Maybe Gordon Campbell is the problem

Remember that old Meatloaf hit, "Two out of Three ain't Bad?" I can't help but wonder if that tune isn't bouncing around in the head of Premier Gordon Campbell these days after losing the second of his key lieutenants.
Back in September it was Christy Clark, the former Deputy Premier, Minister of Children and Family Development and Education Minister. In December, it was Gary Collins, his former finance minister. It hasn't been a good autumn for Campbell cabinet-wise. As explanation in both cases we've heard the most tired litany in all of politics -- they wanted to spend more time with their families. Laudable intentions to be sure, but forgive me for being a tad sceptical. People in public life know what they're getting into long before they get into it. That's why those who genuinely want to spend time with their families avoid public life. Consequently when I hear someone like Collins suddenly longing for home and hearth after 13 years in the bearpit of B.C. politics, I wonder what's really up. Is he looking for a less hectic line of employment? Being CEO of a startup airline company will hardly offer that. Does he genuinely want to spend more time with his new family and young children? If he does, good on him for that. But I have to confess I do have a niggling suspicion that something else is operating here.
Just what that something is I can't say for sure, but I don't mind saying what's making me suspicious. Oddly enough, it was Clark's resignation Sept. 16 that might be the tipoff. When Clark stepped down she was arguably the most popular member of the cabinet. Our own MLA Bill Bennett called her announcement "a shocker." What's more telling, however, is that Clark made her announcement while her boss, the Premier, was out of province at a conference. She left Campbell to find out through the media like everyone else in what was obviously a calculated and deliberate snub. In other words, actions speak louder than words and leave only one conclusion -- Ms. Clark has no use for Mr. Campbell.
Fast forward to Dec. 14 and you have an even higher profile cabinet member giving Campbell the heave ho. Unlike Clark, however, Collins was at least polite about it, grinning beside Campbell at the news conference and exchanging compliments with the Premier. But the bottom line remains the same, another key minister has bailed out.And this one is going to hurt. In addition to being the hard-nosed finance minister that balanced the budget by draconian cuts to government services and author of a billion dollar government surplus, Collins was the Liberal campaign co-chair and an indispensable member of the government's re-election team. This will be a big blow to a government that just suffered a shocking byelection loss in its own backyard of Surrey-Panorama Ridge where the NDP took 53 per cent of the vote. And Collins' own riding of Vancouver-Fairview may no longer be safe because of a "star" candidate recruited by
the NDP.
But the bigger question is what is it about Gordon Campbell that inspires so little loyalty from his key supporters? According to the latest Ipsos-Reid poll, 63 per cent of British Columbians think Campbell and the Liberals can't be trusted to keep their promises. Close to the same number think the government balanced the budget on the backs of the poor and vulnerable. Polls don't tell the whole story, of course, because the same poll also shows Campbell leading NDP leader Carol James 48 per cent to 35 per cent as choice for best premier. However, when you consider Campbell has been a fixture on the B.C. political scene for almost 20 years and James is a rank unknown, there's cold comfort for the Liberals in these figures.
Perhaps the most disturbing factor the Liberals face in the upcoming election is Campbell's unpopularity amongst women. Poll after poll show the Premier earning a much higher approval rating from male voters compared to female. This is hardly surprising when you consider that many of the government's cuts have been in areas like health care, education, social services, seniors' support, day care and special needs. And this is not even mentioning the cutting of women's centres funding across the province. Regardless of the justification for some of the cuts, the Campbell Liberals don't come across as a kinder, gentler, nurturing government. They may be good for looking after the bottom line, but they’re not so good at helping children, seniors and those in need. Perhaps this is what women resent.
Whatever the case, it's shaping up to be an interesting election contest next spring, and the very fact it can be called a contest at all, is quite a comedown for the Liberals. They still have to be considered the favourites to win May 17, but the NDP is back in the race and the Liberals have only themselves to thank for that.
Or perhaps Gordon Campbell.
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