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WHAT VISION IF I MAY ASK?

By HUBERT BEYER

VICTORIA - Gordon Wilson, according to former premier Dave Barrett, is the
only one of the four NDP leadership candidates with a clear vision for the
future of British Columbia.

Heaven help us all. If  Wilson actually were emerge the winner at next
February's leadership convention, I sure hope that Gordon Campbell, the
Liberal leader, can come up with a better vision.

OK, Wilson has had a few visions during his stormy political career, the
first of which was to become leader of the Liberal Party. He succeeded
beyond all reasonable expectations by not only becoming the leader of the
then moribund party but getting enough candidates elected in 1991 to make
the Liberals the official opposition.

Unfortunately for is career, Wilson was soon struck by his second vision in
the form of Judi Tyabji, his beautiful house leader.

Without rehashing all the details, he more or less traded in his leadership
of the Liberal  Party for Judi. And don't let anyone tell you that he was
replaced by Campbell as a result of some sinister Howe Street-backed plot.

His caucus believed that he lied to them about his relationship with Tyabji
and lost confidence in him. It's that simple.

But Wilson wasn't out of visions yet. His next one prompted him to form a
new party, the Progressive Democratic Alliance.

With not too bad a platform, Wilson was to attract a considerable number of
people willing to stand for his party as candidates in the 1996 election.
Unfortunately, the voters didn't flock to the PDA in any great hurry or
numbers. He got re-elected, but Tyabji didn't. Nor did any other PDA
candidate.

While Wilson acquitted himself quite admirably in the legislature as the
sole member of the PDA, his supporters were biding their time, convinced
that in the next election, they would succeed in electing a few members.

That conviction was not without foundation. The NDP was at its lowest
standing ever in public opinion polls. On the other hand, a lot of people
were viewing Campbell with some apprehension. The PDA offered an
alternative.

Alas, along came another vision, a vision born of crass opportunism. The NDP
offered him a cabinet post, promising to help pay off the PDA's debt.

Like Tyabji, the vision proved too alluring to resist. Instead of having to
live on an MLA's salary, Wilson now got a cabinet minister's pay, not to
mention the stature, however fleeting, that goes with it.

And no doubt, the vision included, from the start, the possibility of
becoming leader of the NDP.

Such are the visions of Gordon Wilson, the man who wants to lead the New
Democratic Party, the man who, according to Barrett has the right stuff to
do so.

Barrett made mistakes in his career, some of them real beauts, like
declaring during the 1975 election campaign that he would dismantle Bill
Bennett's restraint program. With that statement, Barrett snatched defeat
from the jaws of what had appeared certain victory.

But on the whole, Barrett was a successful politician because he was a good
politician, which includes not making stupid statements.

Barrett also was aware of his party's deep roots which didn't cater to
political expediency and opportunism. There was a time when NDP supporters
believed with all their hearts that power wasn't worth abandoning
principles.

His backing of Wilson shows that he isn't quite as familiar with his party's
roots and principles as he used to be.

The only explanation I can offer for Barrett's endorsement of Wilson is that
he believes the former Liberal leader and PDA leader might be able to
deliver few more NDP votes than his three competitors - Cork Evans, Joy
MacPhail and Ujjal Dosanjh.

But I wouldn't be so sure about that.

-30-

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