On September 13th, in a story headlined "Clark's Ghosts Dog James", veteran reporter Barbara McLintock concluded her story in The Tyee by saying "It will be very difficult for James and the NDP to launch loud and passionate attacks on the privatization problems of the Coquihalla, BC Rail and BC Ferries if they play out against a high-profile trial in which an NDP government is accused of behaving equally badly."

McLintock's story is based on a case before the courts with respect to the Clark government's privatization of BC Online. One of the unsuccessful bidders is alleging, in the words of The Honourable Mr. Justice Bauman, "a civil conspiracy of Byzantine proportions". The case is expected to go to trial in February.

McLintock implies that Gordon Campbell will attempt to run against Glen Clark (when he's not running against public sector unions) rather than against Carole James. Apart from the merits of the case before the courts, many believe that it was a mistake to dismantle BC Systems and privatize BC Online. Like many of Campbell's decisions, it will be impossible to put that Humpty Dumpty back together again. Whatever comes out in court regarding the handling of the privatization, it will confirm that such projects are inherently problematic. It is not a question of NDP privatizations being good, and Liberal privatizations being bad; it is a question of a failing to properly evaluate the risks and benefits regardless, of who is in government. The test for James and the NDP will be whether the public can believe that, unlike the Liberals, the NDP learned from its past mistakes.

Paul Martin and his supporters are fond of saying that although he was Minister of Finance, his government is fundamentally different than that of Jean Chrétien. Carole James has much more credibility when she says her government will be different from Clark's. Not only did she play no role in Clark's government, as head of the BC School Trustees Association she criticized that government. McLintock is probably right about what Campbell will attempt to do, but she shouldn't presume that the public will buy Campbell's line.