Bennett turfed from cabinet after insulting e-mail

By GERRY WARNER
Cranbrook Daily Townsman
Feb. 7, 2007
An unanswered e-mail more than two months old landed on the deck of the B.C. government Feb. 4 and the explosion that followed tore a gaping hole in the career of former Minister of State for Mining, Bill Bennett.
Bennett tendered his resignation Tuesday after an e-mail exchange was revealed in which he said he said he didn't "give a shit" about a prominent constituent who he accused of being "an American spy who is actually interested in helping the US create a park in the Flathead." (see copies of the e-mail exchange on P, 2 in the Daily Townsman).
The e-mail to Dr. Maarten Hart, a vetrenarian in Fernie and president of the Fernie Rod and Gun Club was forwarded by Hart to Premier Gordon Campbell, NDP Opposition Leader Carole James and the Flathead Coalition. Copies were also forwarded to the media and when Bennett realized what had happened over the weekend he tendered his resignation to Premier Gordon Campbell.
In his e-mail about the government's controversial wildlife harvest allocation plan, Hart accused Bennett of ignoring resident hunters in favour of guide outfitters and said his government "bows to the almighty dollar and faces east three times-a-day (not to Mecca, but to Wall Street)."
Interviewed from his Victoria office Tuesday, Bennett said he's always been a "passionate advocate" for his constituents, but his incindary e-mail "crossed the line from being passionate to being irresponsible." Bennett blamed no one but himself. "I knew it minutes after I sent this thing. I didn't even read it. It was one of those impulsive stupid things probably all people do, but cabinet ministers aren't allowed to."
Premier Gordon Campbell called the self-destruction of one of his junior ministers "a shame," but said he still had confidence in Bennett. "Frankly I think the way Bill has handled this speaks to his quality as a person. He clearly made a mistake. He's very contrite about that. He's been very clear that he shouldn't have sent the e-mail he did. He said to me that he felt it would be best for him to resign from his post in cabinet. He didn't want this to be a reflection on the government or the caucus."
But the Premier also had praise for his disgraced former minister. "Bill Bennett has been an exceptional MLA for the East Kootenay. He will contiue to be and I will continue to seek his counsel, but I certainly felt his recommendation to step aside was the appropriate one in view of the correspondence that took place.
Having said that, I think people should recognize the great job he's done as a Minister of State for Mining . . . but this was an inappropriate exchange. He was clearly tired after a long day, but as Bill said this in no way excuses it and he felt it was best for the cabinet and the caucus that he step aside and I agreed with him."
Asked if Bennett's political career could recover the same as his own did after an impaired driving conviction, Campbell said "there's no reason why it can't happen. I think Bill is a quality guy and he showed it today when he said it would be best for the government, the caucus and the riding that he do this at this point in time. " Campbell said he's confident Bennett will continue to work hard for his riding and hard on the wildlife harvest allocation issue that led to his downfall from cabinet.
Bennett said there are many "bitter ironies" in his fall from grace, but none more so than the fact he spent much of the past week working on the wildlife harvest allocation issue at the expense of participating as full as he wanted to in the annual Cordilleran Mining Exploration Conference inVancouver."
It was just so frustrating after all that work I was going to meet with the minister (Environment Minister Barry Penner) and really get it fixed and then to hear from Mr. Hart, but that's no excuse." Bennett said Hart's e-mail sent Nov. 19, 2006 sat at the bottom of his pile until late last week when he came across it after a long day at the mining conference and he fired off his ill-considered reply. "I was at the most important mining conference B.C. has, the second biggest mining conference in the world . . . January is my busiest month . . . and I was fatigued."Bennett, who once held a share in a guide outfitting territory in the East Kootenay himself, said he's always cared about hunters. "Somebody has got to look after hunters. They're a vanishing breed. I grew up hunting and I have a real spoft spot in my heart for the people that do that."Asked about the virulent anti-Americanism in his e-mail, Bennett, who two months ago accused the NDP of taking advice from "dirty trick" American political operatives, said "I think that was a cheap shot on my part." Again it's ironic because I actually . . . I'm not anti-American. I have a lot of friends that live in the States. I did business with Americans for many, many years. They were first rate people to deal with. This particular person brought the worst in me out and it was a cheap shot."
Former broadcaster and wildlife author F.J. Hurtak, one of Bennett's closest advisers, called it a dark day for his political colleague. "I think it's tragic the way Bill felt he had to resign over this. He admits he made a mistake. Everyone makes a mistake and despite the mistake he made I think he should be reinstated to the cabinet."
Len Kosiec, the former president of the East Kootenay NDP Constituency Association, said he wasn't all that surprised over what Bennett did. "We know he's done this kind of thing before. He did it to one of our directors, Ken Coates. It's a continuing form of behaviour with him."
Carmen Purdy, former BC Wildlife Federation President and one of Bennett's closest friends and confidantes, said he felt bad for his friend. "I'm terribly disappointed over this. I think it's a terrible mistake. I think Bill is the strongest MLA we've ever had. He's a total working machine. He's done more for the hunting community in this province than any previous MLA . . . There's no one who hasn't made a mistake. We're all sinners."
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