The Written Word
for March 5, 2000

In days of yore the Speaker of the House was such a dangerous position that members had to force him to take the chair. For then, as now, it was the Speaker’s job to give the King the news of what the House had been up to and if that news was bad enough, the King had no hesitation in shooting – or rather beheading – Mr Speaker forthwith. That’s why to this day when the Speaker is chosen he pretends to have to be dragged to the Chair. In the British Parliament the tradition is ... and the tradition prevails here … that the Speaker is the servant of the House as a whole and no longer sits in any party caucus. That doesn’t mean that Speakers have always been completely indifferent as between the government and the opposition but in fairness, for the last 25 years B.C. has had pretty fair speakers. No scrupulously fair perhaps – but pretty fair.

In the House of Commons in Ottawa, since the 80s, the speaker has been chosen by secret ballot and the result has been very good speakers starting with our own John Fraser. Premier Dosanjh had better start that idea running in British Columbia and there is no better time than now … for who should be dangling his name about for the job but Moe Sihota. Moe Sihota! For the love of God could there be a person in the entire province less likely to appear as fair as between government and opposition than this bird! He is the very repository of all that is wrong in our politics.

Yes he has a fine mind – one of the best in the House. And his lawyer’s training would stand him in good stead when difficult decisions are required. But the Clerk of the House, the now becoming venerable George McMinn QC, can be relied upon to see that the Speaker has the very best of legal advice.

No … the Speaker must be two things … he must be fair … and he must appear to be fair. And there is little chance of the former and no chance whatever of the latter.

Premier Dosanjh, who has a lot of catch-up to do with the public, would be very wise to have a secret ballot and himself nominate Jack Weisgerber for the job.

This next session of the Legislature is critical for the NDP … all they need is for a fractious house made all the more fractious by partisan decision from the Speaker’s chair from a man who has little support from either side of the House.

Take my advice, Mr Dosanjh … I’ve not always been wrong on these things. You need a person who is respected in that Chair and neither the Liberals nor your own party can supply that.

Jack Weisgerber is your man and everyone knows it.