March 14, 2000
A coupla thoughts on politics - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER -- I am in receipt of two letters. One from Brian Nguyen, a reader and another from someone in Central Canada who reacted to something I said on Mr. Nguyen’s eGroup. The one from the guy in Ontario was questioning me on things the current Liberal administration has done to “snub” the West. Forthwith are my responses:
The West doesn't really exist, because British Columbia is a hell of a lot more different than Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba. Let's get that out of the way first, as that's been imbedded in our collective consciousness through both of Toronto's national newspapers, The Globe and Mail and The National Post.
The Liberals have shown their disdain for Western Canada for years. It's gone on since the days of Trudeau when he gave some BCers the Salmon Arm salute when he visited the province in the late 70's. For those not old enough to remember that, he gave three protesters who surrounded his luxurious rail car, the finger. Since then, he's been doing that, maybe it's because BC was where Margaret was born?
The Nisga'a Treaty was passed through the House of Commons through Mr. Chretién's ignorance for the political process and the beck and call of people like BC Liberal leader Gordon Campbell, Gordon Gibson and Mel Smith. Prominent British Columbians, Gibson for one was a former Liberal insider to Trudeau.
Commissioner Ted Hughes, recently sent the PM an "invitation" to testify at the APEC inquiry, an inquiry I might add that he called for himself to exonerate him; the Prime Minister (through some hacks, I’m sure) sent a terse and shitty reply saying he wouldn't. Through that legal loophole, (because a subpoena wasn't issued) he's managed to snub the inquiry and shown his utter contempt for the people of this province and the processes that govern our country.
When the Constitution was being patriated in 1982, wasn't it Mr. Trudeau that snubbed Premier Lévesque's "Night of the Long Knives" routine? Wasn't it Mr. Chretién as Intergovernmental Affairs Minister that practised backroom politics to secure the 'Gang of 7', forever stifling Quebec from any debate on matters to do with our Constitution? I'll admit I don't think they should get a veto, but still Mr. Chretién went behind the backs of Quebec to get this damned Constitution and Charter of Rights and Freedoms, through in time. (A Charter, I might add that is causing much consternation to people right across the country.)
So let me go on the record by saying that the Liberals have not only snubbed the West, but everyone else in the country. When Prairie farmers were looking for help, wasn't it this Liberal administration that turned it's back? Isn't it this government that as I type will try its damnedest to stifle debate on the Clarity Bill?
The Liberals feed on Canadian apathy, and it's that apathy that plagues Central Canada that dictates what we get in the West and in British Columbia. (It also puts the buggers back in power, all the time.) After that tense and near-fatal defeat of a ‘Oui’ vote in Quebec in 1995, wasn't it Mr. Chretién who passed motion on a bill that required all four regions (Ontario, Quebec, The Maritimes and the West) to agree to constitutional change? Wasn't it only after much rancour on our part that four regions were not enough, thus BC was given it's own say to quiet down the angry BC voices? Also note, that anything BC would dare propose would be immediately shot down, because it would upset the comfortable power structure that rests solely in the court of Central Canada.
BC has been getting the short end of the stick and it's not just the Liberals fault. It dates back to the days when W.A.C. Bennett was known for his bitching towards Ottawa. The country will forever be divided into what I call a regional party pizza. BC and the West will vote Reform, Ontario will choose Liberal, Quebec the BQ, and the Maritimes only Tory. The NDP will exist as the only true national party, electing sprinklings of seats across the country, if Stockwell Day and CA doesn't fly.
CA is not the solution to Western Canada's problems, but Canada's problems. Stockwell Day has what Preston Manning doesn't, and that’s the ability to win right-wingers east of Manitoba. Now, all that needs to happen is Joe Clark and the Tory's demise so true opposition is available for the damned Liberals. My regular column readers will know that my ranting towards the Liberals is not personal, as I greatly admire Mr. Trudeau and that Deputy PM, Herb Gray and I exchange Christmas cards. I just think they aren't thinking straight and that's a shame, because if they want Commons seats, I'm sure BCers would chose them over Reformers any day.
Brian, to your suggestion that BCers don't know what they want, in that we voted Reform Federally and the NDP Provincially is utterly absurd. We know what we want, it's the parties that are wrong. The Liberals of Chretién and the Liberals of Campbell are two very different parties. The NDP won in 1996, simply because of the damned system we both agree should be reformed. The NDP's popular vote paled in comparison to that of the Liberals, yet we have them (the NDP) in power. A shame, yes but reality in Canadian politics. The Campbell Liberals are, as Corky Evans recently said, a witness protection program for old Socreds. Thus this party is right-wing, just like the Manning Reformers.
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