The Written Word
for October 28, 2001

We are, evidently, about to head into a Leadership contest for the Liberals as well as for the Canadian Alliance, with the latter  being the first to happen.

With respect to the Liberal party of Canada, why should anyone in BC give a damn one way or another? The winner will be from Central Canada with an outside chance to Newfoundland and will care no more about British Columbia than any of his predecessors did.

Paul Martin is the essence of Central Canadian pink capitalism - he comes from the school that appeases Quebec and the center/center left at all costs. John Manley has shown no interest in anything outside Central Canada and neither has Allan Rock who, even worse, has a massive does of JoeClark/Jerry Fordism. He is a perpetual political accident looking for a place to land. Brian Tobin, the other favourite is a through going Meechkin who would have us back into the Charlottetown Accord mode in seconds if he had his way.

Of more importance to British Columbians is the leadership of the Canadian Alliance. And here the news looks just as dark, as the odds-on favourite, Stephen Harper, is so right wing he makes Ronald Reagan look definitely pinkish. He may be a safe pair of hands  to represent Western Canada but can he win votes outside of Alberta? There is all the difference in the world between the Alberta supporter of the Alliance and the BC version. Preston Manning understood this and kept the party from falling over the right edge so as to gain support here. Stephen Harper won't be able to do this ... he makes John Reynolds seem like a moderate.

What's going to come of all this? I think we are moving closer and closer to the place where the country comes apart at the seams.

When Jean Charest becomes premier of Quebec the old songs about "distinct society" and a guaranteed 25% of the House of Commons for Quebec will not  only be sung, the federal government will dance to them. They will do this because Charest will have promised them - and more - to the Quebec voter. The federal Liberals will have no choice but to agree with Charest. And away we go again!

Except this time it could well do what Brian Mulroney thought the defeat of Charlottetown would do - break up the country.