Premier Campbell's caucus has been summoned to appear at the Harrison Hot Springs luxury resort for a taxpayer paid "retreat" Wednesday evening, June 16, through Friday, June 18, just 10 days before the federal election. If any of his MLAs or staff, were working on a federal campaign, Campbell's timing sends a message about his priorities.

Vancouver Sun columnist Vaughn Palmer wrote that Cowichan-Ladysmith MLA and cabinet minister Graham Bruce will report on his committee's work on how to overcome recent negative polls regarding Campbell. He might succeed in getting his report out under the radar in the shadow of the federal leaders' debates; if the full report is not shared with the entire caucus, backbench rumblings will intensify.

The strategy to run against the public sector unions, rather than against Carole James, was evident at Campbell's annual fund raiser, where he ignored James and attacked public sector unions. The Vancouver Sun assisted Campbell with a front page story on Saturday, June 12th, headlined "Memo reveals teachers' plan to weaken watchdog". Education Minister Tom Christensen added to the story on Sunday by saying that government may remove the College's ability to govern itself. No one in the government has expressed concerns that parents can leapfrog locally elected school boards and present personnel issues directly to the College, yet that is a fundamental issue in the dispute. You can expect government to carefully tend its manufactured dispute for what it perceives to be its maximum political benefit over the next year. Unfortunately, the cultivated conflict is not in the interest of students, parents or locally elected school boards.

Similar conflicts are likely to be cultivated between CUPE, HEU and the government, not that any of the players are unwilling participants. No one should think that public sector unions engaged in fights with the government are somehow fronting for the NDP despite Campbell's claims. By hijacking the agenda, these unions undermine the NDP's efforts to talk about moderate, well managed government that must deal with less than spectacular economic growth. That will not stop the Campbell government from polishing its attack strategy at Harrison Hot Springs. When the former government held caucus meetings at that venue, the Campbell opposition was quick to criticize the cost. This week's meeting, with 75 MLAs plus staff for two nights and three days, will likely cost in excess of $40,000. You will never know the full cost to the taxpayers, nor anything about what was on the agenda, but you will see the results of the briefings (backbenchers don't make decisions) as the plan is rolled out over the summer and early fall.