The “greater good” seems to be on a lot of people’s minds these days, as party insiders jockey for position leading up to the race for B.C.’s Next Top Premier.
And, as always seems the case, some individual campaigners — each one convinced that his or her candidate of choice is, indeed, the chosen one — have left their scruples at the door in an effort to win the coveted prize and, likely, the reward of influence down the road.
Know a cat? Sign it up. An amateur hockey team? Enlist en masse; don’t ask, don’t tell. Restaurant staff? Hmmm. After all, your candidate is best for B.C., so you’re doing good. Right?
Like contestants on some modern-day television game show, these players seem to care less about the principles of democracy and more about the rewards, embarrassing themselves and their alliances along the way.
It must be acknowledged that in each of these outrageous lapses in judgment that have come to light recently, supporters have stepped in to note that the candidates themselves had no direct knowledge.
Convenient and presumably true.However, such a truth doesn’t say much for the candidates’ abilities to manage teams of people — a skill that just might come in handy for the new leader of the BC Liberal party.
A strong candidate, one could argue, should clean house publicly of any supporters who prize victory over principles of democracy. No second chances. Offenders should be effectively told they’re fired, to ensure the weakest of links have been eliminated from the game.
After all, the victor in this contest will not just be party leader but B.C.’s new premier, selected by party members to lead themselves and the rest of us until the next election, scheduled for May 14, 2013.
—Black Press