Adrian Dix rose to prominence in provincial politics because of all the nobodies in his caucus. The reason they were such a bunch of political amateurs is because they were almost all rookies. The reason they were all rookies was that the NDP had been all but wiped out in the 2001 election. And the main reason that the NDP was almost wiped out was not because of the way Mike Harcourt or Ujjal Dosanjh or Mike Farnworth or John Horgan had done their jobs, but because of the way that Glen Clark and Adrian Dix had done theirs.
Dix subsequently did a great job of exposing and blasting LIberals' evasive manouevres, for example in the Children and families file---but that was because of his experience at engaging in those same evasive manouevres when he was in the premier's office (backdating memos, delaying FOI requests, etc.) . I have never seen a clearer case of the pot calling the kettle black in BC politics.
Dix's other great strength has been getting on the News Hour and playing the media--but that special skill came from years of subordinating policy to communications strategy while in the Clark government. Senior ministers from that era, such as Corky Evans and Paul Ramsey, have stated that the Harcourt government was better than the Clark government, largely for that very reason, and I strongly agree with them.
While it is true that DIx is a stronger political leader than Carole James was, it is deeply unfortunate that there wasn't a different kind of strong leader available to fill that vacuum. Now, all we have to look forward to is the most tightly controlled and carefully spun government in B.C. history.
4 comments:
I've posted Dix's past record on Twitter a number of times. The media seems to overlook dishonesty in favour of 'selling' news. So sad for democracy.
BC Conservatives should leave Christy Clark to self-destruct and take on Dix.
Dear Anonymous: I agree--I wish that the Conservatives were not just concerned with replacing the Liberals, and were more concerned with the NDP.
AS for Dix's past, I have shown in this blog and in manyother places that all of DIx's political victories in Oppposition are based upon information gained and strategic advantages gained while he was Glen Clark's Assistant. The Past IS relevant, obviously.
Interesting blog. Mark has some good points, and it's hard to disagree. But on the other hand, Dix was a loyal staffer who did his utmost to protect a not-so-clever Premier (Glen Clark). I suspect he learned a lot during those days and hopefully won't be a chip off the old block, but his own man with integrity. If memory serves, no NDP Premier has ever been re-elected, and Dix intends to change that and leave a legacy. I think a lot of New Democrats who expect him to behave like they want him to will be surprised and disappointed. He`s smart
enough to know that if he behaves like a typical NDP leader, he will
be a one-term Premier. Watch him go very slowly at first. Also he'll almost certain to be taking over at a time when BC and the world are in a recession and he won't have much leeway to implement a full NDP agenda.
Anyway, that's my view!
Dear Anonymous #2: I wish that I could agree with you. But even if he is the most effective person to lead the NDP, he is not a transformed figure.
You are certainly right that Dix will be more careful than Glen Clark was. But I knew Adrian DIx when I was the Assistant to the Minister of Forests 1n 1996-97, and he exemplified what was wrong with that government every bit as much as Clark himself--in some ways, even more so. When I look at the way Dix has behaved in the past couple of years, I see a lot that reminds me of the old Adrian Dix.
For example, (1)the way he played possum during the leadership race and then sprang an instant busload of invisible instant members just before the submission deadline, so that the competition couldn't respond--these were the well-honed instincts of the political operative who preferred secrecy, finding loopholes in the rules, and hitting from behind to openness and dialogue.
(2) His flat assertion that he wouldn't repay a penny of the Federal government's HST money doesn't exactly reassure that he has become a strong believer in honouring legal obligations.
(3)And Dix didn't try very hard to keep Bob Simpson, who was a rarity in NDP circles--an MBA with business experience and an extensive knowledge of the forest industry. Most leaders would try very hard to keep him in caucus. This reminds me of Adrian's old role in keeping caucus members in line--he wants MLAs to be disciplined and compliant, not independent thinkers with real thoughtful contributions to make to policy.
(4)And if Dix's magic bus returns to run over George Heyman in favour of DIx's friend, Geoff Meggs, in Vancouver Fairview, don't say I didn't warn you.
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