The Written Word
for October 10, 1999

I should think that Gordon Wilson’s chances of becoming the next leader of the NDP and thus the Premier are pretty dim at this point. We must remember, of course, that it’s not the public making this decision but the party faithful and they may have very different standards than the rest of us. But it is this, I think, that makes Wilson’s task so difficult.

There are three problems with the current government – honesty, fiscal responsibility and just plain competence.

Honesty is a difficult thing to find in politicians at the best of times and I don’t mean this cynically. Was Franklin Roosevelt being honest when he told the voters in 1940 that he wouldn’t be sending their boys to war? Knowing what he knew the answer has to be no. But if he had said he was going to get the United States involved be might have been beaten and the United States would have stayed in its deplorable state of unpreparedness and the war might have been lost. But Roosevelt was involved in great matters of state – the Premier of British Columbia is not and I think a fairly high standard of truthfulness is fairly demanded. Mr Wilson has demonstrated that he is, at the very least, an inveterate bull-shitter. He has the Mulroney habit of being very economical with the truth especially as it relates to his personal life and accomplishments. This is, I fear, a very big strike against him.

His own financial affairs are, evidently, a mess. This can happen in the best of regulated lives and I suppose it depends upon how he fell into such a sorry state. I don’t regard this as especially damaging – I would be a hypocrite if I did for I fought my way out of a similar fix back in the 80s where a combination of bad deals and high living got me so behind the eight ball that it took nearly 10 years before I was even with the world again. Unfortunately, the voters and more importantly the delegates to the NDP Convention may not be as charitable as I am about such things. When looking for good fiscal management the public, thus the delegates, will probably not deal kindly with a man who cannot look after his own financial affairs. But there is another problem here. I faced up to all my debts and paid them. Wilson is refusing to even pay judgments against him and that is bound to hurt him in the eyes of delegates and the public alike.

Then there is the matter of competence. Here Gordon Wilson does earn higher marks, though in fairness we have not seen him in government long enough to make a full judgment. But there is no question that Wilson is well informed on issues and was the best opposition member of the Legislature. He has seemed to grasp the nettle on the fast ferry issue though he wasn’t in Finance long enough for us to get a read on him. He takes over an Education Ministry left in pretty good shape by his predecessor so, again, this does not provide us with enough material for a full report card.

In summary, I think, the delegates will see Gordon Wilson as a man who will not restore the NDP’s image of honesty nor will he seem to them to be a symbol of financial competence.

It must be remembered, of course, that Wilson will be judged against the other candidates. It all depends on how the delegates look at Ujjal Dosanjh who to some appears as if he stabbed Glen Clark in the back and to others as a man who dithered too long in dealing with the Premier. Joy McPhail will be seen as competent in line ministries but what will they say about her 1999 budget? She must hope that that budget was seen as Glen Clark’s work, not her own. Corky Evans, with Wilson out, has a better chance than many are prepared to admit. He is honest, both in word and deed, and has a down home appeal. Whether or not he can come up the middle as McPhail and Dosanjh knock themselves off remains to be seen. Perhaps his strength is his weakness too … with a name like Corky and a farm-boy image he may not be sufficiently sophisticated to be seen as appropriate to carry the banner.

And there is always Dan Miller. I don’t know the terms of his deal with caucus, or the strength of his own desire to stay out, but he’s a factor. He could be drafted by a convention unhappy with its other alternatives.

But back to my theme – Gordon Wilson, two weeks ago the favourite, is now toast.

You can go to the bank with that one.