/ im ASE a YO a8

REO VINA,
Chg _ BUREANAAT..

"gi ag a Gas, OV
TAYPAYERS. AND SMALL
SNES.

without referring to. notes: | "The criteria is quite

different, too, Before, there was an overabundance of
men, ‘ot much representation from a lot of the
regions and the communities from the visible minor-

ities and others were not represented. We have

developed criteria to make sure that boards and
commissions and agencies... will be more repre-
sented."

The briefing note reminds ministers to point out
some of these other non-NDP appointments, such as
Frank Collison, vice-president of the Haida Nation,
as the first aboriginal person to sit-on the B.C.
Ferries board, or that a Liberal candidate Wendy

Holm was named to the Okanagan Tree Fruit

Authority.

Sure enough, then came Mr. Harcourt’s parroting
of the game plan: "Competence is the criteria we are
using, whether it’s the appointment of Mr. Pollard,

whether it’s the appointment of somebody like-
Wendy Holm who was a Liberal candidate, or

whether it is the appointment of a number of others,

for example Frank Collison, who i is a member of the

Haida. coun, the first, original, leader. Gon ‘the

board)."

What does this: exercise, ‘prove? Well, first, of all,
that the Premier: obvioualy i is a quick study, and that, |
a lot of time, effort and taxpayers’ dollars are poing: .
_ into deflecting issues of concern. | °

As well, Mr. Harcourt has always been a L jock, :
Whether in basketball; tennis, or politics, he adopts
the position that the best: deferice is.a good offence. .:

You will ‘note that his handling ofthe matter ~
steered scrutiny away from the highly ‘questionable .
and controversial appointments which have.been~”
doled out steadily to party faithful since the NDP |

took office.

Couple that strategy with a a naive e group of rookie
‘Liberal Opposition: MLAs who often do not take the:

offensive when it is presented to them on a platter,
and it is easy to see why the. -government is not too
concerned about accusations of patronage. .

And it is easy to see that there are.more jobs out

there for the asking for the NDP guys, and gals who .
haven't yet bellied up to the trough.

‘ F

Terrace Review — May 8, 1992 : ne +

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