SSCampbellVille
Thousands of words, foot upon foot of column inches, film at 8am, noon, 6pm, 11pm over and over and over again.
And yet, in the case of British Columbia's now former Deputy Minister of Health Penny Ballem, the crux of her sudden departure appears to come down to just two sentences in her letter of resignation to Premier Gordon Campbell dated June 22, 2006.
As I have advised you, the plans that you and your Deputy Minister have established for the organization of the Ministry of Health are unsound and reflect a lack of confidence in my leadershop on your part. This, combined with the lack of satisfaction that you have expressed in the work the Ministry has brought forward to Cabinet, has clarified for me that it is time I moved on to continue to make a contribution to British Columbians in other ways.
Which leads to four questions, none of which has been answered so far by any of the blathering in the local corporate media.
1) What, precisely, are 'The Plans' that have been established by the Premier?
2) Why is the Premier's Deputy Minister, Jessica MacDonald, setting Health Policy?
3) Where and when was the 'lack of satisfaction' expressed by Mr. Campbell*?
4) Where is Mr. George Abbott (ie. the supposed Health Minister) in all of this?
Regardless the answer to any of these questions, the way this affair has played out can only make a reasonable person wonder if Cabinet Ministers have any power whatsoever in the government of Mr. Campbell.
And if they do not, well, that would make his government, what, exactly, for all intents and purposes?
OK, OK, OK. I guess that means there are five questions I would like to the bigshot journos get some answers to.
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*If the 'lack of satisfaction' was voiced at last week's not open/not transparent (as previously promised) cabinet meeting it sure would have been interesting to have been a fly-on-the-wall. Why? Well, in the past Mr. Campbell has demonstrated that he is not averse to being quite, shall we say, 'derisive' in closed door meetings towards women who are working with him:
"One story about Campbell’s behaviour to women did have some basis in fact.
That was the incident between the premier and Surrey MLA Elayne Brenzinger.
A lot of women felt a little uncomfortable when Campbell agreed with Brenzinger that during
one caucus row, he had told her to “F**k off” – even though he said it was basically a joke."
That was the incident between the premier and Surrey MLA Elayne Brenzinger.
A lot of women felt a little uncomfortable when Campbell agreed with Brenzinger that during
one caucus row, he had told her to “F**k off” – even though he said it was basically a joke."
Barbara McLintock, The Tyee, April 2005
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