February 25, 2000

I was wrong - THE COMMENTARY

By Joseph Planta

VANCOUVER - Well, a week ago New Democrats from Clearbrook to Cranbrook, Kamloops to Kitsilano, Victoria to Vanderhoof convened at Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum to choose a new leader and for the rest of us, a new Premier. Covering this campaign, having been at the very first debate amongst the candidates to the very last one on Friday night, I was adamant that Ujjal Dosanjh wouldn’t win. I could cop out and say that I was so sure he’d win the damn thing, I said publicly he’d loose just because. On Sunday morning we did get a new leader and the one I didn’t particularly predict. Some say I’m close friends with Dosanjh. That’s far from true, because we are not. Dosanjh while still practising law, was the lawyer of whom my parents called upon when selling and buying our house was involved. When Mr. Dosanjh went on to public life, they were quick to support him, not because he was their lawyer, but that he was an NDPer too. So simply said, we are not friends, merely acquaintance.

I said he wouldn’t win, because I felt (very strongly I might add) that Glen Clark, Moe Sihota and Dave Barrett would win Gordon Wilson the race. Well, all with the exception of Moe, stayed home thus Wilson’s chances were dashed. Gordon Wilson could not win the race, because he just didn’t have a strong base of support within the party. I guess it is their own fault, because it was his camp that lobbied for the February convention. (Remember it was Dosanjh who wanted a fall convention.) So Wilson mismanaged and missteped. Corky Evans was endearing. He was genial and quite the rabble-rouser and won the hearts of many New Democrats, and others not-so NDP. He had a shot at it, and we all felt (my convention team, that is) he could have a legitimate shot at winning the leadership. 58% for Dosanjh is hardly a majority. Wilson’s dropping out on Sunday morning was a disappointment, because he isn’t known for standing down from a scrap. Had he hung on, and fucked off an embarrassing showing on the first ballot and transferred his support to Evans on the second ballot, we could have had a Premier Corky sworn in yesterday.

Now it’s time for the man who did get elected to form a cabinet. Last Wednesday, Vaughn Palmer mused in his column that Moe Sihota will be thrown out of cabinet and that Andrew Petter would inherit the A-G position. Having met both men over the weekend, I can’t possibly see why Sihota is in government, let alone political life. He’s aloof, and when you can get his attention he’s one of them mouth foamers, without nothing to foam about. Petter, on the other hand is a quiet and genial man. Having stayed partisan throughout this race, he’d be the perfect man to occupy the A-G’s seat.

The jury, including this typer is still out on whether Ujjal Dosanjh will be a good Premier. For the sake of my fellow British Columbian’s, let’s hope so.

Questions and comments may be sent to: editor@thecommentary.ca

An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE .