VANCOUVER – B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell fell on his political sword Wednesday, expressing hope that his resignation will refocus attention on his government’s economic performance and away from the hated harmonized sales tax that was his undoing.
Campbell ended speculation about his future at a hastily called news conference where he announced his plans to step down after 26 years in politics, nine of them in the premier’s office.
"When public debate becomes focused on one person, as opposed to what’s in the best interests of the province of British Columbia, we’ve lost sight of what is important," Campbell, his voice tinged with emotion, told reporters after emerging from a cabinet meeting.
"When that happens, it’s time for a change."
Campbell, 62, said he’d asked the Liberal party executive to hold a leadership convention as soon as possible. It wasn’t clear how soon that will happen, and Campbell did not take any questions.
The premier has seen his popularity plummet since announcing the HST last year, just weeks after a provincial election campaign in which his party said it wasn’t contemplating such a switch.
What began as grumbling about the combined tax grew to a roar. The province’s unique petition act opened the door for charismatic former premier Bill Vander Zalm to mount a hugely successful campaign against the tax, gathering more than a half-million signatures across the province.
Month after month the one-time Social Credit premier kept the HST in the headlines, eventually forcing the government to announce a referendum for next fall.
Campbell’s announcement came a week after he appeared to go on the offensive, staging a TV and radio address defending the merits of the HST while announcing a 15-per cent income tax cut in a last-ditch attempt to blunt public anger.
He also shuffled his cabinet, leaving his beleaguered finance minister in place, and created a new Parliamentary secretary to sell the public on the combined tax. He then went on an interview blitz insisting he wasn’t about to go anywhere.
But none of that stopped the downward spiral.
Campbell’s popularity has dropped into the single digits and he faces a leadership review at the annual party convention in Penticton later this month. Pundits had been predicting his political demise, and even within the disciplined Liberal party ranks, some caucus members had begun to publicly criticize the premier.
Still, a handful of cabinet ministers walking into their Wednesday morning meeting appeared unaware their leader was about to announce his exit.
Campbell said Wednesday his departure may finally allow the public to engage in a debate about the pros and cons of the tax.
"I am hopeful that my announcement today will allow British Columbains to move forward and fully consider the HST and its alternative as they move toward September of 2011," he said.
It’s difficult to know whether Campbell’s resignation will be enough to save the HST or the Liberal government, which still has three years before it faces the next fixed election in May 2013.
NDP Leader Carole James thanked Campbell for his years of public service before quickly renewing her criticism of the HST. She said the entire Liberal party, not just Campbell, will pay the price for the deeply unpopular tax.
"We’ve seen the reality of a more divided province under Mr. Campbell and you can’t sweep that away with Mr. Campbell stepping down," said James.
In Ottawa, opposition MPs quickly blamed the Conservative government for Campbell’s demise and suggested the Tories will pay the same price at the polls.
"Everybody knows the premier of British Columbia just resigned because of the failure of the HST that was a fiasco caused by the Prime Minister and by the Minister of Finance," Liberal MP Libby Davies said in Question Period.
For his part, Campbell was unapologetic despite the resignation.
"It’s not always popular to do what you think in your heart is right and in the long-term interests of our province and the families who live here," he said.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.