6 The Mission Record Thursday, March 14, 2013 6 The Mission Record Thursday, March 14, 2013
OPINION
Published and printed by Black Press Ltd. at Mission at 33047 First Ave., V2V 1G2
All too political
It seems job security is not one of the benefits that comes from working for Premier Christy Clark. Last Monday, British Columbia’s multicultural minister John Yap stepped aside after a document proposing a series of initiatives to win the favour of ethnic voters in the run-up to May’s provincial election was leaked late last week. The premier’s deputy chief of staff, Kim Haakstad, was the first to take the fall for the memo. Haakstad, whose name had the misfortune of appearing atop the controversial memo as its author, has been a part of premier’s inner circle of advisors and confidants since June, 2001, when she served as Clark’s executive assistant. Of course wooing specific interests isn’t a new election strategy. Heck, it’s pretty much what every election campaign is about. But for a government that can’t seem to get out of its own way as it stumbles toward a spring campaign as the underdog, the 17-page document that outlines ways to win favour with ethnic communities offends on two fronts—by using non-political government resources and information for political purposes, and by patronizing ethnic groups. It’s true these strategies are no doubt discussed in caucus and campaign strategy meetings of parties of every political stripe. But the memo suggests the BC Liberals clearly crossed a line. Opening the drawer to expose the BC Liberals’ dirty laundry is embarrassing. For that someone had to take the fall. Just as members of the premier’s communications team have paid the price for her previous gaffes. The way things are going, they’re just beating her to the unemployment line. - Burnaby NewsLeader
33047 First Avenue, Mission, B.C., V2V 1G2 Phone: 604-826-6221 • Fax: 604-826-8266
Publisher
Advertising
Newsroom
Classified
Andrew Franklin 604-851-4538 publisher@abbynews.com Jason Roessle 604-820-5458 news@missioncityrecord.com Carol Aun 604-820-5452 arts@missioncityrecord.com
Creative Services Kevin Plastow 604-820-5463 kevin@missioncityrecord.com
Crystal Orchison 604-820-5453 crystal@missioncityrecord.com Jennifer Phillips 604-820-5451 adcontrol@missioncityrecord.com Mon-Thur, 9 a.m-4:30 p.m.
Delivery
circ@missioncityrecord.com 604-820-5450 Mon-Fri, 8:30 a.m-5 p.m.
ccab Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement #1369954 Copyright and/or property rights subsist in all material appearing in this issue. The publisher shall not be liable for minor changes or errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher’s liability for other errors or omissions is limited to publication of the advertisement in a subsequent issue or refund of monies paid for the advertisement.
The Mission Record is a member of the British Columbia Press Council,
a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and the complaint holder. If talking with the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the B.C. Press Council. Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to B.C. Press Council, 201 Selby St., Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2R2. For information, phone 888-687-2213 or go to www.bcpresscouncil.org
Ethnic strategy is nothing new T he B.C. legislature session ends this week. It can’t come quickly enough for Premier Christy Clark and the BC Liberals. This is also the week we see the rest of the fallout from “ethnic-gate,” as the latest controversy over partisan activity by political staff has been clumsily labelled. A disgruntled former BC Liberal caucus staffer handed the NDP opposition an internal memo setting out a strategy for ethnic “outreach” that strayed into forbidden territory, suggesting that ethnic-friendly government events could be staged and participants’ names collected and turned over to the party. “This secret plan clearly demonstrates the Liberals are deliberately folding government resources and staff into their party’s campaign machinery, despite rules that forbid this,” thundered NDP house leader John Horgan. “We’ve seen this before, with the Liberals’ efforts to run a secret committee to subvert the public process around Burnaby Hospital, and in the attack website created by caucus staff and launched by
Q
the Liberal party.” Casual observers might see this as a disturbing new development in misuse of public resources. It’s disturbing, all right, but it’s hardly new. The “attack website” Horgan refers to is a case in point. While a website targeting NDP leader Adrian Dix was being cooked up in the BC Liberal bunker, a similar effort was being developed in NDP research down the hall. This partisan message detailed all the worthwhile things that could be done with the government’s $15 million To advertising budget singing the praises of the government’s “jobs plan.” But this one carried the logo of the NDP caucus, so it was within the rules. The average person, seeing two groups of staff on the public payroll, each slagging the other, might not detect much of a difference. The biggest headline from the leaked memo was its ref-
erence to generating “quick wins” for the election campaign by staging apologies for historic racial injustices. It mentioned how former premier Gordon Campbell delivered a solemn apology in 2008 for the decision to turn away a ship carrying Sikh refugees from Vancouver harbour — shortly after the outbreak of the First World War. What does a modern provincial premier accomplish by apologizing for a federal immigration decision made in 1915? Why would another premier now feel the need m to apologize for a federal “head tax” imposed on Chinese immigrants from 1885 to 1923? The answer is obvious. Again, don’t expect much to change with an NDP government. Asked last week if he would stage an apology for the head tax, Dix delivered a well-rehearsed history lesson that made it clear he is anxious to do so.
B.C. Views
Fletcher
uestion
Has the ethnic memo changed how you will vote in the of the Week: provincial election?
Welcome to politics in an urbanized, globalized media culture. It’s more important to put on a show than to do the right thing. Hospitals are announced three times before they’re built, then announced again when they are staffed. Politics is a lucrative career. Former BC Liberal MLA Lorne Mayencourt is one of the additional “outreach” staff hand-picked by Clark. The BC Liberals retort that the NDP caucus has a similar staffer named Gabriel Yiu, who has taken three leaves of absence to run for MLA, and is in practical terms a professional NDP candidate. Yiu is running for a fourth time in Vancouver-Fraserview, having been defeated in 2009 by former West Vancouver police chief Kash Heed. This latest scandal might produce meaningful reform. But the misuse of public money to further the interests of political parties is deeply entrenched. Tom Fletcher is legislative reporter and columnist for Black Press and BCLocalnews.com tfletcher@blackpress.ca
Last week: Will the BC Liberals be able to retain a majority in the upcoming election? Yes: 12% No: 88%
Register your opinion at www.missioncityrecord.com