I won’t talk BC politics: Ambassador Gordon Campbell
Posted February 10, 2012 5:59 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – You can call him “Commissioner Gordon” now, but don’t ask him about BC politics.
Former Premier Gordon Campbell, now Canada’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, was the keynote speaker at a friendly Vancouver luncheon on Friday, his first speech in BC since being appointed to London.
“I’m probably the first High Commissioner ever to go to his audience with Her Majesty in a Ford station wagon,” Campbell said, drawing laughs from the large crowd of businesspeople at the Vancouver Board of Trade. “It sort of builds you up,” he joked.
Campbell touted Canada’s economic and resource prowess and revelled in the success of the 2010 Winter Olympics as London braces to host this year’s Summer games. “Which I am sure will be the best Summer Olympic Games ever,” he said to wry laughs.
Campbell says Canada is seen as an economic success story with stable banking and we enjoy a special relationship with the UK which we can’t take for granted. He also said the world is watching Canada to see if we can negotiate a new trade agreement with the European Union.
After the speech, Campbell was asked about the BC Liberals‘ slide in opinion polls, which put the NDP in front going into a May 2013 provincial election. “I’m not actually going to chat about Canadian politics in any shape, whether it’s federal or provincial or local. My job is a different job now and it’s up to you guys to comment on that,” said Campbell to a throng of media.
He admits he doesn’t pay very much attention to BC politics anymore but believes he is still a member of the BC Liberal Party.
As for his exit as premier last year following the bungled rollout of the now-defeated Harmonized Sales Tax, Campbell admits his government made lots of mistakes. “But people have decided what they’re doing with the HST and they’ll get on now with dealing with that.”
Vancouver-Quilchena Liberal MLA Colin Hansen said it was good to see his former leader again. “I think Gordon Campbell has a lot to be proud of in terms of the vision and the leadership he brought to the province for ten years,” Hansen commented.
When asked if he misses Campbell’s leadership, Hansen was diplomatic. “I think he served this province so well for 24 years, I think it was, in public life, and I think he’s now moved on and it’s now [Premier] Christy Clark’s time to provide leadership in the premier’s office and I think she’s doing a great job.”
