When Colin Hansen Speaks...

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....Reality Weeps

Colin Hansen, Christy Clark's campaign manager in the Point Grey by-election, was caught doing his well-patented 'shuck and jive', one more time when he tried to explain why his horse doesn't show up for all-candidate debates.

First the 'shuck', from the Canadian Press:

...Clark's campaign manager, Colin Hansen, a long-time Liberal cabinet minister and Clark's riding neighbour, said Clark has met as many voters as possible in the campaign.

The former finance minister said Clark decided to hold electronic town-hall meetings with constituents where people could listen and ask questions over the telephone rather than attend the traditional all-candidates meetings, which are often stacked with partisan supporters.

"In this day and age, political parties have to find new ways of reaching out to voters, and that's why the electronic town hall is something I think is a great tool for candidates to use," he said.

"It's basically about how do we bring campaigning into the 21st Century."....

Then the 'jive', from The Tyee:

....The evening before, Christy Clark confidently strides into the main hall of St. Mark's church in Kitsilano. More than 100 people waiting inside hoot, whistle and clap to welcome her.

The town hall meeting organized by Clark's campaign office has mainly drawn supporters, judging by the energy in the room. The premier thanks the audience several times before she begins, assuring the audience that recent media criticism over her refusal to parlay with the opposition and skip the all candidates' debates has not put her out of touch with her constituents.

"Part of my commitment is to make sure that government is open to citizens, because I know we cannot do what citizens want us to do -- cannot reflect your priorities -- unless we talk to you, unless we listen to you," says Clark...

And then, as you might expect from the good Mr. Hansen and those who pull his strings, comes the 'Super-Fly-High-Five-Jive' delivered by the good Mr. A. Tsakumis, who actually knows all of these people:

"...As moderator (of the St. Mark's Church Town Hall), INCREDIBLY, was a fellow named Steve Kukucha. Now, full disclosure, I’ve known Kukucha since we were classmates in French Literature at UBC in the 80s and I consider him a friend. But his appearance was stunning.

No, not just because he’s another staunch federal Liberal, part of the Marrisen set that brought you spineless Paul Martin, but because he is an Independent Power Project (IPP) executive, with, at one point, TEN LICENCES up for approval.

Clark actually had the incredible temerity, the unmitigated gall to stand there and answer questions about the environment and how she cared about the flora and fauna of sensitive streams–much like The Blessed Mother Teresa did about Calcutta’s poor, all while seated two feet and hosted by a guy whose companies stand to make GAZILLIONS in profits on schemes that the B.C. Utilities Commission have declared “an answer to a non-existent problem.” So while Premier Snooki was shoveling the bull about how much she cares for the BC environment, she was seated next to a man whose plans could easily contribute to its destruction...."

'Nuff said?

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And speaking of the pullers of strings, it was interesting to learn, again from Mr. Tsakumis, that the good Mr. Mark Giles, he of Patrick Kinsella's Progressive Group, was also at St Mark's church for the partisanly non-partisan Town Hall. Now, for those who start to see visions of tangled webs of silly string and/or stinky cheese when they see a room crawling with consultants/campaign managers, it is worth remembering that, while it was Mr. Kinsella who helped Ms. Clark with her BC Liberal leadership bid, the good Mr. Giles was actually riding George Abbott at the time. Gosh!......One might almost think that someone, or some 'Group', was trying to hedge their bets from the beginning.

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