Gordo is gone!

[Mininari]

I still remember way back in January 2002, I had just started my new co-op job with the BC Government in Nelson BC. I had to go the local union office to register, and just so happened to do so on the day that Campbell and Co. announced their big round of public service layoffs... roughly 1/3 of the public service was dissolved, or announced to be dissolved that day. And the fellow at the union office, listening to the radio, grumbling about Gordon Campbell, looks at me and says "New job??? How did you get a Job? We're all losing our jobs!"

In anycase, the years following were some of the best years that BC has seen in decades. There were global economic factors that gave BC a big boost, namely oil and gas prices, and high commodity prices. Still, you have to give a large part of the credit to a government that moved to capitalize on those opportunities while they were hot.

Another very key thing we cannot forget is the amount of infrastructure that Gordon Cambell and his government were able to deliver in the past 9 years. Granted, we're still waiting for the Evergreen line, and the SFPR loses an interchange every month... the facts remain: we got an upgraded sea to sky highway, we got the Canada Line, we're getting a new Port Mann Bridge, we got a new Pitt River Bridge, we got some very tough parts of the TCH twinned in the Kicking Horse Area (way more to go), various highway upgrades on the Okanagan and Caribou Highways (Hwy 97), new bridge in Kelowna. Key to this is that several aging and congested structures were replaced. What did the NDP give us? Hmmm... the Island Highway, and... ... ... hmm, state-of-the-art ferries???

Sure, these successes are stained with inadequacies, or failures... SFPR is becoming an at-grade road, BC Ferries is buying boats from Germany, Evergreen is stalled, etc... but lets at least be thankful for what we did get. Regardless of what was done right or wrong, we're benefiting from all of these investments. I realize theres MUCH more to the past 9 years than infrastructure and ferries (Healthcare, education, post-secondary, first-nations treaty, etc etc etc), but I'll just stick to what I've followed closely.

Lets judge Campbell on ALL his successes AND failures, before we simply point the finger at him and yell "NO HST! SHAME! LIAR!" I remain divided on the HST issue... but I cannot forgive him for the way it was introduced after promising that it wasn't an election issue... but I also have great admiration for what Campbell was able to accomplish as our Premier.

Of course, he hasn't been my premier for 4 years now, but I still closely follow the goings-on in BC.

Good luck with whomever replaces him... Diane Watts is highly regarded, and could be a good replacement.

We'll see?

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by PoscStudent

Does anyone know why Cambell has been punished over the HST but not Harper? Technically it was brought in by the federal government.

The choice is totally up to the provinces. There has been a standing offer of cash from the Feds for a number of years now, but it is entirely optional.

They are the ones offering up $1.6b to sign on. What's to complain about?

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Mininari

Good luck with whomever replaces him... Diane Watts is highly regarded, and could be a good replacement.

We'll see?

I would recommend Watts or somebody else who is detached from the current party. Furlong is a long shot but possible as well. After the Olympics I'm not sure he makes the best public speaker though...

Either way, if they come up with a strong candidate, and the NDP remain mired in internal issues and unwilling to replace their lame duck leader, the Liberals could easily remain in power in 2013.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Mininari

..Sure, these successes are stained with inadequacies, or failures... SFPR is becoming an at-grade road, BC Ferries is buying boats from Germany..

Thanks for the reminder, I'd forgotten to add destruction of the domestic shipbuilding industry to Gordo's list of "accomplishments". Again, along with raw log exports, the real motive being to try and shatter the NDP's base of union support.

[Stingray2004]

A few things about Gordo's reign:

1. After the NDP was defeated and turned BC into a "have-not" province for the fist time since 1962, BC was brought back as a "have" province once again;

2. BC's dismal credit ratings were brought up to AAA status by S&P, DBRS, and Moody's (only Alberta and Canada can also claim that prize);

3. Our infrastructure has seen a massive rebuild benefitting the economy;

4. BC went from the highest taxed regime in Canada to the lowest;

And just last week, the Fraser Institute ranked BC (Campbell) the best fiscal manager in Canada:

B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell Ranked Best Fiscal Manager In Comparison of 10 Provincial Premiers, Ontario's Dalton McGuinty the Worst

VANCOUVER, B.C.—British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell ranks as the best of 10 provincial premiers at managing key aspects of fiscal policy including government spending, taxes, and debt and deficits, according to a new peer-reviewed study released today by the Fraser Institute, Canada’s leading public policy think-tank.

http://www.fraserinstitute.org/resea....aspx?id=16737

So with all of Campbell's failings (and most people never warmed up to or liked the guy) he has left BC with a good solid foundation to build upon for the future.

And I will say again that Dianne Watts, who is a consensus builder and has attracted moderate New Democrats to her Surrey First Party to "build a bigger tent" party, has the brains, savvy and political acumen to lead BC as the best choice, along with Carole Taylor, bar none.

[LeftCoaster]

^I'm pretty sure the unions have shattered themselves...

[whatnext]

Stingray2004, all those "accomplishments" had more to do with the commodities bust of the 1990's than anything else.

[LeftCoaster]

Really? The commodities bust chased businesses out of the province through large corporate tax increases and a vehemently anti business platform?

I didn’t know that!

[PoscStudent]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

The choice is totally up to the provinces. There has been a standing offer of cash from the Feds for a number of years now, but it is entirely optional.

They are the ones offering up $1.6b to sign on. What's to complain about?

Yes but the Conservative were the ones who allowed the BC Government to implement the tax. Campbell couldn't have implemented the HST without Harper, it's a federal tax.

[wrenegade]

I think Gordo was a much different premier between his first 2 and last terms. Overall I think Gordo was great for the province. When he first came into power and cut 1/3 of the public workforce I cheered. He lowered taxes, especially business taxes and made the province a much better place to do business. He got much needed transportation improvements completed and/or started and oversaw growth that the province hadn't seen in years. Even throughout the financial crisis that wreaked havoc on the states (and Ontario) BC was fairly well insulated. The DUI didn't really bother me, that's his private life, and I'm sure he regrets it. The Carbon tax was a mistake in my mind, mainly because I just see it as a tax grab. I don't see a whole host of "green" (man do I hate that term) improvements or initiatives started because of it, the Evergreen line still hasn't started. The BC Rail scandal never really got the negative attention I thought it would, perhaps if there was a more competent opposition it would have. Unfortunately, up until the next election the only thing the BC Libs and Gordo will be remembered for is the HST. I think it is good policy and will be voting to keep it in September 2011. Ideally it should have been brought in 2005/2006 when the economy was great, but the $2B carrot dangled by the Feds probably wasn't there. Maybe if it was implemented in 05/06' it would have slowed the ridiculous housing market a bit too. Anyways.....the fact that it was never talked about before the 09' election, or when it was brought up by the press or opposition it was dismissed, and then implemented right afterwards? I couldn't believe it. And the follow up damage control/sales job was brutal.

Anyways, I hope that whoever takes the helm of the BC Libs manages the HST carefully and I hope the economy does well over the next 18 months or so. No matter how good of a job anyone does, if the economy is lousy, I don't think the Libs have a chance. And I dread the though of the BC NDP returning to power.

[Millennium2002]

A lot of people mention Watts as the next premier... however... I'm skeptical of her leadership. She says a lot and she's quite defensive of her own community but very little gets accomplished in the right direction in my view. For example, despite her initiatives to improve Surrey, and the fact that there's still a small (although considerably reduced) building boom going on down there, I still view the city leadership with disdain over the fact that they haven't stopped suburb expansion (in fact it'll keep growing if Tynehead goes ahead)... and I also think that is in itself killing her own initiatives since there's really very little demand anymore to build anything in the core or elsewhere.

Also, she seems to be quite demanding for a mayor for her own city during regional boards and meetings... rather than understanding the priority of heavy traffic areas like the Broadway corridor she pushes for concessions to build more heavy rail rapid transit in her area despite the fact that there's no proven demand for it and the fact that the suburbs just keep growing (and suburbs are not very good markets for rapid transit unless there are many park and rides). In a way that could be said for all the other mayors but she stands out the most in this regard.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Really? The commodities bust chased businesses out of the province through large corporate tax increases and a vehemently anti business platform?

I didn’t know that!

Remind me again of what companies constituted this exodus out of BC (mining and mining service co's don't count - see commodities bust).

[vanlaw]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Thanks for the reminder, I'd forgotten to add destruction of the domestic shipbuilding industry to Gordo's list of "accomplishments". Again, along with raw log exports, the real motive being to try and shatter the NDP's base of union support.

The only person/people who caused the destruction of the domestic shipbuilding industry, was the domestic shipbuilding industry itself. They sat around with their attitude of entitlement to contracts and couldn’t deliver anything on time or on budget, because they felt there was no incentive to do so (fast cats).

Is it really so bad that we got three new beautiful ferries built overseas at the best price given the great quality. Kudos to the Germans for being internationally competitive and offering a great product, shame on the BC industry for sitting around on their asses – I don’t see them as being domestically competitive, let alone internationally. Is Gordo really to blame for that????

[Stingray2004]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Remind me again of what companies constituted this exodus out of BC (mining and mining service co's don't count - see commodities bust).

I still remember how the real estate market softened in early 1994 and remained stagnant through 2001. Businesses were also picking up shop and moving across the border into Washington State as well as into Alberta (Finning, for example). They were quite high profile in the media at the time.

As a matter of fact, BC was mired in last place (compared to every other province) in every economic indicator in Canada during the 1990's:

1. Last place in real per capita GDP growth;
2. Last place in private sector investment growth;
3. Last place in private sector employment growth;
4. Average real per capita after tax income dropped;

And then, of course, BC became a "have-not" province in 2001. Unlike the Saskatchewan and Manitoba New Democrats, the BC version has too many special interest groups to appease as well as a loony left contingent. I don't wanna go back to that again.

Frankly, I would prefer the Ontario model of a strong Conservative Party and Liberal Party with the NDP as minor third player, which makes a government change much more palatable.

[Yume-sama]

The BC NDP lead by James shouldn't be trusted to run a community board let alone a province.

[SFUVancouver]

Originally Posted by Mininari

What did the NDP give us? Hmmm... the Island Highway, and... ... ... hmm, state-of-the-art ferries???

The Expo Line extension from Scott Road to King George and the Millennium Line, off of the top of my head.

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by PoscStudent

...

Does anyone know why Cambell has been punished over the HST but not Harper? Technically it was brought in by the federal government.

The major reason why so many people are upset is that the HST change was sprung on the citizens just a few weeks after the election in which Gordo & the other ministers were adamant they weren't changing from GST+PST to HST.

Then the story changed to say that changing to HST was an initiative of the finance ministry bureaucrats, and Gordo & other ministers were 'kept out of the loop' because they were in the midst of the election.

Then the Freedom of Information documents were released showing the Finance Minister was briefed by his ministry bureaucrats in March 2009 (before the election) about their discussions with Ottawa for several months re: changing to HST. And we're supposed to believe that this change in tax schemes was so trivial that the Finance Minister would forget to discuss it with the Premier.

The more Gordo & the cabinet were saying "we didn't know what our bureaucrats were doing about the HST change", the more people saw their noses elongating.

Having 'Zalm kick the hornets nest was something nobody saw coming, but he managed to stir up public opinion and get enough signatures to get the anti-HST petition approved by the Elections Officer. I read that in some liberal ridings, more people signed the anti-HST petition over the summer than the number of people who voted for their MLA in the 2009 election.

Once the anti-HST petition was approved, the liberals had to accept the petition and rescind the HST legislation (reverting back to GST+PST), or call for a referendum. They announced the referendum would be held a year later in Sept 2011.

[Alex Mackinnon]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Remind me again of what companies constituted this exodus out of BC (mining and mining service co's don't count - see commodities bust).

Well for one, Finning used to be Vancouver based. A 4% tax/year on all heavy equipment drove them out. Now they're Edmonton based.

Who needs a multi billion dollar company anyways?

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Alex Mackinnon

Well for one, Finning used to be Vancouver based. A 4% tax/year on all heavy equipment drove them out. Now they're Edmonton based.

Who needs a multi billion dollar company anyways?

So in other words Finning seems to be the only example people can think of.

As to the claim someone mentioned about housing prices languishing, I'd bet there are plenty of ordinary British Columbians who wish housing prices had continued to "languish" at the point where they could afford a house, rather than scrimp and scrape just to get an overpriced shoebox-sized condo.

[240glt]

Be careful what you wish for, it might actually come true.