The Written Word
for March 8, 2000

A poll released today shows Gordon Campbell and Ujjal Dosanjh running neck and neck although the Liberals still have a commanding lead over the NDP.

What is it about Campbell? Is British Columbia made up of disgruntled Macdonalds trying to get even for the Massacre at Glencoe back in 1692? It seems that Bill Vander Zalm may have been, for once, right when he said that "no one likes Gordon Campbell and no one knows why.

I don’t know what the answer is. I like the man and I respect his brain. He’s done a hell of a good job with the caucus he inherited from Gordon Wilson back in September 1993. First off, he had to overcome the problems of losing the 1996 election which was widely seen as his fault. Then he had the question of the Calgary Declaration which the Federal Liberals supported and undoubtedly were putting pressure on Provincial Liberals to support. Then he did the impossible by getting his caucus unanimously behind him on the Nisga’a deal. He won the by-election in White Rick and won the by-election in Parksville after his member had to resign for writing phony letters. He then won the by election in Delta by a huge margin. All these seats were Liberal to start with but in by-elections people can send messages and if they did so here it was a favourable one.

I do think Mr Campbell has a problem with the advice he gets. I remain convinced that he lost the 1996 election because he wouldn’t even wait until Glen Clark was sworn in to hit him with the Hydrogate Scandal. People like fair play and this action didn’t seem to be that. He screwed up the selection of Ujjal Dosanjh … instead of congratulating him and noting that BC and Canada had the right to be proud in seeing a coloured person as Premier he blew it, then tried to make it right in the face of tapes of what he had said. I don’t think this was Mr Campbell’s gut instinct at work but the advice of others. He must, I think, learn to follow his own "tummy" and not the advice of handlers.

This is a time for all British Columbians who want to see the back of the NDP to finger their worry beads with great gusto. Can this turn things around for the NDP?

I don’t believe so. Older readers will remember how in every election they contested, Dave Barrett was more popular than Bill Bennett and every one Bennett won. What this may show is that the Reform Party – whose appeal is entirely leader based – might steal valuable votes and even a seat or two in rural BC and that could hurt Mr Campbell.

A great deal is going to depend upon the next session of the House. While it’s true that the general public doesn’t pay all that much attention on the goings on in the house on a day to day basis, the general impression they have of the parties arising out of the legislature does factor in fairly heavily.

It should be a slam dunk for the Liberals but never underestimate the NDP when it comes to politics. Mr Dosanjh will not be an easy target as Mr Clark was once.

Should the Liberals change leaders? Probably, but they can’t. There is no one all could rally behind and a change would simply reopen all the wounds in the Liberal Party.

No, for better or worse, the non NDP vote is stuck with Gordon Campbell. They either get behind him or 1996 could happen all over again.