![[small-web-version_harperfree_poster.jpg]](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WGczmWu7Wwc/SdCJyy2LN1I/AAAAAAAABWE/ABYCkbJaKaQ/s1600/small-web-version_harperfree_poster.jpg)
British Columbia continues to astound the politically aware on a daily basis. Yesterday, reports surfaced that Gordon Campbell may actually step down as Premier and MLA in February, clearing the way for a new Liberal Leader. Today, not entirely unexpectedly, Carole James did the right thing for the good of the Party that has so recently imploded in bickering and turmoil. She announced her resignation.
This is great news from my perspective. The people of BC are angry. Angry at Campbell for destroying the Best Place on Earth, selling it all off, ripping up the social contracts that held our Province together, destroying our ability to maintain our wealth, jobs, health and education. He has chosen consistantly to ignore human rights and the importance of children to our future. He has turned our beautiful home into a huge casino for the superwealthy and so on.
They are almost as angry at Carole James for not having the killer instinct to take him down. With so many opportunities presented to her, she failed to take the initiative. She failed to connect with the grassroots of her party, opting to take her case to the Chamber of Commerce(s) and the business community instead. She failed to comminicate clearly to the public what her policies actually were and what she would do differently. She failed to make the Press listen to her, let alone publish it. As bad as the press in this Province are, I think she could have done better. Finally, she failed too inspire the support of the majority of her Caucus.
Today, finally, we British Columbians have an opportunity to put our money where our mouthes are. To insist on Leadership with vision and integrity. To insist that they answer our questions before any trust is given.
I am personally going to begin compiling my list of questions and I encourage everyone else to do the same. More to come…
I’m certainly am geeky, though I pride myself on not looking geeky (at least most of the time). Carole indeed faced lots of criticism but it’s something that she was able to take the party from two, to three, and then to thrity five seats. And I don’t want to call down on her right away for trying to take the party more to the center. She promoted a Green agenda that really needed to bring business onside for it to work. Anachronisms like “labour backed” need to be abandoned because they are simply outdated. Union’s, unfortunatly, are not that powerful anymore and relying on their support, especially when they often DO NOT support the NDP, is naive at best, and stupid at worst. The BC NDP NEEDS to moderate itself. I think what BCers are tired of is the stale left and right politics in BC and they want an alternative to THAT. I for one am slightly dissapointed that James is gone. She did pull the party out of the rubble when nobody thought it was possible. Yes, she should have won the last election and yes she should have been cracking skulls, but instead she was trying to rebuild and rebrand. The rebuilding worked, but the rebranding didn’t.
Does the NDP always have to face a zero-sum game with labour and business? Can’t we find a middle ground with small business and labour, especially when it comes to greem tech?
[Reply]
You are right Logan. Carole James is a good person with good intentions. I thank her for her years of service, often in a media blackout. But I am happy she stepped down today, for the right reasons, because I believe the right leader can mobilize the centre of us all, progressive socialism. It’s not a dirty word.
And it isn’t bad for business if it’s good for the people of the province. We are the shareholders of what remains of our assets and we are out of time. Carole was right about that.
[Reply]