February 22, 2000
Len who? - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER - The race to be the new leader of the beleagured NDP and BC’s new Premier was a long one to say the least. It had as many as 5 candidates at one point or another. The latest one to throw his name into the race was Len Werden.
Werden came out of nowhere. A former labour leader, Werden had spent much time on the NDP’s Provincial Council, as well as head of BC’s Building and Trades Council. Currently a consultant to the BC Federation of Labour, Werden jumped into the race after Joy MacPhail dropped out at the beginning of January. He wasn’t well known coming into the race, and though he’s mildly known now, he managed to shed light on the bulk membership sign-up fiasco, going as far as to call for the convention’s postponement.
Although he managed to slip through debates and interviews, many called into question his intentions for entering the race. Was he stalling for a second ballot on the behalf of Gordon Wilson? Well, he’s gone on to say no, and if his endorsement of Corky Evans before the vote is anything, he probably wasn’t. He claimed he entered the race to place labour issues on the front burner of political agenda. I managed to meet all the candidates over the course of the three days, getting to know Len was pretty interesting.
During the candiates debate on Friday night, he appeared wearing a sweater, while his fellow candidates wore suits. He appeared much too rehearsed, as he read his speeches verbatim and refered to notes while ansering questions from the public. (Remember he isn’t a politician.) Werden also appeared restless, shaking his knees during the debate for the hell of it, perhaps sheer boredom. He tried to loosen up, but he just couldn’t.
After the debate, I managed to stop him as he exited the convention floor and we chatted briefly. I asked him point-blank on whether he thought he would do well on a first ballot. He as direct and honest as I was said no. “I’m not confident at all.” On the subject of him entering politcs full-time after this he said he gave it some thought, but not in the foreseeable future, “I would have run as an MLA, had I won the leadership.” I also asked him, if he did drop out who he’d throw his supprot to, “I haven’t decided yet,” was his answer. His actions later in that convention proved important, as his exit off the ballot helped pave the way for Gordon Wilson’s later.
We met up with Werden again on Saturday, this time with daughter Shannon alongside, I asked what he did last night after the debate, he confided that he did a lot of thinking over the night, and when I asked what conclutions he had come to, “I don’t know yet.” Little did we know he was to throw an endorsement Corky’s way, a couple hours later.
His place in the race was highly strategic, but I think he got what he wanted out of it. Although the race was overshadowed by figures like Corky, Gordon and Ujjal; Len Werden made a little noise and in the process, according to him, helped put labour issues to the front of the NDP’s attention, in this very intersting race. Although his performace in public was boring at best, his demeanor and approachablity in person was nothing less than warm and candid.
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