🚀 go-pugleaf

AND THEN THERE WERE THREE

 By HUBERT BEYER

VICTORIA - Gordon Wilson should resign from the NDP leadership race but
whether or not he does, there are now only three bonafide contenders for the
job.

Wilson is effectively out of the race, even if he stays in, because his last
shred of credibility has been destroyed by the nuthouse of a blended family
he's in.

The sheen started coming off the brash young Liberal Leader's armor long
ago. Already unhappy about his autocratic leadership style, his caucus found
a welcome opportunity to dump him over  his relationship with Judy Tyabji.

Never lacking in dramatic flair, Wilson and Tyabji attributed his fall to
the dark and reactionary forces of  the Fraser Institute and former Social
Credit power brokers who couldn't abide by his visionary leadership.

Fact is Wilson had become damaged goods and jeopardized the Liberals'
credibility in the public eye. People were laughing at the Liberal leader,
far more devastating than loathing.

As leader of the Progressive Democratic Alliance, which he formed, Wilson
appeared to be repairing his somewhat tattered image. He found people who
believed that he offered a different approach to the governance of this
province.

Alas, opportunism knocks only once, and for Wilson it did in the crass form
of a job offer - a cabinet position in the NDP government. He jumped at the
offer, ditching not only his fledgling party but all the people who had
believed in him.

His new status didn't keep Wilson from sliding further towards political
disaster. First there were revelations of financial problems and now,
topping it all, the sexual abuse scandal involving one of Tyabji's daughters
and one of Wilson's sons.

Nothing has been proven, mind you, no charges have been laid but RCMP are
investigating.

Under these circumstances, you'd think that Wilson and Tyabji would quietly
await the outcome of the investigation. Not Tyabji. She called a press
conference, telling reporters that her former husband was refusing to let
her children spend Christmas with the Wilsons.

As for the sexual abuse allegations - the court was told that, according to
the girl, Wilson's son "touched me in a bad place" - Tyabji said there may
have been some inadvertent touching when she girl slept in the same bed with
Wilson's son.

What planet is this woman from? Who in his right mind would let a
20-year-old man sleep in the same bed as a young girl?

Here I would like to express my admiration for Patrick Dohm, associate chief
justice of British Columbia' Supreme Court.

In a no-nonsense ruling, he allowed Tyabji's children to spend Christmas
with her and the Wilsons, but imposed some strict conditions. Wilson's son
isn't allowed to be alone with the girl and he isn't allowed to stay
overnight.

But by far, the most astounding condition is that Tyabji is not to make any
further public utterances about her children. No more press conferences. No
more chats with columnists.

"The parents will cease all discussion of the matter with anyone, including
members of the media," Judge Dohm said. " These are private matters. They
are not to be discussed publicly when you involve children of this age. If
there is any further discussion in the press or elsewhere, I'll know where
to look."

That judge deserves a medal. When Tyabji was still an MLA, I told her on
numerous occasions that discretion was the better part of valor. Actually I
told her she should shut up once in a while, but lacking a judicial
enforcement mechanism, I didn't get very far.

Now that Judge Dohm has laid down the law, Tyabji will finally have to shut
up, albeit too late to do Wilson's leadership aspirations any good. If
Wilson was damaged goods before, he's now the latest addition to the
political scrap heap.

My advice is: drop out, Gordo, before you get further humiliated.

-30-


Beyer can be reached at:
e-mail ..... hubert@coolcom.com
Tel .......... (250) 381-6900
Web ....... http://www.hubertbeyer.com

Beyer can be reached at:
e-mail ..... hubert@coolcom.com
Tel .......... (250) 381-6900
Web ....... http://www.hubertbeyer.com