Martyn Brown: Christy’s “Michael Jackson” Moment

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      Reading Jonathan Fowlie’s recent profile of Christy Clark, I was flabbergasted to read his account of how the Premier ran a red light, at the behest of her 11-year old son. Call it Christy’s “Michael Jackson” moment.

      Let us revisit the scene, according to Fowlie:

      “'Let’s see you go through this red light,’ Hamish challenged as they pulled up that morning, at 5:15 a.m., to an abandoned Vancouver intersection.

      ‘I might. Don’t test me,’ Clark replies.

      ‘Yeah. Go ahead.’

      ‘Should I?’

      ‘There’s no one.’

      ‘Would you go through? You shouldn’t because that would be breaking the law,’ she says.

      And with that the car has already sailed underneath the stale red stoplight and through the empty intersection.

      ‘You always do that,’ says Hamish.”

      Really? She “always does that”? The Premier of British Columbia?

      With a reporter in tow, no less? As if that is supposed to be cute, endearing or somehow acceptable?

      What are we to make of the incident, regardless of its relational context? Are we to turn a blind eye to the action?

      I think not, even if Clark was banking on the incident not being reported or captured by a red light camera. It is illegal. “Fun” or not.

      No matter how empty the intersection was or how early in the morning it was, it displayed a wanton disregard for the law and common sense. It sends a horrible message that, metaphorically, too closely approximates her approach to governing.

      In Clark’s world, rules are meant to be broken. It is a message that is endemic to her Office and that has been reflected by her example and by her most senior political staff.

      Whatever you can get away with when you think that nobody’s watching is A-OK.

      This Premier stops for no one. She’s cool with “pushing the envelope” with actions that she assumes will never be held to account.

      The worst of it is, she seems incapable of understanding that it is not simply a matter of whether others are in put in jeopardy by what she perceives to be “safe” rule-breaking. It is also the example that sets for others who depend on her to show them how to properly act.

       And now Clark wants to give lectures to Dix on how he should behave and about what he is supposedly “concealing”?

      How quick she and her colleagues were to jump on him for being caught out without a SkyTrain ticket that he claimed he bought and lost. How morally superior she is because she never got a ticket at all for her red light infraction, which if she had been caught, would have netted her a $167 fine and two demerit points.

       Note that when Clark ran that red light, it was no accident. She didn’t run a yellow light that turned red before she could stop at the intersection. She deliberately chose to go through the light because it was red. Because she could. And because, for the moment, it would make people smile.

      She always does that, even if the Premier believes that the media “never report the funny things I say anyway.” Like that “great joke” about the microphone that just wouldn’t stand upright, which she compared to her former husband. Hilarious.

      Or that line about a “balanced budget” and that standing gag about a “debt-free B.C.” So funny. What? She’s serious? Now that's funny.

      What a great tale her red light caper will make for those coffeehouse chats that remind us all how Christy’s “just plain folks.”

      You know. She’s just a down-to-Earth “Hockey mom” who is up to any challenge and who is always prepared to step on the gas with bravado when most people would be wise enough to just stop.

       It speaks volumes about her troubled leadership and government.

      For over two years, she has ignored the flashing lights that went from amber to red, carrying on her merry way. She just drove on-through, damn the torpedoes, ignoring those who urged her to take a decidedly different course. Forget it. Leave it to Dix to take that route, grounded in disciplined action, responsible behaviour and an honest will to change.

       Christy knows people and they know her and what everyone knows is that she’s all fun and games. There’s no stopping that.

      Her poor judgement “on the road” then in her car, as now in her bus, may have seemed fine at the time. But it is carrying her BC Liberal passengers to the very place that Clark now warns against. It is racing towards a new government on the other side of the intersection that she wants everyone to believe is marked by a red light.

      Trouble is, most voters don’t see it that way. The light for change is green and the ground ahead looks safe. And on May 14th, they’re “going for it”, following a leader who is cautiously moving forward without fandom or fanfare.

      He’s not too worried about being flashy, funny or loved by all and sundry. He’s more inclined to worry about the example he is setting and about what he’s learned from the mistakes he’s made along the way.  Lord knows, there were plenty of them, as he is the first to admit.

      Years ago he and his government were punished when they flaunted authority and were perceived as reckless and no longer road worthy. Now the Premier’s party is at the same crossroads, wondering what happened and why it all went so wrong.

      If Clark thought that no one would notice the errors of her party’s ways, or that they would be prepared to overlook her government’s flawed example, she is about to learn a harsh life lesson.

      The voters are looking to punish and they are looking at the person in the driver’s seat.

      When you don’t obey the signs and throw caution to the wind, sooner or later, you’re going to pay the price. Them’s the rules, son.

      Martyn Brown is the author of the new e-book Towards a New Government in British Columbia, available on Amazon. He was former B.C. premier Gordon Campbell’s long-serving chief of staff, a top strategic advisor to three provincial party leaders, and a former deputy minister of tourism, trade, and investment in British Columbia.

      Comments

      33 Comments

      johneen ponder

      Apr 27, 2013 at 10:13pm

      A very good column, much better than Mr. Fowlies. I was waiting for the MSM to say more about her actions but they didn't have much to say they can only dog-pile on Dix for the simplest things. It really makes me angry.
      She pretends to care so much about her son and then puts his life in danger. She should be ashamed of herself but I don't think she will be.

      Simon

      Apr 27, 2013 at 10:50pm

      Wow - looks like the knives are really out now!

      Cathy

      Apr 27, 2013 at 11:12pm

      Needless to say, she is being a terrible role model for her young son. What I really find mind boggling is the fact she is even talking about it - she truly is out of touch to think that anyone would find this anything but unacceptable behaviour - especially with her child in the car.

      Tyler Barnes

      Apr 27, 2013 at 11:41pm

      Okay. I assumed mudslinging was only a Liberal tactic (in this election) Martyn. I applaud your intentions, but is this a necessary article? As a "top strategic advisor to three provincial party leaders" I'd hazard a guess that this article was well-thought out beforehand, and under the guise of journalism, you're simply attacking someone who's already doing a good enough job self-destructing.

      curious6348

      Apr 28, 2013 at 12:49am

      I hope this is something the Straight is not proud of.
      It seems you are against anything that the Gov't, Oppostion, or Christie tries to do or for that matter anyone who is in any position of authority.
      It is plain to see that you hate everything that is out there.
      The overpowering negativity that this paper deals out week after week, makes one wonder what the game is?
      Too bad the Straight's people don't run this province!
      I can only imagine how low you would ask the electorate would go.
      Let's have some fair, all around discussion on the issues facing BC and Canada.
      Remember critics are anti anything,but they don't ever do the same job!
      Why don't we try to improve things, instead of all this negativity crap?
      We should make a choice on every item.
      Three reponses to every point, majority rule!
      Most times, two out of three isn't bad however, but adding more votes to an issue only clouds the results.
      Remember when you were a kid and asked somebody a riddle?
      How many times did you ask the same question to get the result only you wanted?

      LMAO

      Apr 28, 2013 at 1:34am

      Martyn Brown should not be casting stones, as he was Machiavelli to Gordo's Ghengis Khan as they were formed their vision of the Gosh Darned Hunkiest Place on Earth. Think: Kevin Spacey, House of Cards.

      His 'come to Jesus' shtick is truly vomit inducing. Having witnessed how he treated people who tried to deal with the Campbell government, I am appalled that anyone gives this guy the space to spew. There's the guy who not only did Campbell's bidding, but was architect of some of the worst of it.

      Still sore after being shown the door, Marty? I only wish I could have been there to see it hit your ass on the way out.

      I'm no Christy lover, but dammit, there's a multitude of people in the public service singing hosannas to her for getting rid of you.

      Just Wondering

      Apr 28, 2013 at 7:39am

      He does seem to have a pretty good memory, doesn't he?

      Darlene McGinnis

      Apr 28, 2013 at 8:06am

      it is bad enough to run a red light----even with your son in the car--but--she had a reporter in her car---whoa, wouldn't that be warning enough, this was written by a reporter , not a "Joe Public" person, What was she thinking???????

      MarkFornataro

      Apr 28, 2013 at 8:12am

      Open Letter-Dear Chief Constable Jim Chu- Having read the Georgia Straight article by Martyn Brown (see link below) which refers to Vancouver reporter Jonathan Fowlie having witnessed BC's top lawmaker Premier Clark driving through a red light
      ("the car has already sailed underneath the stale red stoplight " )- I am requesting that the VPD interview the witness and look into this matter.
      Sincerely-Mark Fornataro, Victoria BC
      http://www.straight.com/news/376491/martyn-brown-christys-michael-jackso...

      Earl

      Apr 28, 2013 at 8:20am

      My question would be: why is Hamish being driven around three hours before school starts? Is he spending three hours in daycare so his mother can pursue her own selfish career aspirations? That child should be home, in bed, sleeping.