Friday, March 8, 2002
Holding their feet to the fire - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER -- Nearly a week ago, a patron of this space wrote in and asked what I thought of the Campbell government, now that it’s been in office for nearly a year. Perhaps I’ll divulge the contents of the e-mail reply I sent back in a future column, but I think it’s evident what I think. The course taken by Gordon Campbell and his BC Liberal government is one that I generally support. After ten years of the NDP, I (like a great many British Columbians) wanted change and Gordon Campbell was it. However, one who chose the BC Liberals over the NDP, should not ignore the missteps of the government thus far.
Since last June when they took office, students are protesting. Rafe Mair, as usual, is keeping the government’s feet to the fire on his CKNW show. Vaughn Palmer, is still a must-read in the Vancouver Sun. Jim Sinclair and other union bosses are applying pressure and leading protests. And David Schreck, a former NDP MLA and an aide to a couple of former premiers, is doing his part. You wouldn’t call him non-partisan, but he’s doing a fine job at analysing the Liberal government. He’s an economist who has written a number of pieces delving into the spin and facts, misconstrued by the government, as governments are wont to do. He knows his stuff because he’s been there. Schreck has spun for the old regime, thus he has experience in wading through the “Newspeak of the New Era.”
It is most puzzling that through the multitude of cuts to the civil service and other government services that the Liberals are still getting a smooth reception. You’d think the honeymoon was still on. Sure the protests are often violent or high-strung, but if you listen to open line shows or look at poll numbers, the Campbell Liberals are scoring much better than the NDP ever did. When David Schreck appears on the Rafe Mair Show on CKNW, every Friday, he’s often berated or denigrated by callers who support the Liberals’ cost-cutting and meanspiritedness. Joy MacPhail, appearing on the same show a while back, was pilloried; and overly unfairly if you ask me.
Perhaps, Schreck and Liberal haters are wrongly associated to the detested NDP. But he does his research and it is hard to dispute his findings. When the mainstream media seems in accord with the neo-conservative agenda of the supposed Liberal, Mr. Campbell, we need voices like David Schreck. When the NDP opposition of Joy MacPhail and Jenny Kwan seems rather lacklustre, we need to turn to people like Schreck who use the media -- whether on the radio or through the Internet -- to pose some opposition to the Campbell regime. It’s through voices like Schreck that our democracy is strengthened. Sure the Liberals have a majority, and sure deservedly so; but that should not at all usurp democracy and make us stifile dissent.
I don’t know if what David Schreck believes in, is what I’d believe in. But I subscribe to his daily postings on his website, which is chockfull of facts and follies of the Campbell government; and I enjoy reading him. You should do the same -- even the most ardent Campbell supporter or free enterpriser -- as the better informed you are, the better citizen you can be.
David Schreck’s website is at www.strategicthoughts.com , where you could access all of his writing and punditry, as well as subscribe to his e-mail postings.
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Questions and comments may be sent to: editor@thecommentary.ca
An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE .