June 28, 2000
The enemy within - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER -- History will look not too kindly on Glen Clark. His presence on the provincial political scene will render that historical judgement and he’ll snuff it off as nothing in his cloddish arrogant way. Who’d have thunk that Bill Vander Zalm didn’t end up this province’s worst Premier?
His political career has crept on a slow and steady road to self-destruction. With his career he took the province down with him. We realise that, his party does, yet he seems oblivious to any grasp of reality. He continues to fracture the governing caucus and undermine his successor Ujjal Dosanjh.
The judgement last week, levelled on Clark deriving from the libel suit brought about by Bob Ward, is the latest example of the former Premier’s arrogance. In and out of the Premier’s office. Mr. Ward, a highly regarded expert in things of marine nature, was a staunch critic of the fast ferry project, a project nursed by one Glen Clark. Clark, soon enough, went onto rip into Ward claiming he was a loony old guy who was shitting on his pet project, and the rest of us believed it. Even Rafe Mair. Ward’s career was said to have been put into jeopardy and he felt compelled to sue for damages. Had he simply apologised to Ward, this mess would have been behind us. Ward, as we all know, was right. His prognostication proved correct and the fast ferry project is a colossus disaster.
$150,000 isn’t a large sum for a government to be coughing up. Hell, it’s hardly what the entire bureaucracy spends on telephone costs per day! The principle is simply the government, hence you and I, the people, cannot find ourselves footing the bill for this reprehensible act of arrogance and stupidity. Glen Clark has at least 3 more of these lawsuits on the go and his hack Tom Gunton is currently in a suit against Province columnist Mike Smyth. All being paid for by the public purse. There are policies in place that protect ministers of the crown from paying for their legal costs when lawsuits are brought about from the discourse of those said ministerial duties. I believe in that policy and would regularly demand that such a procedure be in place, as we’d never hear the end of lawsuits brought about by anyone and everyone against government. We wouldn’t have politicians wanting to be ministers, in the first place.
I seriously object to the government footing the bill for this one. Firstly, I find it a little silly that slandering Bob Ward, is job description to being the Premier of the province. Glen Clark should pay and if not him, his party. Not the government.
His role in the destruction of the party was evident at last February’s leadership convention. NDPers were genuinely concerned and afraid of their movement’s future. The role of leader and Premier, which was determined by that convention, came with the hefty price of somewhat fixing the polarisation that the party itself faced. Premier Dosanjh has to date, failed.
Glen Clark definitely plays a role in that. It was his bang up leadership that got them into this mess and while trying to fix it up, Dosanjh is facing the crap crapped out by the now backbench MLA for Vancouver-Kingsway. Glen Clark’s private member’s bills on such topics as pets in apartments and the end of trophy hunting of bears, are not only absurd, but sabotaging the government lining. The topics are self-serving and simply facets to which can certainly divide the government caucus. Joy MacPhail hates Clark’s guts and evidence of that was seen during her appearance on The Rafe Mair Show last Monday.
A caller called in on the openline and said that Glen Clark should resign, as if he runs again his presence would sink the entire party. The Deputy Premier simply acknowledged the caller by saying, “I think those comments are very thoughtful.”
In my refusal to mince words, let me present to you these thoughts.
If Clark has the audacity to run again, then the NDP’s chances at winning at least one seat would be shot.
If Clark’s continued presence on the political scene is any indication, he’s simply a ruthless bastard that could give a damn about his party, his constituents and the people of this province. The contempt is apparent, I hope ours is too.
If Clark refuses to pay for the legal judgement in favour of Mr. Ward, then his party should pay. If they refuse, they’ll have no alternative but to pay with their seats and, if they have any left, their credibility on the provincial political scene.
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An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE .