The Written Word
for June 17, 2001

The enormous landslide by the Gordon Campbell Liberals has left the new premier with problems. The majority is just too large for two reasons – there will be precious little thought out and researched opposition and Mr Campbell has too many idle hands to keep busy.

As I listen to the feedback on the question of calling the NDP the Official Opposition and funding them I think a basic error is occurring. The object is not to "reward" the NDP or in any way minimize the deserved thrashing they took. What is the case is that no democratic system works well without an effective opposition. None of us are endowed with omniscience –we are all, even with the best of intentions and after the very best of help, prone to human error. This is best exposed by people whose job it is to look for government error.

But there is another important reason for an effective opposition. Even in a period of an overwhelming win as Mr Campbell had, there are differences of opinion in the province. In the most polarized election of my memory – exceeding in that regard both 1975 and 1991 – 42% of British Columbians did not want the Liberals to form the next government. True it is that not all that 42% voted NDP but the fact remains that the only voice in the Legislature for those who dissent are the two NDP members.

This segues into my last point on this subject. Much of the opposition that traditionally takes place in any parliament is not constructive but simply raw and often raucous politicking. This behaviour comes under criticism from well meaning observers, especially teachers with classes in tow. The criticism betrays an ignorance of what the Legislature is all about. The government and opposition are traditionally separated by two sword lengths because the place is supposed to be where blood is figuratively shed instead of it being literally shed in the streets. The place is supposed to be passionate and teachers would do well to increase their own understanding of parliamentary democracy before explaining matters to their students.

The massive majority has given Mr Campbell the problem of finding things for MLAs to do. There is no lonelier place than the government backbench. It being true that idle hands do the devil’s work, all premiers even with modest majorities have had trouble keeping their backbenchers from making mischief. This is no modest sized backbench. Moreover, because almost every seat in the province was up for grabs, many very good people were nominated in areas which might have been contested by sacrificial lambs.

Mr Campbell has recognized his problem by naming 24 full cabinet ministers along with four "Ministers of State" at a lower rank and pay level. In what is a stroke of genius he has also named, for the first time as far as I know, backbenchers to Treasury Board. He has also promised to revive – bring back from the dead might be a more apt term - the Legislative Committee and actually give them real work to do.

No matter how you slice it, things will be different in the BC Legislature and for all, political junkies like me and others alike, it’s going to be interesting.