Friday, February 21, 2003
On the Olympic plebiscite - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER – When Larry Campbell was passed over for the top police jobs in Vancouver and Saskatoon, he offered his candidature to the left-wing COPE party in Vancouver. Instantly, the party was given a real chance of winning. Campbell was guaranteed a job, and for his troubles he needed to make a few promises. Forget promises and platitudes for the populous, COPE's backing came at a price. Chiefly among them was Campbell's vow to hold a referendum on the 2010 Winter Olympic bid, begun by the previous NDP government in Victoria and now-championed Gordon Campbell's Liberals.
During the campaign, the promise to hold a referendum was justified by the claim that Vancouverites ought to have a say on a megaproject that would affect many. Jim Green, the champion of the downtrodden in the Downtown Eastside, then a top candidate for COPE, looked opposed to the bid considering it would divert funds away from the poor to a billion-dollar project that was tied to the non-poor looking Gordon Campbell and his ilk. The referendum was promised and touted and not long after getting elected, the plan was changed to holding a plebiscite, as a plebiscite is non-binding whilst a referendum's result would be binding. A plebiscite was the order of the day, considering the City of Vancouver would be in no position to officially usurp the bid process, which has bound higher levels of government, legally or otherwise. The referendum, er plebiscite is on regardless. The newly minted Mayor Campbell did not want the ignominy of breaking a cardinal promise so soon after the election. His colleagues on the COPE Council, far more to the left than the socialite socialist Mayor Campbell, would no doubt relish in making the vote a referendum on the government in Victoria. Those who have a grudge against the neo-conservative New Era in Victoria have been campaigning against the bid, if for no other reason than it's the pet project of the Premier. Now, Mayor Campbell doesn't wish his colleagues to abuse the plebiscite in an effort to nag at Premier Campbell. Clearly, the Mayor, from the outset has been playing politics. He wishes now to not piss off the provincial government lest intergovernmental relations sour. For Premier Campbell however, the timing is clearly terrible.
People will no doubt vote for or against the bid mindful of their opinion towards the Premier, his government and their policies. With the provincial government raising the provincial gas tax three and a half cents March 1st, and dropping a budget that's been construed as tax grabs all-around last Tuesday, people's opinion of the Premier is a tad not too high. (His Maui misadventure too, rears its head, irrespective of people's political stripe.)
Let us suppose that the people of Vancouver will vote ‘No' come Saturday. Well, the International Olympic Committee may consider that lack of enthusiasm in its decision. Jack Poole and the people pushing the bid, say even if the people say no, but the IOC taps Vancouver, the Olympics would still be a go. Then again, the IOC is smart enough to avoid Vancouver-Whistler considering the rigorous debate had. I suspect Vancouverites will vote ‘yes', however the decisiveness of that majority will be critical. Mayor Campbell will have his chance to be mayor during the games, giving him tons of PR. The Premier's neo-conservative agenda may be given some breaks as he can (and will) blame some policy directions on the preparing for the Olympiad.
Still, this vote tomorrow is a waste of time and money. It does not look too good that taxes in the City of Vancouver are seemingly on the rise, with this substantial sum being dropped for the mere polling of Vancouverites' opinions. Though a costly polling exercise, I'll still be voting, as I did in Premier Campbell's meaningless and absurd referendum on Native land claims and the so-called treaty process. However, unlike that vote, I marked my ballot last Tuesday at the advance poll. Mayor Campbell's argument that nothing adverse will take place if the ‘no' vote loses doesn't hold much water. There is very much the possibility that the bid process could be upset as a result of Saturday's vote. Suppose the ‘yes' side barely goes over 50%, then there's no way the IOC would suppose a decisive majority of support resides in the city.
Heretofore, I have been tepid in my support of the bid. It matters not, a damn whether we get the games. Frankly, the argument fronted that we should reject the bid because it will divert funds from other necessary social programs like education and healthcare, is specious in the extreme. It is naive beyond belief to think that funds would knowingly be funnelled so that schools would be understaffed or that hospitals would have to close. This is a project whose costs would fall on the other side of the ledger, so to speak. Like the fast ferries or similar infrastructure projects associated with Expo ‘86, tax dollars wouldn't be syphoned so easily. What may worry some, is that these costs will be exacted upon the consumer. This has already taken form with that three and a half cent tax increase on gas, as well as future tolls on those highways that'll link us to the "Heartlands," which looks to be a P3 project – a public-private partnership.
So how did I vote? I marked ‘yes' on my ballot, as I have no real reasons to vote ‘no.' I will probably never go to any of the events in 2010, yet welcoming the world to this part of the world did us no previous harm. Expo ‘86, irrespective of political ideology, was a success. I am confident that it would be utterly unconscionable that there be any vast suffering with people like Mayor Campbell, Jim Green, and yes, even Gordon Campbell at the helm, because of these games. In my gut however, I don't think we've got a whole hell of a chance in getting the games. Politics the operative, the IOC is more prone to succumbing. Much more than Larry Campbell.
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An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE .