Politics

Gordon Campbell only the second premier to receive Order of British Columbia

by Charlie Smith on September 4th, 2011 at 5:17 PM
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      As I scanned the list of Order of B.C. winners, I was struck by the lack of premiers.

      There are lots of business people, a fair number of university presidents, plus writers, artists, doctors, and musicians.

      A few former politicians have also been selected, including three former Vancouver councillors (May Brown, Marguerite Ford, and Walter Hardwick), former provincial legislators Garde Gardom, Pat McGeer, Grace McCarthy, and Frank Calder, and former federal MPs Doug Jung and Margaret Mitchell.

      But until now, only one former premier received the Order of B.C.: Socred Bill Bennett, who reigned from 1975 to 1986.

      The B.C. Liberal cabinet has decided that a second premier, Gordon Campbell, also deserves this honour, which has created controversy online.

      Meanwhile, five former NDP premiers—Dave Barrett, Mike Harcourt, Glen Clark, Glen Miller, and Ujjal Dosanjh—have not received the Order of B.C. Nor have former Socred premiers Bill Vander Zalm and Rita Johnston.

      Both Bennett and Campbell were both dragged through the courts on different occasions. Maybe if Mike Harcourt or Dave Barrett engaged in questionable stock trading or drank a few beers before getting behind the wheel, they might improve their odds of winning this coveted honour.

      Follow Charlie Smith on Twitter at twitter.com/csmithstraight.

      Comments

      12 Comments

      Mark Fornataro

      Sep 4, 2011 at 5:49pm

      Dave Barrett certainly deserves the Order of BC, unlike Campbell.He started by stopping corporal punishment in schools but is better known for bringing in the Agricultural Land Commission, a very important, progressive legacy to this day that is constantly being eroded by the likes of Campbell's friends.

      Harcourt?

      Sep 4, 2011 at 9:53pm

      Didn't Harcourt bring us TransLink? Is that worthy of the Order or BC?

      Charlie Smith

      Sep 5, 2011 at 6:58am

      Actually, TransLink was created in 1998, which was when Glen Clark was premier.

      Charlie Smith

      astro

      Sep 5, 2011 at 1:55pm

      Then Glen Clark deserves the Order of BC.

      Stuartm

      Sep 5, 2011 at 2:37pm

      Where are the reasons Campbell was chosen? Or this just the Liberals jerking each other off?

      Ted

      Sep 5, 2011 at 8:25pm

      I just Googled the panel that selects the OofBC and I smell a rat. Anyone can nominate but the Premier - in this case Ms Clark - doesn't control who makes the cut. Read it for yourself. Methinks someone is doing a dirty deed that will benefit any party other than the Libs. Can you say City of Vancouver elections coming up? I'm sure the Governor General is above board but I'm not so sure about the rest of the panel.

      LostMyGlasses

      Sep 5, 2011 at 8:30pm

      Dave Barrett, without a doubt deserves the award..

      Harcourt? Not so sure. Gustaffson Lake + Clayoquot are two very large black marks on his record.

      Point of Order

      Sep 5, 2011 at 9:44pm

      Hey, maybe we should just make the Order of BC automatic for any premier. Vote all the ex-premiers in.. Dave, Mike, Glen, Glen, Ujjal, Bill and Rita. Although Rita really didn't do squat in her time in......
      Wait nothing would have been better than what Gordo gave us.....
      But, if we give it to all of them the Award will be meaningles.....
      oh wait.... it already is.

      Ahem

      Sep 6, 2011 at 11:10am

      Campbell cleaned up the absolute mess left us by Glen Clark and the NDP. For that alone he deserves the Order of BC.

      Anna Eastman

      Sep 6, 2011 at 6:26pm

      What moron nominated Gordon Campbell. He lies, cheats, is an impaired driver, sold BC rail, brought in the HST after stating he wouldn't do either, stripped the HEU and teachers contracts after stating he would honour contracts. His impaired driving conviction alone should have finished him as premier if the laws were followed.But Gordon Campbell forgave himself. People are horrified at the Vancouver Riots, but here is a premier who drove impaired got caught and forgiven so why should you be upset about young people following in his footsteps. Obviously they should be forgiven their indiscretions also. I understood the ORDER of BC was an honour and to be given to a deserving, respected person in good standing who had done something constructive for the province. This now sounds like a liberal joke- !! He has the money to buy it. Is this what BC wants their young people to aspire to--be a Gordon Campbell??Give your heads a shake, wake up. An Honour should be given to an Honourable person if not do away with it.