Nobody in B.C. is really sure how a politician gets fired anymore. Many are still wondering how it is that so many federal liberals are not in jail following the adscam sponsorship scandal while some Liberals are sitting as MPs this very day; and several members of the B.C. provincial NDP are roaming free—not in jail—despite their own corruption scandals and subsequent re-elections.
We know that rabid anti-American federal Liberal MP Carolyn Parrish wasn’t fired from the Liberal caucus over her grotesque and vapid anti-American remarks (perhaps other liberals wholly endorsed them) —nor was she fired for her stomping—on Canadian state-run media—on a George W. Bush doll with her giant size-13 leather boot, and then following that up with a sit down at a desk and taking a pencil and jabbing it repeatedly in the right eye of the Bush doll like a total lunatic. No no, it was only when she started insulting failed Liberal Leader and Prime Minister Paul Martin that she finally got the ultimate boot. So at least we all learned what it took.
BC Liberal Premier Gordon Campbell was caught drinking and driving in Hawaii but managed to (self-) justify staying in office. But Perhaps because he didn’t want a repeat of that Parrish embarrassment, yesterday we found out that he’d like anti-American sentiments to stay sealed in a lock box. That way the voters won’t know, I suppose.
The Premier accepted cabinet minister Bill Bennett’s resignation for this email exchange with a constituent (and talk about a prompt reply from the civil servant—check the dates!):
From: Maarten Hart
Sent: 19 November 2006 19:52
To: Bennett.MLA, Bill
Subject: Big Game Allocations
Dear Bill:
I am writing to let you know that the proposed big game allocation process is an insult to the residents of British Columbia and insult to the rights of BC hunters. Giving Guide/Outfitters such a large piece of the pie and guaranteeing their rights is absurd. I know that your government bows to the almighty dollar and faces east three times each day (not to Mecca, but to Wall Street), but even given that bent, the fact is that the resident hunter provides 100 times the revenue that nonresidents do. Look to the south and see that guides take a distant second to residents in every state; as they should here. Please respond to the wishes of your constituency and let Minister Penner know that this is unacceptable.
Sincerely, Maarten Hart
Fernie Rod & Gun Club
President
SIDEBAR: Rather off-topic, but that sentence “I know that your government bows to the almighty dollar and faces east three times each day (not to Mecca, but to Wall Street)…” is a hideous joke to those of us in the sensible set, as it betrays the obviously far-leftist political stance and/or acumen of the writer which is so typical in Canada today. This is the government which, given a huge mandate after the socialist NDP were ousted, chose to maintain BC’s Soviet-style liquor distribution and retail system; and chose to maintain BC’s socialist car insurance (and towing package!) scheme that was set up by a previous socialist regime; as well as continuing to speak strongly in favor of Canada’s North Korean-style healthcare system, and more. They’d do well to face east and take a good hard look at how it’s done.
But anyway, here’s his response (in which he partially and rightly acknowledges that they don’t “bow to the almighty dollar and face east to Wall Street each day…”):
From: Bennett, Bill SMIN:EX
Sent: 29 January 2007 20:55
Subject: Your e-mail of November 19th
Mr. Hart,
I am in my hotel room in Vancouver tonight reviewing the wildlife allocation in preparation for a meeting I have with minister Penner and I came across your November 19th email. I have been reading through this stuff since 5 pm today and meanwhile downstairs in this hotel is the biggest mining conference in BC that I ought to be participating in. Fortunately, I am almost done with my review. Your email, mercifully, was at the very bottom of my pile of paper.
Let me be very direct with you, as you were with me.
– It is my understanding that you are an American, so I don’t give a shit what your opinion is on Canada or Canadian residents.
– Our government does not “… bow to the almighty dollar and face east to Wall Street each day…”, but we do recognize a fool when we come across one. How do you think you are representing the interests of your members when you insult the BC hunter’s strongest advocate, yours truly. I have spent an inordinate amount of time trying to sort out this allocation file. It is complex, something that you obviously have enormous difficulty with. You don’t know who your friends are, which makes you dumb.
– Don’t lecture me about “listening to the wishes of my constituents”. As someone who has spent the past six years working my ass off for my constituents, I am not about to take that kind of bullshit from someone who, for all I know, is up here as an American spy who is actually interested in helping the US create a park in the Flathead.
I will continue to work for hunters and anglers in the East Kootenay as I always have and you will continue to be a self-inflated, pompous, American know-it-all.
Have a nice day.
Bill Bennett
He might well have signed it: Bill Bennett – a dumb, self-inflated, pompous, Canadian, know-it-all ass. If he added the word “liberal”, he’d have been fired like nobody’s business.
PTBC was founded by Mr. Johannesen in 2000.
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