Rafe Mair has provided an interesting observation about former Social Credit leader and legendary BC Premier WAC Bennet.
In an article a couple of weeks ago for the Tyee, Mair suggests that if Bennet were to return to earth today and took a look at the political landscape in the province he once ran, he would most likely be asking Carole James for a membership card…
A rather shocking declaration considering Bennet loathed the NDP while in power, but such is the condition that Mr. Campbell has left the “free enterprise” option these days.
Heh, I find it very refreshing to read the recent articles by Rafe (an ex-Socred cabinet minister). I find it astonishing that he now loathes the Liberals. Who would have thought?
Yeah I’m not sure what it is that Mr. Campbell did to Rafe, but he sure has been spending a lot of his on line commentary eviscerating the Liberals of late, kind of interesting to read all of his inside understanding of politics and turn it against the Premier’s way of doing things.
I interviewed W.A.C. Bennett extensively for my thesis in political biography. I think the question is patently absurd. Bennett could not have worked in or with either current party. He would either found his own party or repeat what he did with Social Credit, import a name and ideology from outside and bring it to BC and alter it for his own purposes. I think that is reinforced by this passage from the article:
“My friends (for the last time, mercifully), names don’t mean much to me. When I ‘borrowed’ the name Social Credit, I didn’t know what the phrase meant or anything about its founder, a Major Douglas. Nor did I care. I wanted a vehicle through which I could serve the people of this great province.”
Rafe loves to fish, and the devastation of the salmon runs pisses him off like nothing else. He parted ways over the Nechako II project that would have screwed what’s left of the Fraser & Stuart runs. Just say the word ‘salmon farm’ to get him going.
WAC was a ‘builder’, an actual pioneer. Gordo is convinced the building of BC is complete, after all he’s got enough support to get elected. To hell with the underdeveloped, underserviced North.
The Rupert port gets him all kinds of support down south. They have no fucking idea it’s served by a windy, 2 lane 1960 era road and single rail track that’s closed several times a year due to floods, mudslides and avalanches.
Gotta point out TWO things here about BC Rail sale:
When we were down to ONE mill running, CN decided it ‘wasn’t worth their time’ to run trains on the Fort St James link. Then they discovered a performance clause in the rail contracts and were on the hook $3000 a month for not sending the trains. We couldn’t deliver the little wood that was being produced!
When there was a storm and the powerline went down to Murray Ridge Radio site, head office didn’t even know that having taken over BC Rail, they were now responsible for the private power line that fed the mountaintop. Police, ambulance, all 3 mills, the helicopter company, Navigata, the TV site, my ISP and another were out of service for 4 days while it got sorted out
These are 2 of the very reasons WAC formed BC Rail.