Premier Gordon Campbell - no longer in racing form! - Cassandra photoPremier Gordon Campbell’s future is as bright as Monty Python’s dead parrot – who will take over?
Bill Tieleman’s 24 hours/The Tyee column
Tuesday May 18, 2010
By Bill Tieleman
That parrot is no more. He has ceased to be. He’s expired and gone to meet his maker. He’s a stiff, bereft of life, he rests in peace....This is an ex-parrot!
- Monty Python’s Flying Circus
Premier Gordon Campbell is as politically dead as Monty Python’s famous parrot. His political future is no more. This is almost an ex-premier!
Campbell told both Global and CTV news last week that: “2013 is a long way away and I am 62 years old now.” In other words, pass the gold watch.
What ended Campbell’s electoral career?
The Harmonized Sales Tax with a 7% hit on consumers about to lift $2 billion a year from their pockets, a fudged budget with a deficit six times larger than promised, the revelations to come from the B.C. Legislature Raid case, the Keystone Kops routine with Solicitor General Kash Heed and allegations of dirty, illegal tricks in the provincial election?
But more importantly - who will lead the beleaguered B.C. Liberal Party? Here’s a short handicapper’s guide to see who will win a leadership race for what could be a very short premiership, with points for and against their odds.
Carole Taylor – The Gucci Government Girl.
For: Media and older businessmen drool uncontrollably when the long-time federal Liberal government appointee – CBC chair, Vancouver Port Corporation, etc – even looks their way. As BC Finance Minister achieved four years of labour agreement peace thanks to $1 billion in bonuses for union members. Opposed the HST before and after quitting B.C. Liberal government.
Against: The multi-millionaire who wore $600 a pair Guccis to introduce a budget is actually older than Gordon Campbell and will be 68 in the 2013 election year. Red meat conservative B.C. Liberals would rather fall on their swords than follow Taylor. She has no base in the party outside Shaughnessy and British Properties.
Rich Coleman – Mr. Fix-It.
For: Despite his tough guy, unphotogenic persona, Coleman actually gets things done. Proved he could work with ex-NDP MLA Gregor Robertson as Vancouver mayor, bought up Single Room Occupancy buildings in the downtown eastside and cleaned them up. Has a strong Surrey-Fraser Valley base that’s critical in one member-one vote leadership campaign.
Against: Do B.C. voters want Darth Vader running the province?
Kevin Falcon – Mr. Abrasive.
For: The energetic, totally partisan politician appeals to the conservative wing of the party.
Against: B.C.’s health minister would scare away more critical centrist voters than Sarah Palin while mobilizing the left and greens like no one else.
David Emerson – Trusty Turncoat.
For: Has federal cabinet experience – in both the Liberal and Conservative governments! Forestry business background followed years as top B.C. bureaucrat.
Against: So antagonized his Vancouver-Kingsway constituents who voted Emerson in as Liberal but saw him jump to Tories for cabinet job that rest of province can’t believe him. Big business backer who loves the HST.
Dianne Watts – Mayor McCheese.
For: Watts has neutralized opposition both right and left as Surrey’s mayor, presenting a potentially appealing moderate, non-traditional politician.
Against: Can Watts turn B.C.’s vicious political culture into Pleasantville? Can a complete outsider with no electoral experience at the provincial or federal level run B.C.? And can she get both Coleman and Falcon to support her rather than running?
Also-rans:
George Abbott – the affable B.C. Liberal cabinet minister was the face of health care problems for years. Use only in case of emergency.
Colin Hansen – the Finance Minister who gave us the HST and a deficit that jumped from $495 before the election to $2.8 billion afterwards? Flat busted.
So place your bets – but remember – know your limit, play within it.
.
46 comments:
What a scary picture! He has sharks eyes....
What, not Mary Polak? Closest thing the Libs have to the Zalm.
Polak is a non-starter. She's exactly what the Fundamentalists want and praying for. It would be the Zalmoids all over again.
Wow Bill, you obviously don't like
anyone in the Liberals. Would you do the same thing when the NDP decides it is time for replacing Carol James??
You also missed one thing regarding Falcon. He loves the political power game. His friend has managed to be on the Board of BC Ferries, be some kind of government wonk in Dianne Watts' office which didn't last long and now this same guy is within Fraser Health keeping watch.
Carol is a federal Liberal so she attracts the federal Liberal elements in town, the same group that tried to get Christy Clark nominated for Mayor.
Emmerson? Not even close, Bill. He doesn't need it, and wouldn't want it. He's got enough in the bank to
enjoy what he wants and that song about him crossing the floor, well
we've seen that in both directions.
What about Mike de Jong?
Jesus, Mary Polak... I hope you're kidding. The woman is incompetent, abrasive and just annoying. She has a very small support base but most of the electorate sees her as silly and unable to manage a relatively simple file.
None of the above but by suggeting Gordo is gone should drag a few out of the woodwork
De Jong doesn't care what his constituents want either
"What about Mike de Jong?"
What about him? He's not Premier
Material.
He's arrogant, but not as much as Campbell is, and is not exactly personable. I watched him in the Legislature on the last day of debate on the HST and he was acting like a silly school kid.
A few weeks later having been cut down because of the Special Prosecutor's law firm in the Heed case being known to dump money into the BC Liberals, he was shrivelled up more than a dried prune.
Gordon Campbell's political hero is the infamous convicted stock swindler, and former Premier, Bill Bennett.
Bennett was quoted as saying that ten years in office was enough for anyone. So... May 16, 2001 + 10 = ...
Which will come first: Campbell's 'graceful' resignation from office, or Campbell being uncerimoniously dumped by the electorate in a recall campaign?
The recall campaign would occur when the 25,000 UBC students are in class - the first time that Campbell would be accountable for the BC Liberal education cuts.
"Jesus, Mary Polak"
'Jesus'. Exactly. That's the reason to stay away from Mary Polkak. get it?
The name Christy Clark has not come up yet. She leads people to believe she is not yet done with the political game.
Hey don't pick on the Fraser Valley Virgin Mary, she brings talents that only those who know her well can appreciate.
Biblical or otherwise Gordon has 100% faith in his minister.
So forget Cariboo Barbie, BC has the Fraser Valley Virgin Mary and she rocks.
The GREAT SATAN
One of the sad features of Campbell's leadership is a party bereft of leadership prospects. The real powers beside the Premier prowl in the background and even ministers are not trusted to make a public comment without a minder hovering nearby recording every word.
Campbell's power structure looks more like the CN Tower than a pyramid. The cabinet is filled with mumbling bumbling light weights.
"Gordon Campbell's political hero is the infamous convicted stock swindler, and former Premier, Bill Bennett."
So? Tim Louis (COPE Councillor) has a hero by the name of Che Guevera.
"Bennett was quoted as saying that ten years in office was enough for anyone. So... May 16, 2001 + 10 = ..."
That was in reference to his being
elected in the 1975 election as Premier. Gordon Campbell was elected in the 1996 election as Opposition Leader.
"Which will come first: Campbell's 'graceful' resignation from office, or Campbell being uncerimoniously dumped by the electorate in a recall campaign?"
Forgot one. Campbell is dumped via
a leadership review vote at a BC Liberal convention which has more probability of happening than the Point Grey electorate in a recall campaign.
"The recall campaign would occur when the 25,000 UBC students are in class - the first time that Campbell would be accountable for the BC Liberal education cuts."
Assuming that all UBC Students are bribed by offering pizza and Cokes at the Sorority House's week long party to sign the petition.
Not going to happen.
The only hope for the Campbell misfits is to mount a palace coup and shed blood. If not they all go down the toilet. Every shopper along the BC/Alberta border will be taking their shopping dollars to Alberta big time. Same with the border to Montana, Idaho and Washington. My family will now make a yearly shopping list and take our dollars to Washington and Oregon States for clothing, electronics and you name it. What does it matter because 80% of our goods are made off shore anyway. Locally if a merchant wont 'bargain' I wont buy - simple economics. To improve the economy of BC the best tax break that Campbell could have done instead of the HST would have been to repeal the PST. Can you say Alberta? But his ego just couldn't resist committing political suicide with this miserable tax on the consumers of British Columbia. Recall in the Fall folks and make it count.
I can't even stand to listen to christie clark on the radio, I don't think I want her to run this province.
Yeah, while we're on the topic of which zombie will replace El Gordo, what about the NDP? Surely there is someone with vision, intelligence, guts, leftist credentials, personality and personability to replace Carole "I, robot" James. Both parties need leadership change before 2013.
--Mike in Taiwan...
Diane "chicken dung" Watts? You have to be kidding.
"The only hope for the Campbell misfits is to mount a palace coup and shed blood. "
Slim probability of that happening.
Was tried with Bill's associate VandedrZalm, and didn't get far because the Zalmoids were out there
making sure that it didn't.
"If not they all go down the toilet. Every shopper along the BC/Alberta border will be taking their shopping dollars to Alberta big time."
Nothing new there. That's happened for decades.
"Same with the border to Montana, Idaho and Washington."
There's no highway access from BC to Montana. There's not much traffic between BC and Idaho
"My family will now make a yearly shopping list and take our dollars to Washington and Oregon States for clothing, electronics and you name it."
Oregon is 5 hours from Vancouver, best made on a Canadian long weekend.
"To improve the economy of BC the best tax break that Campbell could have done instead of the HST would have been to repeal the PST. Can you say Alberta?"
Can you say, BC does not have the resource royalties available that Alberta gets from its petrol resources, hence no PST there.
"But his ego just couldn't resist committing political suicide with this miserable tax on the consumers of British Columbia. Recall in the Fall folks and make it count."
Not going to happen. The HST will still be there even if Campbell isn't.
Better start getting involved in the NDP and get them to repeal it.
Good rundown on the losers in line for the Capo's position as Thief in Chief. Not as vitrolic as that of the Manatee from Delta, but quite spot on.
Whoever inherits Gordo's seat will be in deeper doo than John McShame and Tundra Trailer Trash Barbie trying to run as ReThugs after eight years of Bu$hCo.
Of course if the NDP serve up the same nice, but lame, James, even the Virgin Mary Polak could be even money in a general election, as the ridings in the Fraser Bible Belt aren't going anywhere.
Like the picture. No need to draw horns.
The very thought of Gordo leaving scares the heck out of me. I believe it wont matter who takes his place at this point.
What is scarier would be to fight an election against the Libs with the current NDP leader in place.
Ms James I am certain is a wonderful person but I am sorry she is not a leader. Or Premier in waiting.
I am sure she can find pressing family problems that require her attention at this time
Ragin Canajun
You do know how to create an insomniac...thanks Bill!
I believe the Liberals will want to recruit an outsider, someone who is basically a 35 to 50 year old version of Jimmy Pattison. A self-made multi-millionaire, but young enough to be a potent political force.
The question is, who would that be? I think I know. But he has a job already at 12th and Cambie.
Not that it will be an obstacle once The Tyee's fave poster, "Luke Skywalker", starts to work cashing IOUs and threatening anyone who doesn't go along with a career ending smear campaign.
KootCoot
Of course if the NDP serve up the same nice, but lame, James, even the Virgin Mary Polak could be even money in a general election, as the ridings in the Fraser Bible Belt aren't going anywhere.
===========================
Fraser Valley seats in recent years have become more competitive for the NDP, both federally and provincially.
The assumption that James is weak is a result of too much time spent listening to BC talk radio and its cast of orally fixated yahoos and outhouse philosophers masquerading as "outspoken mavericks", and all the other wacko detritus of the provincial scene. Someone who's conditioned themselves to accept that kind of thing as "normal" will be inclined to dislike James.
Time to go outside for a while.
There's a man whose name is synonymous with integrity and a longterm concern for the province of B.C.
Remember how Paul Nettleton (Prince George - Omineca) fought to protect BC Hydro ... and spoke out again and again against his leader's determination to sell off BC Rail?
There's also Vicki Huntingdon. Rafe Mair. There's Joy MacPhail. There's Corky Evans. There's Bill Tieleman.
and many more. But Citizens have work to do. The era is past when we could leave it to a political party to do all the heavy lifting and keep things honest.
"Remember how Paul Nettleton (Prince George - Omineca) fought to protect BC Hydro ... and spoke out again and again against his leader's determination to sell off BC Rail?"
His information was found to be wrong in regards to BC Hydro being sold off and he violated the basic
tenents of Caucus (those same tenents of conduct would also apply to the NDP). What's talked
in Caucus, stays in Caucus.
"There's also Vicki Huntingdon. Rafe Mair. There's Joy MacPhail. There's Corky Evans. There's Bill Tieleman. "
So what's the common denominator?
"and many more. But Citizens have work to do. The era is past when we could leave it to a political party to do all the heavy lifting and keep things honest."
The last heavy lifting was last
November when the third of three
PacifiClark Ferries sailed off to Abu Dhabi.
When you've hit rock bottom like the BCLiberals have there is one person that still may be stupid enough to take the job:
http://politicallyfucked.com/Pics/bush_finger_web_2.jpg
Looking for names, a new face, younger, ethnic vote getter but with the recent troubles he's out now too, Kash Heed.
I see nobody on the current list you could honestly see as premier, when the time comes you know it has to be someone from outside the current list who has not been supporting Campbell's every move for the last decade. I think until Carrol James decides her future Campbell is the Liberal's man for 2013. She stays it's round 3 in 2013.
""Remember how Paul Nettleton (Prince George - Omineca) fought to protect BC Hydro ... and spoke out again and again against his leader's determination to sell off BC Rail?"
His information was found to be wrong in regards to BC Hydro being sold off and he violated the basic
tenents of Caucus (those same tenents of conduct would also apply to the NDP). What's talked
in Caucus, stays in Caucus."
Can't the Public Affairs Bureau do better than hire writers of low grade pulp fiction? How can anyone even suggest that Mr. Nettleton was wrong re: BC Hydro? Major parts of BC Hydro have ALREADY been sold off to corrupt corporations, including Accenture which isn't even allowed to do business with the state of California. Thanks to the Robbery of the Rivers scam the rest of BC Hydro is being set up to go bankrupt by being forced to buy high and sell low. Then there will be a rationale to sell what's left off cheap to another "friend" of Gordo and his gang of thieves.
Maybe the PAB can't find good help because good people have scruples that wouldn't allow them to work for an organization that would earn the respect of Dr. Goebbels.
As far as Mr. Nettleton telling secrets out of caucus, perhaps Mr. Nettleton is an individual who considered his primary responsiblity as lying with those who elected him and not some kind of blood oath to the criminal organization known as the Campbell regime. I know though that anyone with the willingness to spread LIEberal lies and talking points wouldn't recognize a person with a sense of honour and integrity!
Paul Nettleton was one of the few, or the only, LIEberal who actually took his oath of office seriously. When the cabinet and caucus are plotting in secret against the public interest, the honest man has a DUTY to blow the whistle.
Thank God for the odd honest politician like Mr. Nettleton, God knows they are rare in what passes for politics (that is hard to differentiate from organized crime) today!
"Can't the Public Affairs Bureau do better than hire writers of low grade pulp fiction?"
So who are PAB writers?
"How can anyone even suggest that Mr. Nettleton was wrong re: BC Hydro? Major parts of BC Hydro have ALREADY been sold off to corrupt corporations, including Accenture which isn't even allowed to do business with the state of California."
BC Hydro still exists. Nettleton
was more focused on the entire
corporation, not sections of it.
"As far as Mr. Nettleton telling secrets out of caucus, perhaps Mr. Nettleton is an individual who considered his primary responsiblity as lying with those who elected him and not some kind of blood oath to the criminal organization known as the Campbell regime."
What about the NDP? The same caucus
in house rules apply to the NDP Caucus. Has Bill here ever posted
the dialog that goes on within the
NDP Caucus (in particular what decisions they have made in their
angle on issues? Discussions on how they handle the HST issue? Of course not.
" I know though that anyone with the willingness to spread LIEberal lies and talking points wouldn't recognize a person with a sense of honour and integrity!"
Niether would anyone supporting
Nettleton. He's not a political hero, far from it.
"Paul Nettleton was one of the few, or the only, LIEberal who actually took his oath of office seriously."
When he violated caucus secrecy,
he did not.
" When the cabinet and caucus are plotting in secret against the public interest, the honest man has a DUTY to blow the whistle. "
Strange, never saw that when the NDP was in power and you won't
when the NDP returns to power in 2013.
Even Bill here will not report in detail as to what goes on in NDP
Caucus or an NDP Cabinet meeting.
He never did when he worked in Clark's office, and won't when the NDP returns.
Hey 10:47 am Anonymous the last line of your post is interesting:
"He never did when he worked in Clark's office, and won't when the NDP returns."
So are you conceding that the NDP will return?
any party willing to fully investigate any of the cabals,filthy dealings will get my vote,now there's a good campaign to run on!
"Hey 10:47 am Anonymous the last line of your post is interesting:
"He never did when he worked in Clark's office, and won't when the NDP returns."
So are you conceding that the NDP will return?"
Not conceding anything. The NDP will eventually return to government, the probabilty is there. It's not a matter of if, but rather when.
BC has not had any real opposition party that has made it to government since the CCF turned itself into the NDP.
All current governments eventually expire. Social Credit did once, the NDP twice, and the BC Liberals are next.
"any party willing to fully investigate any of the cabals,filthy dealings will get my vote,now there's a good campaign to run on!"
Sure nice policy. Waste taxpayer money on what the courts are already doing now. There wouldn't be anything new.
In the meantime there's a province to build economically, an education system to fix, health care to strenghen.
Sounds like a better idea to me.
If Martyn Brown didn't know about the dirty tricks in Victoria on the radio shows then I guess that means the Premier will have take the stand to explain why someone used his phone to call Bobby Virk with a promise, two promises.... KEEP your mouth shut and the BC Liberal Party will take care of you..... DON'T keep your mouth shut and we'll see you in court. Tah Dah!
Tape Recordings.
""Remember how Paul Nettleton (Prince George - Omineca) fought to protect BC Hydro ... and spoke out again and again against his leader's determination to sell off BC Rail?
His information was found to be wrong in regards to BC Hydro being sold off and he violated the basic
tenents of Caucus (those same tenents of conduct would also apply to the NDP). What's talked
in Caucus, stays in Caucus."
Paul Nettleton did not break Caucus confidentially. Campbell said he was going to sell of BC Rail and BC Hydro. That is when he spoke out. He may have said he was against these moves before Campbell went public, but Nettleton only went public after Campbell showed us he lied.
Campbell is Harper's pet dog. Iggy has been mostly quiet, or muzzled. The NDP, are conspicuous by their absence. So, I think Alberta is right. The western provinces, should separate from the east. The claim is, the west would be 40% better off. The West's tax dollars, would stay in the west. Never again to, suffer the likes of, the dictator Campbell and his henchmen, ever again. That's the one, that did it for me. Anything, is better than, what we have now. Lies, deceit, broken promises, arrogance, corruption, selling of the peoples assets and, natural resources, convicted felon's. You name it, the BC Liberals have done it. Combine the HST, with the budget, you will see, everything you need to run your home is taxed. Both of those taxes together, is beyond the peoples ability to pay.
Campbell is Harper's pet dog. Iggy has been mostly quiet, or muzzled. The NDP, are conspicuous by their absence."
The NDP should have been running this HST show, but hasn't. The NDP has been abysmal in terms of their efforts to be against the HST. Other than being performing canvassers, the NDP hasn't done much of anything on this file.
"So, I think Alberta is right. The western provinces, should separate from the east. The claim is, the west would be 40% better off. The West's tax dollars, would stay in the west. Never again to, suffer the likes of, the dictator Campbell and his henchmen, ever again."
You'll have new "dictators", that isn't going to change.
That's the one, that did it for me. Anything, is better than, what we have now. Lies, deceit, broken promises, arrogance, corruption, selling of the peoples assets and, natural resources, convicted felon's."
Sure, and going back, stealing from
charities, fudgit budget and building ferries that broke down before the warranty expired.
"You name it, the BC Liberals have done it. Combine the HST, with the budget, you will see, everything you need to run your home is taxed."
Nothing new there. You can even go back to VanderZalm's Property Transfer Tax which was brought in
without any public consultation.
"Both of those taxes together, is beyond the peoples ability to pay."
Doesn't seem to bother those who pay out VAT in Europe. Even Washington State has alot of taxes
we don't.
But have to go to the NDP to get rid of HST. The BC Liberals aren't going to do it.
Interestingly you've left off of your short list of who would be the next contender for Premier, BC Minister of State for Intergovernmental Relations, Naomi Yamamoto.
slightly off the subject but Gordo's hand was in the HST thing as we all know. A real estate company here in the little town of Victoria sent out a nice addition to the T/C showing the prices of some of their listings, and what the HST will do to those listing. Example one bedroom 500 square foot condo, up 15.800. Yep Gordo the HST will be saving us lots of money
Basi-Virk, Fish Farms & Dirty Tricks
Let's say defence lawyer Kevin McCullough's allegation that the first Campbell government paid people $100 each to stage a counter-demonstration against a rally opposing fish farms in November 2003 is factual...
Do you think Elections BC should investigate? Is there a 'statute-of-limitations' for such an offence?
What's really interesting is the narrow focus that Premier Gordon Campbell continues to portray of what his government is doing, correction, what HE is doing.
And then, with a big thanks to the Premier of Saskatchewan there's this, a photo of the Three Premiers, including Ms. Yamamoto who is caught on film strolling alongside:
http://premier.gov.sk.ca/adx/aspx/GetScaledMedia.aspx?DocID=716,286,1,Documents&MediaID=684&w=640&h=480
For the full information:
http://premier.gov.sk.ca/
"Interestingly you've left off of your short list of who would be the next contender for Premier, BC Minister of State for Intergovernmental Relations, Naomi Yamamoto."
Too new, unknown outside of North Vancouver. She's just a half Minister, not a full one. That Minister of State of hers is too
within her comfort zone. A very easy to handle file. She needs something far more challenging to face. Also needs two more terms to be an option for the serious shopper.
BC Liberals are too damaged to select a new person such as her.
One read of her pamphlet and move on.
Western Canada separation - much like Quebec separation - is an American plot to take over Canada's resources.
Campbell certainly seems to support selling off our country to the Americans. I'd hope Tieleman and his fans would oppose it.
When asked about this, the premier said: "I never had intergovernmental relations with that idea!"
It is interesting that Annon7:24 is so out of touch in the basement of the Rock Pile in Victoria that 'it' didn't take time to check the map of BC. If 'it' can screw up on a simple fact that from Cranbrook one drives highway 93 to Kalispell IN MONTANA 'its' job could be redundant very quickly. TSK! TSK! Having used that route to spend a long weekend in Great Falls. (Where one can buy Fraser River Salmon from a freezer in the back of a BC licenced pickup truck in season.) By the way BC's royalty take on resources almost equalled that of Alberta until the Campbell government started the trend of giving away assets and tax breaks by the billions to so called 'friends'. BC Hydro, BC Rail, BC Ferries, etc. etc. (The list goes on.) Can you say 'Fraser Institute' trickle-up? If it makes the TAXPAYERS money -BAD..... Privatize.
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