"Power", said Henry Kissinger, "is the ultimate aphrodisiac" one reason being, no doubt, that you get to re-write the past to suit.

Well, Gordon Wilson, who in his time has certainly displayed an aphrodisiacal (new word invented for the occasion) side to his nature now has the power he grubbed for so long and he's busy re-writing history.

Fortunately for history's integrity we have Hansard which has recorded Mr Wilson's slaggings of Premier Glen Clark, the NDP in general, and the calamitous "fast ferries" scheme for which he now has responsibility. Ever undaunted by facts, Wilson has a pat answer for his past embarrassing conduct. It's because of this mess, you see, that the far seeing and ever forgiving Premier Glen chose him, of all his subjects in this vast land, to make us well again. The ever modest Mr Wilson, adopting the mantle of the messiah, tells us that someone has to clean up the mess – who better than he?

There's no need for Wilson to blame his new colleagues because Sam Bawlf, former Socred Minister and consultant to the NDP on the fast ferry project, exonerates the politicians and blames it all on the bureaucrats. Of course! What sort of churl would expect the Premier, the Finance Minister and the minister responsible to know that the boat that won't float had doubled in cost?

In an interview (using the term loosely) with me ten days ago Wilson re-wrote some personal history. I put it to him, somewhat indelicately perhaps, that the Gordon Wilson story was one of raw self interest … that he had first deceived the Liberal Party, demanded a leadership review when caught out, was tossed out as leader, and now sought revenge.

Not so! Cried Mr Wilson. The Liberal Party betrayed me! I was stabbed in the back by a wicked cabal!

It happens that the estimable but very cross Fred Gingell, MLA, heard this and he phoned me right after the show and confirmed my recollections. This, he said, is what happened.

In the Spring of 1993 it became clear to the Liberal Caucus that Leader

Wilson and House Leader Judi Tyabji were, shall we say, in some arrangement of mutual admiration. When it hit the fan, Mr Wilson denied any sexual implications and, indeed, when asked by my colleague Philip Till whether he was having an affair the lady, stoutly denied it. Mr Till then asked if Wilson planned to have an affair with Ms Tyabji whereupon Wilson babbled that he was not clairvoyant and could not predict the future! The denouement was complete, painful to listen to, and fatal.

At this point the Liberal Caucus, without Mr Wilson, unanimously agreed that he should be asked to step aside, for the moment only, and take some time to sort out his thoughts with Mr Gingell, a man with no ambitions for Wilson's job, as temporary Leader of the Opposition. At this, Mr Wilson, for whom the love bug had evidently overwhelmed reason, went ballistic and demanded a leadership convention to confirm his mandate. His wish was granted and in September 1993 Wilson ran up on his own sword and was replaced by Gordon Campbell.

Further in the revisionism department, how about this? In 1992 Gordon Wilson campaigned vigorously against the Charlottetown Accord in general and against the provision for Aboriginal self government in particular. He made his reputation on this campaign. Now, with the sniff of power in his nostrils, Wilson becomes a stout supporter of the same special aboriginal self government he had once so vigorously resisted. To change one's mind is often admirable but here, despite breathtaking hairsplitting, Wilson has only managed to convince himself – and possibly Ms Tyabji - that there's a particle of difference between what he fought against in '92 and what he now embraces as part of his power achieving bargain.

$40,000 more a year, an Honourable (!) before his name, a government car plus appropriate flunkies – and power - has bought and paid for the man most British Columbians had hitherto esteemed for his courageous adherence to principle.

Many British Columbians who poll after poll showed they admired Wilson now see him in the same light they see Premier Clark. And why not? Gordon Wilson has abandoned the party he formed leaving it high, dry and deep in debt. He and Glen Clark, like Bre'r Rabbit and the Tar Baby, are permanently stuck to one another, a fate that on their respective records they both deserve.