Dave Barrett, former NDP premier of British Columbia, spoke with Straight Goods publisher Ish Theilheimer about Larry Solway's election comment. We asked him, as an experienced political hand, for his views on some hot topics going into the election. Here's what he had to say about what's on Canadians' minds:
On the debate over health care
There's no collective memory on the origins of hospital insurance and universal pre-paid medical plans. The presumption is that they have always been there. Jean Chretien said in his campaign it was the proudest day of history life when he voted for medicare. Give me a break. It was the Liberal Party that vigorously and viciously fought TC Douglas 40 years ago when they brought in medicare in Saskatchewan.
The reason why universal health care finally succeeded was the Saskatchewan government weathered the doctors strike and a massive inflow of AMA and insurance industry funds to fight them. There's no collective memory of who's fighting these issues. There are people who are still alive who went through those experiences who may indeed have forgotten themselves what it was all about.
People believe health care will always be there. We're seeing an analogous situation in the US with social security. It will lose Bush Florida [predicted on the day of the US election]. My prediction is Gore is going to win [he did win the popular vote].
On Stockwell Day and two-tier health care
If anybody believes the Alliance isn't for a two-tier health care system, just sit down and read what they're saying. If anybody believes the Liberal party is protecting the existing system, where was (federal health minister) Allan Rock when Ralph Klein and Stockwell Day were brining in Bill 11 in Alberta?
The Liberals have invented Stockwell Day. He's a gift to the Liberals. I wouldn't be surprised if they're not secret donors or advisors to Day's campaign. The great amoebae party got a gift. Day is doing everything he's told to do.
I like this stuff of [Day's] being against big government. What's Ralph Klein?
Do Canadians really care about health care?
I do think Canadians care. Detailed examination of issues is hard to accomplish with today's media culture of infotainment substituting for hard news.
On the media
The media reflect its ownership. If you're a career journalist, to get along, you go along. Reporters get the message. Look at that strike in Calgary. What a shattering vicious attack on working journalists and their ability to write a story as they see fit. That says it all.
On the Liberals
The Liberals are like an amoebae. An amoebae doesn't have any spine. One year they're saving medicare. Next year they're all about right-wing populism. Alexa has to be a rock in this ocean of moving creatures with no backbone.
On the labour movement and its internal battles
One of most dangerous things emerging in midst of election is new legislation brought in Ontario to weaken trade unions. This is no time for the union movement to have splits going on. Whatever internal fights the trade union movement has, they must not dare not let any internal fights take attention away from this threat.
How Tommy Douglas might have seen modern politics
Tommy Douglas used to tell long story about the fellow who had a burro, loved his burro, caressed it, combed it, nurtured it, and then one day on the way to work, the burro sat down and refused to work. So the fellow hugged it the burro and talked sweetly into its ear, but the burro wouldn't go anywhere. Then a stranger came along and said "Do you want that burro to move?" and whacked him on the head with a 2 x 4 - and the burro moved. So the guy who owned the burro said "What did you do that for?"
"First you got to get his attention," was the reply. Maybe a good whack on the head is what it's going to take with voters too.
On how the Left and the NDP can regain public support
I think the strongest suit for Alexa is to continue route she's going: medicare, medicare, medicare. We've got to make sure there's someone there to fight.
My observation is Alexa has had a terrific jump out from the gate. Santayana said those who do not learn from history are condemned to relive it. New Democrats shouldn't be pessimistic. It goes up and down.
There's too much navel-gazing in the Left. It's a chronic thing. When I was first elected I went through vigourous scrutiny, some called me soft liberal. I'm a democratic socialist. Now they say I was radical. Give me a break. I'm the same guy now that I was then.
The NDP is alive, it has shrunk, it will expand, it's got ideas. In Europe we've got Jospin, Shroeder, Blair, Helen Clark in New Zealand, doing an incredibly great job. You don't hear much about that.
She was faced with tremendously important choices. Started by overhauling Labour Party. She cancelled the contract for the purchase of American F-16s. She just cancelled it. She said what enemy are these designed for? Her popularity is soaring.
History has cycles, some hysterical, some relevant.
What others are saying:
Larry Solway
Roy MacGregor
Stephen Dale
Speak your mind!
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