Christy Clark's pursuit of the B.C. Liberal leadership brings back memories of 2005
On the eve of the B.C. Liberal leadership vote, I can't help but feel a sense of déjí over Christy Clark's candidacy.
She's seen as the favourite by some in the media, including Vaughn Palmer, because she has allegedly signed up the most members.
It was a similar story in 2005 when she sought the Vancouver NPA mayoral nomination.
Reports before the 2005 NPA vote indicated that Clark had signed up 2,400 members—more than twice as many as her rival, then-councillor Sam Sullivan.
Before Clark had even won, Vancouver Courier columnist Allen Garr wrote an article advising how she should campaign in the general election later that year.
Of course, Clark lost the nomination and never ran for Vancouver city council.
After the vote, I wrote an article called "Downfall", in which I listed 12 reasons why her candidacy fell short.
I'm seeing some similarities this time around as she seeks to become premier.
Back in 2005, Clark campaigned in a bubble, restricting her media appearances. That stood in sharp contrast to Sullivan, whose campaign manager, Colin Metcalfe, was constantly in the media's face.
This time around, Clark has remained in a bubble as she has sought the B.C. Liberal leadership, rarely making herself available for unscripted interviews. An exception was a recent question-and-answer session with the Asian Journal. Clark has refused to speak to the Straight once during the leadership race, which sets her apart from every other candidate.
Back in 2005, Clark also didn't secure any super endorsements. Sullivan, on the other hand, was backed by numerous current and former politicians, including Philip Owen, Grace McCarthy, and even former NDP MLAs Bernie Simpson and Tom Perry.
In the B.C. Liberal leadership race, Clark has the support of only one member of caucus, Harry Bloy. Kevin Falcon, on the other hand, has attracted endorsements from 11 cabinet ministers. Falcon's website also includes positive comments from medical researchers Pat McGeer and Julio Montaner.
Another leadership candidate, George Abbott, has secured endorsements from 20 members of caucus. And just to rub it in Clark's face, Abbott said that Falcon is his second choice.
Federal Conservatives were another obstacle to Clark winning the NPA mayoral nomination in 2005. Sullivan was backed by then-federal Conservatives George Cadman, Bob Ransford, Tung Chan, and, of course, Metcalfe.
This time, Clark also lacks the support of federal Conservatives. One of them, former MP John Reynolds, has suggested that the B.C. Liberal coalition might break apart if Clark wins.
Perhaps by tomorrow (February 26) evening, Clark will have won the B.C. Liberal leadership and will be preparing to move into the premier's office. But if she loses, it could be for several of the same reasons why she lost the NPA mayoral nomination in 2005.
I forgot to mention another of the 12 reasons why Clark lost in 2005: hubris. It took a lot of nerve for her to run for the mayoral nomination of Vancouver when she lived in Port Moody. Similarly, it also took a great deal of gumption for Clark to run for the B.C. Liberal leadership in 2011 without the support of a single cabinet minister.
Follow Charlie Smith on Twitter at twitter.com/csmithstraight.
Comments
4 Comments
glen p robbins
Feb 25, 2011 at 5:05pm
Charlie, I have not believed the polls about Christy's alleged popularity. I do believe she may be better known, but not better liked.
In the United States for example, to win dogcatcher you have to go through major scrutiny. Honestly, Canada's really quite a joke for politics.
I believe many people resent Christy because her political history does not appear to be about sacrifice, it appears to be about half measures opportunism. There is something else I have heard - and that is - why would she quit a perfectly good job (radio talk show host). It isn't a crime to be ambitious - it is just the fact that many people in coffee shops, at the fields, and shopping centres - soccer moms and dads - see Christy as spoiled and self centred - the latter quality seen in over abundance in Gordon Campbell.
I expect that at the end of the day British Columbians won't support Christy (what members do who knows - the NDP picked Dosanjh over Wilson) because she looks like she doesn't want to earn anything - she wants it given to or she wants to simply take it.
PKG
Feb 26, 2011 at 12:46pm
I couldn't agree more with your comments about Christy Clark. I look at all the candidates for the BC Leadership race and in my opinion she possesses he least amount of skill or successful experience required to lead the Province. Her family first platform is a joke given the urgency to debate the future of our social programs like healthcare. Her simplistic view to restrict health budgets to inflation makes no sense when the babyboomers are aging and will start demanding services, how will these be services be paid or does Christy expect us to put up with further waitlists. This is just an example of the risks faced by putting individuals into leadership postions without the necessary experience to make important decisions. Where is Carol Taylor when we need her most!
Soccer mom kicks below the belt
Feb 26, 2011 at 2:08pm
I know CC's private life is out-of-bounds because a) she is Canadian and b) she is a woman. But the reality is, she's seeking the leadership of the level of government that matters most to family life (education, health care, user fees, foster care, care for disabled,etc).
Family first? Someone has to say it. She is a single mom of a 10-year-old boy. As a new mom and MLA in 2001, she was back in the office ONE MONTH after her son was born. Now, she's seeking a "job" that will consume her entire time and energy, with a child who is still in elementary school.
I'm not arguing she should be cooking spaghetti and attending PAC meetings instead of running for premier (or starting wars with the BCTF, as she did as education minister). If she has a burning desire to serve in public life, the gates are open.
But if this is her version of "family life", how much compassion can we expect her to have for B.C. families (women, especially) who make different choices? Will her leadership be based on the idea that, if she can suck it up and earn, any B.C. family that is suffering financially should just follow her "family-second" example?
Or, will she truly recognize how crippling it is to have a kid and a job, and be the premier that sorts out the daycare crisis once and for all (highly unikely)?
I'd hope that any politician's motivation for serving is based at least in part on their own experiences PLUS a good measure of maturity. I've seen little evidence for this, in CC's case.
How will she help make life easier for other single moms? Does she really think that public classrooms have become better learning environments since her turn as education minister?
I know this province can be really hard on female politicians, so I understand why CC doesn't flash her double X creds often. But as a fellow mom in B.C., the seeming disconnect between CC's personal choices and political ambition gives me the creeps.
Why not wait a few years, give her son a break, and let age give her some big-picture wisdom before seeking to become premier?
Calli
Mar 20, 2011 at 10:13am
I agree with all the previous comment. I cannot believe our system allows someone who currently has not been elected by anyone, except her own associates to run a province. I do not think she can or will win an election. She in my opinion is worse than Campbell. He made huge mistakes but not for want of trying to get the information and trying to make the right decision. It was right of him to resign, no doubt. Christy walks into a position she has not been elected to and changes a major policy like the minimum wage, without any time to analyze the repercussions on such a decision. In my opinion it is just another tax grab. Help the poor! ya right. How can anyone shut their eyes to the fact that this will increase the cost of living. Those businesses paying minimum wage will increase the costs of the goods they make. The shipping costs for those warehouse jobs that are a very low skill level and that pay min. wage, will increase the cost of getting goods to market. etc etc. So the already high cost of living will go up, on the heels of a recession, a high unemployment rate, and the HST.
The current market policies are causing small businesses to close or sell at an alarming rate. She also took away the training wage. Now employers do not have an incentive to give young people with no skills an opportunity to learn. Who does this affect? Well I know a 15 yr old who used the training wage in the summer and then used those skills on an interview to win a spot (5 chosen of 150) to build a school in Africa.
Most business pay more than minimum wage for all but the lowest skilled job or for training people. When the dust settles the only winner will be the government as they will be collecting taxes on a higher amount. The standard of living will not change for the poor and the young people starting out as the cost of everything will be higher and still out of reach. The working class are the ones that will suffer the most trying to pay for this folly. They will simple be added to list or poor or homeless as Jonquil Hallgate writes about in The Surrey leader March 18,2011