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Gordon Campbell

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For the recipient of the Victoria Cross and MP, see Gordon Campbell, VC.
For the Scottish Conservative politician, see Gordon Campbell, Baron Campbell of Croy.
The Honourable
Gordon Muir Campbell
MLA BA MBA
34th Premier of British Columbia
Assumed office
June 5, 2001
Lieutenant GovernorGarde Gardom,
Iona Campagnolo,
Steven Point
Preceded byUjjal Dosanjh
MLA for Vancouver-Point Grey
Assumed office
1996
Preceded byDarlene Marzari
41st Mayor of Vancouver
In office
1986–1993
Preceded byMichael Harcourt
Succeeded byPhilip Owen
Personal details
Born (1948-01-12) January 12, 1948 (age 76)
Vancouver, British Columbia
NationalityCanadian
Political partyBritish Columbia Liberal Party
SpouseNancy Campbell
ChildrenNicholas Campbell, Geoffrey Campbell
OccupationReal estate developer, Politician, Teacher
Signature
WebsiteOffice of the Premier

Gordon Muir Campbell, MLA (born January 12, 1948, in Vancouver, British Columbia), is a Canadian politician and former real estate developer and teacher. As the leader of the British Columbia Liberal Party, which holds a majority in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, he is the 34th Premier of British Columbia and was re-elected for a third term on May 12, 2009, the fourth in British Columbia to do so. Trained as a teacher, his political career began as executive assistant to Vancouver Mayor Art Phillips until 1976. He worked as a development manager and developer until 1986, when he became the 40th Mayor of Vancouver.

Early life

Campbell's father, Charles Gordon (Chargo) Campbell, was a doctor and an assistant dean of medicine at The University of British Columbia, until his suicide in 1961 [1] when Gordon was 13.[2] His mother Peg was a kindergarten assistant at University Hill Elementary School.[3] Charles and his wife, Peg, had four children. Gordon grew up in West Point Grey and went to Stride Elementary, and University Hill Secondary School[2][3] where he was student council president.[2] While there he was accepted by Dartmouth College, an Ivy League institution in New Hampshire where had received a scholarship and a job offer so he could afford fees.[2]

Campbell intended to study medicine but was persuaded by three English professors to shift his focus to English and urban management, earning a BA degree in English.[2] At Dartmouth, in 1969, he received a $1,500 Urban Studies Fellowship that made it possible for him to work in Vancouver’s city government.[2] At that time Campbell met Art Phillips, a city councilor and future mayor of Vancouver.[2]

After graduating from university that year, Campbell and Nancy Chipperfield were married in New Westminster on July 4, 1970.[2] Under the Canadian University Service Overseas program[4], they went to Nigeria to teach. There he coached basketball and track and field and launched literacy initiatives.[4] Campbell was accepted to Stanford to pursue a master’s degree in education, but the couple instead returned to Vancouver where Campbell entered law school at UBC and Nancy completed her education degree.[2] Campbell's law education was short-lived; he soon returned to the City of Vancouver to work for Art Phillips on his mayoral campaign. When Phillips was elected in 1972, Campbell became his executive assistant, a job he held until 1976.[3]

When he left Mayor Phillips's office, at 28 years old, Campbell went to work for Marathon Realty as a project manager.[2] In 1976 Geoffrey, the Campbells' first child, was born. In 1978, the Campbells bought a house in Point Grey, which was their home for the next 26 years.[2] From 1975 to 1978 he pursued his MBA at Simon Fraser University. In 1979, Nancy Campbell gave birth to their second child, Nicholas.[2]

In 1981, Campbell left Marathon Realty and started his own business, Citycore Development Corporation. Despite the economic slowdown that hit Canada that year, Campbell's corporation was successful and constructed several buildings in Vancouver.[5]

After a two-year absence from civic political activities, Campbell became involved in the mayoral campaign of May Brown and was an active supporter of the Downtown Stadium for Vancouver Committee. Although Brown was unsuccessful, Campbell and the committee continued promoting the stadium to revitalize False Creek, which at the time was polluted industrial land.[2] The committee was eventually successful, as Premier Bill Bennett announced the Downtown Stadium project in 1980.

Vancouver councillor and mayor

Campbell was elected to Vancouver city council in 1984 and he served as the mayor of Vancouver for three successive terms from 1986 to 1993. Most notable events in civic politics during that period were the development of the Expo Lands, the re-development of Yaletown, and the foundation of the Coal Harbour residential area.[citation needed] Campbell's most significant public work during his term was the construction of the new Vancouver Public Library.[citation needed] He also served as chair of the Greater Vancouver Regional District and president of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities.

Liberal leader

Campbell became leader of the British Columbia Liberal Party in 1993 in a three-way race with Gordon Gibson, Jr. and Gordon Wilson, the incumbent party leader who had fallen into disfavour with the party due to an affair with a member of his caucus. Campbell was elected to the Legislative Assembly next year in a Vancouver-Quilchena by-election.

In the 1996 campaign, Campbell was elected to the Vancouver-Point Grey riding, which he has held ever since. The Liberals entered the election leading in polls, due to a fundraiser scandal in the NDP.[citation needed] Campbell's party gained 16 seats and won a plurality of popular vote, but the NDP retained enough seats to continue a majority government. Campbell stayed on as Leader of the Opposition, opposing New Democratic Party Premiers Glen Clark, Dan Miller and Ujjal Dosanjh.

Clark's government was beset by controversy, difficult economic and fiscal conditions and the scandals known as the Fast Ferry Scandal and Casinogate. After the NDP's approval rating dropped to historic lows[citation needed], in the BC election of 2001 Campbell's Liberals defeated them, taking 77 of 79 seats in the legislature. This was the largest majority of seats, and the second-largest majority of the popular vote in BC history.[citation needed]

First term as premier

Tax

In 2001, Campbell campaigned on a promise to significantly reduce income taxes to stimulate the economy. A day after taking office, Campbell reduced personal income tax for all taxpayers by 25 per cent.[6] Cuts were applied to every tax bracket. The government also introduced reductions in the corporate income tax, and eliminated the Corporation Capital Tax.

Spending

To finance the tax cuts and to balance the provincial budget, Campbell's first term was also noted for several measures of fiscal austerity. This included reductions in welfare rolls and some social services, deregulation, sale of government assets (in particular the ferries built by the previous government during the Fast Ferry Scandal), reducing the size of the civil service, and closing government offices in certain areas. BC Rail's operations were sold to the Canadian National Railway despite contrary campaign promises (condemned as unfair by the losing bidders and triggered police raids on cabinet offices in what is known as the BC Legislature Raids).

Education

The Campbell government passed legislation in August 2001 declaring education as an essential service, therefore making it illegal for teachers to go on strike. It fulfilling a platform plank from the previous election campaign. (bad grammar and how did making striking illegal fulfill a platform plank? this seems like a non-sequitur.) [7]

The government embarked upon the largest expansion of BC's post-secondary education system since the foundation of Simon Fraser University in 1965. In 2004, the government announced that 25,000 new post-secondary places would be established between 2004 and 2010.[8]

The Campbell government also lifted the six-year long tuition fee freeze that was placed on BC universities and colleges by the previous NDP government. In 2005 a tuition limit policy was put in place capping increases at the rate of inflation.[9]

Environmental

Campbell made significant changes, including new Environmental Assessment Legislation, as well as new aquaculture policies. These policies were met with dismay by commercial and sport fishing sectors and by many First Nations as promoting an expansion of that industry, which is mostly Norwegian-owned.[citation needed] In November 2002, Campbell's government passed the Forest and Range Practices Act which reversed many of the regulations previously introduced by the former New Democrat government.[citation needed]

First Nations

Main article: British Columbia Treaty Referendum

During the 2001 election, the BC Liberals also campaigned on a promise to hold a consultative referendum seeking a mandate from the general public to negotiate treaties with First Nations. In the spring of 2002, the government held the referendum.[10]

The referendum, led by Attorney General Geoff Plant, proposed eight questions that voters were asked to either support or oppose. Critics claimed the phrasing was flawed or biased toward a predetermined response. While some critics, especially First Nations and religious groups, called for a boycott of the referendum, by the May 15 deadline almost 800,000 British Columbians had cast their ballots. Critics called for a boycott of the referendum and First Nations groups collected as many ballots as possible so that they might be destroyed publicly.

Of the ballots that were returned, over 80 per cent of participating voters agreeing to all eight proposed principles. Treaty negotiations resumed[citation needed].

In the lead-up to the 2005 election, Campbell discussed opening up a New Relationship with Aboriginal People.[11] This has become the foundation for agreements in principle that were made during the second term,[citation needed] but ultimately rejected by the membership of the First Nations involved.

Health care

The Campbell government drew up legislation that required health authorities to contract out positions when savings could be predicted. This led to the privatization of many healthcare jobs.[12][13][14] These changes met resistance from many health care workers and resulted in a strike by some of them. This strike was ended by court order and amendments by the government on parts of the legislation. Among the resulting problems in hospitals were higher infection rates resulting from cleaning contractors hiring improperly-trained workers.

The Campbell government increased health funding by $3-billion during its first term in office to help meet the demand at hand and to increase wages for some health professionals.[15]

During its first term in office, the Campbell government increased the number of new nurse training spaces by 2,500, an increase of 62 percent.[16] At the same time, it nearly doubled the doctors in training, and opened new medical training facilities in Victoria and Prince George.[17]

While the increase in doctors in training has been seen as a positive, the BC Medical Association has argued more spaces still need to be opened.[18]

Wage rates for doctors and nurses also increased in the Campbell government’s first term. Nurses received a 23.5 percent raise[19] while doctors received a 20.6 percent raise.[20] The government argued these wage increases were needed to attract and retain skilled professionals in the health care system.

In June 2007, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that parts of health care labour legislation passed in 2002 were unconstitutional. The Court instructed the government to reconsider the legislation and gave it one year to make the necessary changes.

Impaired Driving

File:Gordon campbell arrested dui.jpg
Mug shot of Gordon Campbell in Hawaii

In January 2003, Campbell was arrested and pled no contest for driving under the influence of alcohol while vacationing in Hawaii. According to court records Campbell's blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit. As is customary in the United States, Campbell's mugshot was provided to the media by Hawaiian police. The image has proved to be a lasting personal embarrassment, frequently used by detractors and opponents. Campbell was fined $913 (US) and the court ordered him to take part in a substance abuse program, and to be assessed for alcoholism.[21]

A national anti-drinking and driving group, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada called for Campbell to resign.[22]

Minimum wage

On November 1, 2001, the Campbell BC Liberals honoured the previous NDP government's legislation to increase the minimum wage to $8.00 per hour from $7.60, while at the same time authority was given so new entrants into the labour force could be paid $6 per hour, 25% lower than the minimum wage. Campbell has not raised the minimum wage since.[23]

2010 Winter Olympics

British Columbia won the right to host the 2010 Winter Olympics on July 2, 2003. This was a joint Winter Olympics bid by Vancouver and the ski resort of Whistler.[24] Cost overruns have cost Canadian taxpayers over 9 billion dollars in security and building costs.[24]

Campbell attended the final presentations in Prague, the Czech Republic. He also went to the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy, attending the Games' competitions, as well as the closing ceremonies.

On August 8, 2008, he attended the Opening Ceremonies for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He went to Beijing to promote the province of British Columbia at the 2008 Summer Olympics.[25]

Second term as premier

In the May 17, 2005, election, Campbell and the BC Liberals won a second majority government with a reduced majority.

Economy

430,000 new jobs have been created in B.C. since December 2001,[26] the best job creation record in Canada. In 2007, the economy created 70,800 more jobs, almost all full time positions.[26] By Spring 2007, unemployment had fallen to 4.0% -- the lowest rate in 30 years. However, 40,300 jobs were lost in 2008, mostly in December (35,100), and unemployment rates sit at 7.8% as of July 2009[27] - the same level they were at in July 2001.[28]

Education

On October 7, 2005, following the successive imposition of contracts on BC teachers, British Columbia's teachers began an indefinite walk-out. Campbell having made striking illegal for teachers, educators referred to this as an act of civil disobedience. Despite fines and contempt charges, the teachers' walk-out lasted two weeks, and threatened to culminate in a general strike across the province.

First Nations

The Campbell government attempted to negotiate treaties with a number of First Nations in its second term. Final agreements in principle were signed with the Tsawwassen First Nation [29], Maa-Nulth Treaty Society[30], and Lheidli T’enneh First Nations[31]. The Tsawwassen Treaty was passed by the band's membership in a heavily-contested and divisive referendum but came into effect on April 3, 2009.[32] The Maa-Nulth Treaty, which covers a group of Nuu-chah-nulth band governments, is pending ratification by the federal government<[33] while the Lheidli-T'enneh Treaty was rejected in the referendum held by that band.

Health care

The Campbell government launched the Conversation on Health, a province-wide consultation with British Columbians on their health care to lay the groundwork for improvements to the principles of the Canada Health Act that were presented in the Fall of 2007.[34]

Labour relations

In order to minimize the effect labour disputes could have on the 2010 games the Campbell government offered bonuses of between $3,500 and $4,000 per employee if contracts were signed before March 31, 2006 (June 30, 2006 in the case of the British Columbia Teachers' Federation) for contracts that would expire after the games. Virtually all public sector contracts were extended to after the 2009 election and 2010 Olympics. This was the first time a provincial government and the British Columbia Teachers' Federation reached a negotiated collective agreement since the creation of the British Columbia Public School Employer's Association, and province-wide negotiations were put in place in 1994.[35]

Third term as premier

Campbell and the BC Liberals were re-elected in the May 12, 2009, election. Their share of total seats remained almost unchanged, as they won 49 seats in a new expanded 84-seat legislature.

BC Rail e-mail controversy

Some five years after the BC Legislature Raids, controversy arose when it was revealed that e-mails among Campbell, his staff, and other cabinet ministers may not have been deleted years ago as first claimed.[36] An affidavit filed by Rosemarie Hayes, the B.C. government's manager in charge of information services, suggested that copies of the e-mails may have existed as recently as May 2009, but were ordered to have been destroyed at that time.[37]

On July 20, 2009, the Supreme Court of British Columbia justice conducting the Basi-Virk trial, Madam Justice Elizabeth Bennett, ordered Campbell and other top officials to turn over their e-mail records to the court by August 17.[38]

HST controversy

On July 23, 2009, Campbell announced that British Columbia would move towards a Harmonized Sales Tax, or HST.[39] The new 12% sales tax would combine and replace the previous 5% GST and 7% PST. The announcement was met with strong opposition from political opponents[40], news media,[41][42] and widespread opposition from the public. According to polling results released by Ipsos Reid on August 6, only 12% of respondents supported the HST, with 85% opposing and 75% strongly opposing the measure.[43]. In addition, the proposed tax received lukewarm reception from the business community, traditionally strong supporters of the BC Liberals.[44] Much of the opposition stemmed from Campbell's perceived dishonesty in announcing the new tax after denying plans to do so during the recent provincial election.[citation needed]

On August 24 representatives from the retail, resource, and film industries held a news conference to speak out in favour of harmonizing BC's sales taxes.[45] In addition, sales tax harmonization has been hailed by the C.D. Howe Institute, an economic think tank, as "crucial for B.C to maintain its economic competitiveness."[46]

References

  1. ^ Maclean's Magazine article in The Canadian Encyclopedia
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Bula, Frances (April 28, 2001), The Vancouver Sun, Vancouver,BC, p. D3 {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  3. ^ a b c Wood, Chris (1999), Macleans, vol. 112, no. 18 http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0011952 {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ a b "Gordon Campbell", Maple Leaf Web
  5. ^ Lee, Jeff (April 16, 2005), "For the premier, it's all about change", The Vancouver Sun, Vancouver,BC, p. C3 {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  6. ^ http://www.fin.gov.bc.ca/archive/efu/pdf/update_factsheet.pdf
  7. ^ http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/archive/2001-2005/2002SDL0023-000659.htm
  8. ^ http://www.gov.bc.ca/bvprd/bc/content.do?brwId=%402Jk7M%7C0YQtuW&navId=NAV_ID_province&crumb=B.C.+Home&crumburl=%2Fhome.do
  9. ^ http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/tuition/tuition_policy.htm
  10. ^ "B.C. treaty referendum" - CBC, July 2, 2002
  11. ^ http://www.gov.bc.ca/arr/newrelationship/default.html
  12. ^ http://www.vancourier.com/issues03/094203/news/094203nn1.html
  13. ^ http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-15195675_ITM
  14. ^ http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=225254991&sid=5&Fmt=3&clientId=5176&RQT=309&VName=PQD
  15. ^ http://www.bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/2005/default.htm
  16. ^ http://www.northernhealth.ca/News_Events/Media_Centre_and_News/20060511UNBCnursinggrads.asp
  17. ^ http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/medicalexpansion
  18. ^ http://www.bcma.org/public/Negotiations_Information/PhysiciansFactSheet.htm
  19. ^ http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/archive/2001-2005/2002SDL0024-000665.htm
  20. ^ http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/archive/2001-2005/2002HSER0033-000455.htm
  21. ^ B.C. premier fined for drunk driving
  22. ^ B.C. premier should quit over drunk driving charge: MADD
  23. ^ Work Rights - Minimum Wage - British Columbia
  24. ^ a b http://www.vec.ca/english/4/2010-winter-olympics.cfm
  25. ^ http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2008OTP0201-001210.htm
  26. ^ a b http://www.gov.bc.ca/keyinitiatives/economic_indicators.html
  27. ^ http://www.statcan.ca/english/Subjects/Labour/LFS/lfs-en.htm
  28. ^ http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/pubs/lfs/lfs0112.pdf
  29. ^ Tsawwassen news release
  30. ^ Maa-Nulth news release
  31. ^ Lheidli T'enneh news release
  32. ^ Now and Everlasting, Terry Glavin, Vancouver Magazine, March 26, 2009
  33. ^ Maa-Nulth Treaty Society page
  34. ^ http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2006OTP0140-001167.htm
  35. ^ http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2006FIN0194-000897.htm
  36. ^ http://www.theprovince.com/Basi+Virk+defence+queries+missing+Rail+mails/1725513/story.html
  37. ^ http://www.nationalpost.com/related/links/story.html?id=1799573
  38. ^ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/judge-orders-bc-premier-to-turn-over-e-mails/article1224869/
  39. ^ http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/07/23/bc-hst-pst-gst.html
  40. ^ http://www.bcndp.ca/newsroom/surprise-decision-new-tax-could-kill-tourism-service-jobs
  41. ^ http://www.vancouversun.com/news/premier+reaching+into+your+pockets/1851919/story.html
  42. ^ http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Poor+planning/1844003/story.html
  43. ^ http://www.ipsosna.com/news/pressrelease.cfm?id=4485
  44. ^ http://www.timescolonist.com/business/Harmonized+slams+into+wall+opposition/1861471/story.html>
  45. ^ http://www.vancouversun.com/news/supporters+speak/1927678/story.html
  46. ^ http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Harmonized+badly+needed+likely+revenue+neutral/1882147/story.html
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Political offices
Preceded by Leader of the Opposition In British Columbia
1993–2001 		Succeeded by
Order of precedence
Preceded by Order of precedence in British Columbia
as of 2007 		Succeeded by
Lance Finch, Chief Justice of British Columbia
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