March 6, 2001
Kamloops Daily News


Premier Dosanjh made a creditable accounting of himself
during his pre-election television address last week, but
voters may be in no mood to listen.  One problem he faces is
the veil of gloom that hangs over B.C. voters.  It's a mood
that's as persistent as the rain on the West Coast. 

The gloom  shows up in poll after poll.  Most recently, a
CBC national poll showed that 72 per cent of Canadians were
either optimistic or neutral about their economic future,
and 27 per cent pessimistic.  But not in B.C..

"British Columbia, on the other hand, which has been fairly
negative and pessimistic for some time, is very, very
negative right now. Like 40 per cent of British Columbians
believe that we're heading into a recession", said pollster
Allan Gregg.  " You have very, very different senses of
where the economy is going based on where people are right
now," he added.

So, when premier Dosanjh tells us that unemployment is the
lowest in 25 years, and we are deficit free, British
Columbians don't want to hear about it.  When he says that
the economy grew by 3 per cent last year and exports were up
20 per cent, we see storm clouds.  When the premier says
that we have the highest proportion of parks and protected
lands in the continent, it's downright depressing. 

Even the prospect of a Liberal government lead by Gordon
Campbell doesn't seem to cheer British Columbians.  Maybe
the gloom is more deeply rooted than politics.  Perhaps it's
the burden of living in the most beautiful province, with
the best climate, in Canada.  Every morning when we get up
and look at the natural beauty that surrounds us, we then go
to the mirror and think, "lord, I feel awful".  It's the
contrast of our perceived circumstances compared with
natural beauty.    

Opposition leader Gordon Campbell captures our gloomy mood
better than Dosanjh.  He consistently complains about the
government.  They never do anything right.  I find
Campbell's a cranky tone tiring, but according to polls, it
strikes a resonance with a majority of British Columbians. 
If politics is a culture of gloom, Campbell is an disciple
of that school.

Of course, the duty of the opposition is to point out what
the government has done wrong, and the Liberals do that
well.  But the opposition should also be an alternative
government, ready to step in to replace the existing
government.  In this area, the opposition seems lacking. 
The Liberals complain well, but can they govern?

The problem with Campbell's negative attitude is that it
actually dampens the economy.  People don't feel like
spending money when they think that we're heading down the
tubes. 

Campbell's persistent opposition to settling treaties with
B.C.'s natives is also damaging.  It's been recently
estimated that B.C. loses one billion dollars a year of
potential investment as a result of uncertainty over native
land rights.

Like new American president Bush, Campbell could be faced
with an economy of his own doing.   Bush wanted to bring in
tax cuts but he first had to convince Americans that the
economy was failing.  And were they ever convinced: so much
so that the American economy is falling at a record rate.

Perhaps that's Campbell's motive -- if he can convince us
how terrible things are, it will be easier to sell his
remedial tax cuts.  But tax cuts will not stimulate the
economy here, or in the United States, any more than when
President Reagan tried his "voodoo economics". 

Reagan's "supply-side" economics were supposed to generate
wealth by cutting taxes to the rich who would then invest
that money to supply more goods and services.  The economy
would grow and so would tax revenues.  It was a dismal
failure.  During Reagan's two terms, the rich didn't go on a
spending spree and tax revenues fell into the red.

Campbell claims that he will cut taxes and maintain health,
education, and social programs.  It doesn't make sense to
voters and it doesn't work.  Premier Dosanjh made the choice
clear in his television address when he said "If dramatic
tax cuts come first for you, I am not your man."

Campbell is poised to win a convincing victory in the
upcoming election, so why isn't he more happy? 

Maybe it's the bitterness of a politician whose party has
been beaten twice before and who has been in opposition for
seven years, or maybe he knows something that Dosanjh
doesn't  -- appeal to British Columbian's gloomy nature and
you'll strike a responsive cord.

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