16 July 1999

Delta South and The Zalm - THE COMMENTARY

By Joseph Planta

With Fred Gingell’s untimely death, the riding of Delta-South is up for a by-election. Gingell was a member of the BC Liberal caucus and was well liked by both sides of the house, need it be a Liberal or an NDPer, he commanded their respect. That’s the charm and aura that surrounds Gingell’s legacy. So the electorate has another chance to voice their discontent towards the NDP and more accurately a chance to have a gauge of public opinion. And it’s safe to say this riding is definitely not going to go to the NDP. And it so happens that Delta-South is the riding of which former Premier and Reform BC president Bill Vander Zalm resides.

If Vander Zalm runs, this will certainly be a plus for the NDP. Vander Zalm sided with them during the Nisga’a debates and if he does run, the right wing vote will certainly be split, something the Liberal’s can’t fathom. The Zalm is one of are more colorful British Colombians, having met the man on two occasions, It is no secret that he’s flamboyant and one never to refuse the spotlight. Compared to the current stink Glen Clark is in, his conflict of interest affair back in ‘91, the thing that got him out of office in the first place, he’s a saint. Also, Reform BC is picking up steam, The North is mostly old Socred territory and now NDP land, but like everyone else they’re fed up and can’t imagine voting for the Liberal’s, so a vote for Reform would be most ideal.

There is no doubt in my mind that Bill Vander Zalm will run. He’ll love all the attention and his run will bring much needed attention to Reform BC. This by-election will give us a taste of what’s to come in the general election which is due in a couple of years, hopefully sooner. Having Vander Zalm back in the legislature will indeed be interesting, he’s pompous and arrogant and he won’t mind sniping the NDP, the party that crushed him. When he came on The Rafe Mair Show last Monday, he said that if he would run, he’d win it easily. He’s also not worried about an embarrassing loss, something that could still happen. Vander Zalm comes with a lot of baggage, he even admits it himself and his right-wing beliefs have caused this Province a hell of a lot of grief already. Also, Reform isn’t very popular, in the Parksville-Qualicum by-election earlier this year they came in behind the NDP, who came in third. It’s practically an upstart group and not that voter friendly yet. Perhaps, Bill Vander Zalm will change that. The legislature will be exciting again, and like Joe Clark he’ll have resurrected a once-thought unsalvageable political career.

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