Dirty Tricks and Media Manipulation

April 28, 2007

Dirty Tricks and Media Manipulation

For days Premier Campbell has refused to answer simple questions regarding the activities of his staff. It was alleged in court that David Basi, former ministerial assistant, phoned CFAX, using a phony name, to put easy questions to the Premier. There have been other cases where Liberal political staff have engaged in such silly games. Why won't Campbell simply say that his staff are directed not to misrepresent themselves?

One of many interesting exchanges during question period on April 25th was between Leonard Krog, NDP MLA for Nanaimo, and Campbell:

L. Krog: The Premier has now had two days to denounce political dirty tricks. He's had every opportunity in this House, through numerous questions, to denounce political dirty tricks, but instead he's continuing to stonewall. Sadly, the Premier's silence on this issue is starting to sound a lot like he's prepared to condone political and partisan trickery.
My question to the Premier is very simple. Does he condone blatant partisan political manipulation occurring in his office? Is he going to be prepared in this House today to stand up and condemn it?
Hon. G. Campbell: I appreciate the opportunity to respond to this.
Let me be clear. I encourage people to be involved in public life. I encourage people to have ideas about how we can make this province better. I encourage people to serve. I encourage them to serve in elected office. I encourage them to serve in public service. It's a rewarding occupation. It's something, frankly, all members of this House should be encouraging people to do. I intend to continue doing that, and I intend to continue serving the people of British Columbia.

Why didn't Campbell simply say that he doesn't tolerate dirty tricks? Is he concerned that he could be contradicted by staff who might reveal what they've been doing recently? His attempt to divert attention or stonewall is becoming the issue, like Watergate, where the cover-up was bigger than the break-in.

Campbell's answer about encouraging people to be involved in public life seems to be the starting point for his sympathizers on radio talk shows. On several stations that I heard, callers are confusing the activities of political activists with those of alleged dirty tricks under the ultimate control of the Premier. All political parties encourage their supporters to be active in public life, including phoning talk shows and writing letters to the editor. That is fundamentally different from paid political staff writing letters or phoning shows while misrepresenting themselves as someone else. Campbell should say that he won't tolerate such dirty tricks rather than hiding behind the claim that the matter is before the court.

On Joe Easingwood's show on CFAX, my debating opponent alleged that the NDP engaged in the same tactics they are now accusing the Liberals of. That is simply not true, and can only be based on attempts to confuse legitimate efforts to encourage real people to be active with illegitimate efforts by political staff, including misrepresentations. Apart from what's right or wrong, just think of the consequences of misrepresentation. Sensible people don't do that sort of thing because the negative consequences that flow from being caught in the act far outweigh any short term political benefits from a phone call to an open line show. Sensible political leaders condemn that behaviour, so what's stopping Gordon Campbell?