Gordon Campbell
Encyclopedia
Gordon Muir Campbell, (born January 12, 1948) is a Canadian diplomat and politician, who is currently serving as Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. He previously served as the 34th Premier of British Columbia
from 2001 to 2011. A former real estate developer and teacher, Campbell's political career began as executive assistant to Vancouver Mayor Art Phillips
until 1976. He worked as a development manager and developer until 1986, when he became the 35th Mayor of Vancouver. He was the leader of the British Columbia Liberal Party
, which was re-elected for a third term on May 12, 2009 and which holds a majority in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
.
, British Columbia
. His father, Charles Gordon (Chargo) Campbell, was a doctor and an assistant dean of medicine at The University of British Columbia, until his suicide in 1961 when Gordon was 13. His mother Peg was a kindergarten assistant at University Hill Elementary School
. Charles and his wife, Peg, had four children. Gordon grew up in West Point Grey
and went to Stride Elementary, and University Hill Secondary School
where he was student council president. While there he was accepted by Dartmouth College
, an Ivy League
institution in New Hampshire where he had received a scholarship and a job offer so he could afford fees.
Campbell intended to study medicine but was persuaded by three English professors to shift his focus to English and urban management
, earning a BA
degree in English
. At Dartmouth, in 1969, he received a $1,500 Urban Studies Fellowship that made it possible for him to work in Vancouver’s city government. At that time Campbell met Art Phillips
, a city councilor and future mayor of Vancouver.
After graduating from university that year, Campbell and Nancy Chipperfield were married in New Westminster on July 4, 1970. Under the Canadian University Service Overseas
program, they went to Nigeria to teach. There he coached basketball and track and field and launched literacy initiatives. Campbell was accepted to Stanford to pursue a master’s degree in education, but the couple instead returned to Vancouver where Campbell entered law school at UBC and Nancy completed her education degree. Campbell's law education was short-lived; he soon returned to the City of Vancouver to work for Art Phillips on his mayoral campaign. When Phillips was elected in 1972, Campbell became his executive assistant, a job he held until 1976.
When he left Mayor Phillips's office, at 28 years old, Campbell went to work for Marathon Realty as a project manager. In 1976 Geoffrey, the Campbells' first child, was born. In 1978, the Campbells bought a house in Point Grey, which was their home for the next 26 years. From 1975 to 1978 he pursued his MBA at Simon Fraser University
. In 1979, Nancy Campbell gave birth to their second child, Nicholas.
In 1981, Campbell left Marathon Realty and started his own business, Citycore Development Corporation. Despite the economic slowdown that hit Canada that year, Campbell's corporation was successful and constructed several buildings in Vancouver.
After a two-year absence from civic political activities, Campbell became involved in the mayoral campaign of May Brown and was an active supporter of the Downtown Stadium for Vancouver Committee. Although Brown was unsuccessful, Campbell and the committee continued promoting the stadium to revitalize False Creek, which at the time was polluted industrial land. The committee was eventually successful, as Premier Bill Bennett announced the Downtown Stadium project in 1980.
, the re-development of Yaletown
, and the foundation of the Coal Harbour
residential area. One of the most significant projects of his term was the construction of the new Vancouver Public Library
. He also served as chair of the Greater Vancouver Regional District
and president of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities.
in 1993 in a three-way race with Gordon Gibson, Jr. and Gordon Wilson
, the incumbent party leader who had lost the confidence of his party, at least partly due to a romantic affair with a member of his caucus. Campbell was elected to the Legislative Assembly the next year in a Vancouver-Quilchena
by-election
.
In the 1996 campaign, Campbell was elected to the Vancouver-Point Grey
riding
, which he has held ever since. The Liberals entered the election leading in polls, due to a fundraising scandal in the NDP. Campbell's party gained 16 seats and won a slight majority of the popular vote, but the NDP retained enough seats to continue a majority government. Campbell stayed on as Leader of the Opposition
, opposing New Democratic Party Premiers Glen Clark
, Dan Miller
and Ujjal Dosanjh
.
In May 2000, Campbell, along with Michael de Jong and Geoffrey Plant
, brought a court case against the Nisga'a Nation, the Attorney General of Canada and the Attorney General of British Columbia, parties to the first modern day Aboriginal Treaty in British Columbia, known as the Nisga'a Final Agreement
. Campbell and the other plaintiffs claimed that the treaty signed with the Nisga'a Nation was "in part inconsistent with the Constitution of Canada and therefore in part of no force and effect." However, Justice Williamson dismissed the application, judging that the enacting legislation did "establish a treaty as contemplated by Section 35 of the Constitution Act, l982. The legislation and the Treaty are constitutionally valid."
Premier Glen Clark's government was beset by controversy, difficult economic and fiscal conditions and attacks on the NDP's building of the Fast Ferries
, and charges against Clark in relation to casino licensing, known as Casinogate (Clark was eventually vindicated, though resigned his post because of the investigation). In the BC election of 2001
Campbell's Liberals defeated the two-term NDP incumbents, taking 77 of 79 seats in the legislature. This was the largest majority of seats, and the second-largest majority of the popular vote in BC history.
for all taxpayers by 25 per cent. Cuts were applied to every tax bracket
. The government also introduced reductions in the corporate income tax, and eliminated the Corporation Capital Tax.
. This included reductions in welfare rolls and some social services, deregulation
, sale of government assets (in particular the ferries built by the previous government during the Fast Ferry Scandal
), reducing the size of the civil service, and closing government offices in certain areas. BC Rail's operations were sold to the Canadian National Railway
despite contrary campaign promises (condemned as unfair by the losing bidders and triggered police raids on cabinet offices in what is known as the BC Legislature Raids
).
The government embarked upon the largest expansion of BC's post-secondary education system since the foundation of Simon Fraser University in 1965. In 2004, the government announced that 25,000 new post-secondary places would be established between 2004 and 2010.
The Campbell government also lifted the six-year long tuition
fee freeze that was placed on BC universities and colleges by the previous NDP government. In 2005 a tuition limit policy was put in place, capping increases at the rate of inflation.
. In the spring of 2002, the government held the referendum.
The referendum, led by Attorney General Geoff Plant
, proposed eight questions that voters were asked to either support or oppose. Critics claimed the phrasing was flawed or biased toward a predetermined response. While some critics, especially First Nations and religious groups, called for a boycott of the referendum, by the May 15 deadline almost 800,000 British Columbians had cast their ballots. Critics called for a boycott of the referendum and First Nations groups collected as many ballots as possible so that they might be destroyed publicly.
Of the ballots that were returned, over 80 per cent of participating voters agreeing to all eight proposed principles. Treaty negotiations resumed.
In the lead-up to the 2005 election, Campbell discussed opening up a New Relationship with Aboriginal People. This position was directly opposite to his view of Aboriginal Treaties pursued in the 2000 Nisga'a Final Treaty court case, discussed above. The "New Relationship" became the foundation for agreements in principle that were made during the second term, but ultimately rejected by the membership of the First Nations involved.
These changes met resistance from many health care workers and resulted in a strike by some of them. This strike was ended by court order and amendments by the government on parts of the legislation. Among the resulting problems in hospitals were higher infection rates resulting from cleaning contractors hiring improperly-trained workers.
The Campbell government increased health funding by $3-billion during its first term in office to help meet the demand at hand and to increase wages for some health professionals.
During its first term in office, the Campbell government increased the number of new nurse training spaces by 2,500, an increase of 62 percent. At the same time, it nearly doubled the doctors in training, and opened new medical training facilities in Victoria and Prince George.
While the increase in doctors in training has been seen as a positive, the BC Medical Association has argued more spaces still need to be opened.
Wage rates for doctors and nurses also increased in the Campbell government’s first term. Nurses received a 23.5 percent raise while doctors received a 20.6 percent raise. The government argued these wage increases were needed to attract and retain skilled professionals in the health care system.
In June 2007, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that parts of health care labour legislation passed in 2002 were unconstitutional. The Court instructed the government to reconsider the legislation and gave it one year to make the necessary changes.
In January 2003, Campbell was arrested and pled no contest
for driving under the influence of alcohol
while vacationing in Hawaii
. According to court records Campbell's blood-alcohol
level was more than twice the legal limit. In Hawaii, drunk driving is only a misdemeanour, in Canada it is a Criminal Code offence. As is customary in the United States, Campbell's mugshot
was provided to the media by Hawaiian police. The image has proved to be a lasting personal embarrassment, frequently used by detractors and opponents. Campbell was fined $913 (US) and the court ordered him to take part in a substance abuse
program, and to be assessed for alcoholism
.
A national anti-drinking and driving group, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada
called for Campbell to resign.
to $8.00 per hour from $7.60, while at the same time authority was given so new entrants into the labour force could be paid $6 per hour, 25% lower than the minimum wage. Campbell has not raised the minimum wage since. As of 2010, the list of minimum wages in Canada reflects British Columbia as being the lowest amongst the 13 provinces and territories. In 2011, Campbell's successor, Premier Christy Clark, announced that the minimum wage will increase in three stages to begin on May 1, 2011.
on July 2, 2003. This was a joint Winter Olympics bid by Vancouver and the ski resort of Whistler.
Campbell attended the final presentations in Prague
, the Czech Republic
. He also went to the 2006 Winter Olympics
in Turin
, Italy
, attending the Games' competitions, as well as the closing ceremonies
.
On August 8, 2008, he attended the Opening Ceremonies for the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing. He went to Beijing to promote the province of British Columbia at the 2008 Summer Olympics
.
On February 12, 2010, Campbell was in attendance at the opening ceremony for the 2010 Winter Olympics
in Vancouver and attended events during the games, including games in the ice hockey tournament. He made a lot of television appearances during the Olympics, talking about Vancouver and the province of British Columbia hosting the games. He was also present at the closing ceremony
.
On April 23, 2010, Campbell received the Canadian Olympic Order from the Canadian Olympic Committee
for being a dedicated proponent of the Olympic Movement.
, Campbell and the BC Liberals won a second majority government with a reduced majority.
. Despite fines and contempt charges, the teachers' walk-out lasted two weeks, and threatened to culminate in a general strike
across the province.
emissions in North America, due in part to the revenue-neutral Carbon Tax.
, Maa-Nulth Treaty Society, and Lheidli T’enneh First Nations. The Tsawwassen Treaty was passed by the band's membership in a heavily-contested and divisive referendum but came into effect on April 3, 2009.
The Maa-Nulth Treaty, which covers a group of Nuu-chah-nulth band governments, is pending ratification by the federal government while the Lheidli-T'enneh Treaty was rejected in the referendum held by that band.
. Their share of total seats remained almost unchanged, as they won 49 seats in a new expanded 85-seat legislature.
, controversy arose when it was revealed that e-mails among Campbell, his staff, and other cabinet ministers may not have been deleted years ago as first claimed. An affidavit filed by Rosemarie Hayes, the B.C. government's manager in charge of information services, suggested that copies of the e-mails may have existed as recently as May 2009, but were ordered to have been destroyed at that time.
On July 20, 2009, the Supreme Court of British Columbia justice conducting the Basi-Virk trial, Madam Justice Elizabeth Bennett, ordered Campbell and other top officials to turn over their e-mail records to the court by August 17.
, or HST. The new 12% sales tax would combine and replace the previous 5% Goods and Services Tax
and 7% Provincial Sales Tax. The announcement was met with strong opposition from political opponents, news media, and opposition from most members of the public. However, the proposed tax received a positive reaction from the business community, strong supporters of the BC Liberals. Much of the opposition stemmed from Campbell's perceived dishonesty about the HST as his government had said it was not on their radar prior to the election, and the fact that it equated to a tax hike for several sectors.
On August 24, representatives from the retail, resource, and film industries held a news conference to speak out in favour of harmonizing BC's sales taxes. In addition, sales tax harmonization has been hailed by the C.D. Howe Institute, a neo-conservative think tank, as being "crucial for B.C to maintain its economic competitiveness."
On June 11, Blair Lekstrom
resigned as B.C.'s Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, saying he was leaving both the cabinet and the caucus over a fundamental disagreement with the BC Liberals on the harmonized sales tax.
A freedom of information request came to light on September 1, 2010, revealing that the BC Liberals had formed HST-related plans prior to the 2009 election—contrary to their statements on the subject.
's 2010 meeting in Sitges
, Spain on June 3–7, 2010. He attended the meeting in an official capacity as the Premier of British Columbia.
, which saw Campbell's approval rating fall to only 9%, according to an Angus Reid
poll, and led to rumours that he has lost support of some members of his cabinet. On December 5, 2010, while answering questions from reporters, he "hinted strongly" that he will not stay on as an MLA after his successor as Liberal leader is chosen in February, according to Rod Mickleburgh of The Globe and Mail
.
Campbell resigned as premier on March 14, 2011, he was succeeded by Christy Clark
.
. Upon the announcement there was a strong public backlash against Campbell receiving the honour. Some believed his nomination contravened the legislation that prevented an elected official from being appointed while holding office. However on September 7, 2011, Lance S. G. Finch, the Chief Justice of British Columbia and chair of the Order of BC Advisory Council declared that although his nomination package was received on March 10, 2011 (four days before his resignation as Premier), Campbell was appointed to the Order on September 2, 2011 at which time he was not an elected MLA.
Premier of British Columbia
The Premier of British Columbia is the first minister, head of government, and de facto chief executive for the Canadian province of British Columbia. Until the early 1970s the title Prime Minister of British Columbia was often used...
from 2001 to 2011. A former real estate developer and teacher, Campbell's political career began as executive assistant to Vancouver Mayor Art Phillips
Art Phillips
Arthur "Art" Phillips served as the 32nd mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 1973 to 1977. Prior to being elected to this post, he founded the Vancouver investment firm of Phillips, Hager & North. Phillips was instrumental in founding a reform-minded, centrist municipal-level...
until 1976. He worked as a development manager and developer until 1986, when he became the 35th Mayor of Vancouver. He was the leader of the British Columbia Liberal Party
British Columbia Liberal Party
The British Columbia Liberal Party is the governing political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected for government in 1916, the party went into decline after 1952, with its rump caucus merging with the Social Credit Party for the 1975 election...
, which was re-elected for a third term on May 12, 2009 and which holds a majority in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
.
Early life
Campbell was born in VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. His father, Charles Gordon (Chargo) Campbell, was a doctor and an assistant dean of medicine at The University of British Columbia, until his suicide in 1961 when Gordon was 13. His mother Peg was a kindergarten assistant at University Hill Elementary School
University Hill Elementary School
University Hill Elementary School is a school currently administered by the Vancouver School Board located in the University Endowment Lands , a suburb directly to the west of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is also the only elementary school in the University Endowment Lands. It was...
. Charles and his wife, Peg, had four children. Gordon grew up in West Point Grey
West Point Grey
West Point Grey is a neighbourhood on the western side of the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is bordered by 16th Avenue to the south, Alma Street to the east, English Bay to the north, and Blanca Street to the west...
and went to Stride Elementary, and University Hill Secondary School
University Hill Secondary School
University Hill Secondary School, locally known as U-Hill, is a public secondary school located in the University Endowment Lands, just west of the city limits of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.-Mission statement:...
where he was student council president. While there he was accepted by Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, an Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
institution in New Hampshire where he had received a scholarship and a job offer so he could afford fees.
Campbell intended to study medicine but was persuaded by three English professors to shift his focus to English and urban management
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
, earning a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
. At Dartmouth, in 1969, he received a $1,500 Urban Studies Fellowship that made it possible for him to work in Vancouver’s city government. At that time Campbell met Art Phillips
Art Phillips
Arthur "Art" Phillips served as the 32nd mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 1973 to 1977. Prior to being elected to this post, he founded the Vancouver investment firm of Phillips, Hager & North. Phillips was instrumental in founding a reform-minded, centrist municipal-level...
, a city councilor and future mayor of Vancouver.
After graduating from university that year, Campbell and Nancy Chipperfield were married in New Westminster on July 4, 1970. Under the Canadian University Service Overseas
CUSO
CUSO was founded June 6, 1961 as Canadian University Service Overseas . It was a Canadian non-profit organization that provided volunteers to aid in the development of Third World countries. In 2008, CUSO merged with VSO Canada to become CUSO-VSO...
program, they went to Nigeria to teach. There he coached basketball and track and field and launched literacy initiatives. Campbell was accepted to Stanford to pursue a master’s degree in education, but the couple instead returned to Vancouver where Campbell entered law school at UBC and Nancy completed her education degree. Campbell's law education was short-lived; he soon returned to the City of Vancouver to work for Art Phillips on his mayoral campaign. When Phillips was elected in 1972, Campbell became his executive assistant, a job he held until 1976.
When he left Mayor Phillips's office, at 28 years old, Campbell went to work for Marathon Realty as a project manager. In 1976 Geoffrey, the Campbells' first child, was born. In 1978, the Campbells bought a house in Point Grey, which was their home for the next 26 years. From 1975 to 1978 he pursued his MBA at Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
. In 1979, Nancy Campbell gave birth to their second child, Nicholas.
In 1981, Campbell left Marathon Realty and started his own business, Citycore Development Corporation. Despite the economic slowdown that hit Canada that year, Campbell's corporation was successful and constructed several buildings in Vancouver.
After a two-year absence from civic political activities, Campbell became involved in the mayoral campaign of May Brown and was an active supporter of the Downtown Stadium for Vancouver Committee. Although Brown was unsuccessful, Campbell and the committee continued promoting the stadium to revitalize False Creek, which at the time was polluted industrial land. The committee was eventually successful, as Premier Bill Bennett announced the Downtown Stadium project in 1980.
Vancouver councillor and mayor
Campbell was elected to Vancouver city council in 1984 and he served as the mayor of Vancouver for three successive terms from 1986 to 1993. Notable events in civic politics during that period included the development of the Expo LandsExpo 86
The 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication, or simply Expo '86, was a World's Fair held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from Friday, May 2 until Monday, October 13, 1986...
, the re-development of Yaletown
Yaletown
Yaletown is an area of Downtown Vancouver approximately bordered by False Creek, Robson, and Homer Streets. Formerly a heavy industrial area dominated by warehouses and rail yards, since the Expo 86, it has been transformed into one of the most densely populated neighbourhoods in the city...
, and the foundation of the Coal Harbour
Coal Harbour
Coal Harbour is the name for a section of Burrard Inlet lying between Vancouver, Canada's downtown peninsula and the Brockton Peninsula of Stanley Park...
residential area. One of the most significant projects of his term was the construction of the new Vancouver Public Library
Vancouver Public Library
The Vancouver Public Library is the third largest public library system in Canada, with more than 2.5 million items in its collections, 22 branches, approximately 375,000 cardholders, and nearly nine million item borrowings annually...
. He also served as chair of the Greater Vancouver Regional District
Greater Vancouver Regional District
Metro Vancouver is the brand name of the board of the inter-municipal administrative body known as the Greater Vancouver Regional District , a regional district in British Columbia, Canada...
and president of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities.
Liberal leader
Campbell became leader of the British Columbia Liberal PartyBritish Columbia Liberal Party
The British Columbia Liberal Party is the governing political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected for government in 1916, the party went into decline after 1952, with its rump caucus merging with the Social Credit Party for the 1975 election...
in 1993 in a three-way race with Gordon Gibson, Jr. and Gordon Wilson
Gordon Wilson (Canadian politician)
Gordon Wilson is a former provincial politician in British Columbia. He served as leader of the Liberal Party of BC from 1987–1993, leader and founder of the Progressive Democratic Alliance from 1993–1997, and in the provincial cabinet as Minister of Finance and Minister of Employment, Investment...
, the incumbent party leader who had lost the confidence of his party, at least partly due to a romantic affair with a member of his caucus. Campbell was elected to the Legislative Assembly the next year in a Vancouver-Quilchena
Vancouver-Quilchena
Vancouver-Quilchena is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada.- Demographics :- Member of Legislative Assembly :...
by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
.
In the 1996 campaign, Campbell was elected to the Vancouver-Point Grey
Vancouver-Point Grey
Vancouver-Point Grey is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. It first appeared on the hustings in the general election of 1933. It and the other new Vancouver ridings in this year, Vancouver-Burrard, Vancouver Centre and Vancouver East, were...
riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
, which he has held ever since. The Liberals entered the election leading in polls, due to a fundraising scandal in the NDP. Campbell's party gained 16 seats and won a slight majority of the popular vote, but the NDP retained enough seats to continue a majority government. Campbell stayed on as Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (British Columbia)
The Leader of the Opposition in British Columbia is the MLA in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia who leads the political party recognized as the Official Opposition. This status generally goes to the leader of the second largest party in the Legislative Assembly....
, opposing New Democratic Party Premiers Glen Clark
Glen Clark
Glen David Clark is a politician in British Columbia, Canada who served as the 31st Premier of British Columbia from 1996 to 1999.-Early life and education:...
, Dan Miller
Dan Miller (Canadian politician)
Arthur Daniel Miller is a Canadian politician. He served as interim leader of the New Democratic Party of British Columbia and served as the 32nd Premier of British Columbia for six months from August 25, 1999 to February 24, 2000, following the resignation of Glen Clark.First elected to the BC...
and Ujjal Dosanjh
Ujjal Dosanjh
Ujjal Dev Singh Dosanjh, PC, QC, is a Sikh Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as 33rd Premier of British Columbia from 2000 to 2001 and as a Liberal Party of Canada Member of Parliament from 2004 to 2011 including a stint as Minister of Health from 2004 until 2006 when the party lost...
.
In May 2000, Campbell, along with Michael de Jong and Geoffrey Plant
Geoff Plant
Geoff Plant, QC is a British Columbia lawyer and retired politician known for his interest in citizen's legal and electoral rights and aboriginal rights....
, brought a court case against the Nisga'a Nation, the Attorney General of Canada and the Attorney General of British Columbia, parties to the first modern day Aboriginal Treaty in British Columbia, known as the Nisga'a Final Agreement
Nisga'a Final Agreement
The Nisga'a Final Agreement, also known as the Nisga'a Treaty, is a treaty settled between the , the government of British Columbia, and the Government of Canada. As part of the settlement in the Nass River valley nearly 2,000 square kilometres of land was officially recognized as , and a 300,000...
. Campbell and the other plaintiffs claimed that the treaty signed with the Nisga'a Nation was "in part inconsistent with the Constitution of Canada and therefore in part of no force and effect." However, Justice Williamson dismissed the application, judging that the enacting legislation did "establish a treaty as contemplated by Section 35 of the Constitution Act, l982. The legislation and the Treaty are constitutionally valid."
Premier Glen Clark's government was beset by controversy, difficult economic and fiscal conditions and attacks on the NDP's building of the Fast Ferries
Fast Ferry Scandal
The Fast Ferry Scandal, also referred to as the Fast Ferries Scandal, "FastCat Fiasco", Fast Ferries Fiasco, were names given to a political affair in the late 1990s relating to the construction of three fast ferries in British Columbia....
, and charges against Clark in relation to casino licensing, known as Casinogate (Clark was eventually vindicated, though resigned his post because of the investigation). In the BC election of 2001
British Columbia general election, 2001
The British Columbia general election of 2001 was the 37th provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 18, 2001, and held on May 16, 2001...
Campbell's Liberals defeated the two-term NDP incumbents, taking 77 of 79 seats in the legislature. This was the largest majority of seats, and the second-largest majority of the popular vote in BC history.
Tax
In 2001, Campbell campaigned on a promise to significantly reduce income taxes to stimulate the economy. A day after taking office, Campbell reduced personal income taxIncome tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
for all taxpayers by 25 per cent. Cuts were applied to every tax bracket
Tax bracket
Tax brackets are the divisions at which tax rates change in a progressive tax system . Essentially, they are the cutoff values for taxable income — income past a certain point will be taxed at a higher rate.-Example:Imagine that there are three tax brackets: 10%, 20%, and 30%...
. The government also introduced reductions in the corporate income tax, and eliminated the Corporation Capital Tax.
Spending
To finance the tax cuts and to balance the provincial budget, Campbell's first term was also noted for several measures of fiscal austerityAusterity
In economics, austerity is a policy of deficit-cutting, lower spending, and a reduction in the amount of benefits and public services provided. Austerity policies are often used by governments to reduce their deficit spending while sometimes coupled with increases in taxes to pay back creditors to...
. This included reductions in welfare rolls and some social services, deregulation
Deregulation
Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or...
, sale of government assets (in particular the ferries built by the previous government during the Fast Ferry Scandal
Fast Ferry Scandal
The Fast Ferry Scandal, also referred to as the Fast Ferries Scandal, "FastCat Fiasco", Fast Ferries Fiasco, were names given to a political affair in the late 1990s relating to the construction of three fast ferries in British Columbia....
), reducing the size of the civil service, and closing government offices in certain areas. BC Rail's operations were sold to the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
despite contrary campaign promises (condemned as unfair by the losing bidders and triggered police raids on cabinet offices in what is known as the BC Legislature Raids
BC Legislature Raids
The BC Legislature Raids resulted from search warrants executed on the Legislature of British Columbia, Canada, in 2003. The legal proceedings were stopped just before government officials were to testify...
).
Education
The Campbell government passed legislation in August 2001 declaring education as an essential service, therefore making it illegal for educators to go on strike. This fulfilled a platform promise made in the election campaign.The government embarked upon the largest expansion of BC's post-secondary education system since the foundation of Simon Fraser University in 1965. In 2004, the government announced that 25,000 new post-secondary places would be established between 2004 and 2010.
The Campbell government also lifted the six-year long tuition
Tuition
Tuition payments, known primarily as tuition in American English and as tuition fees in British English, Canadian English, Australian English, New Zealand English and Indian English, refers to a fee charged for educational instruction during higher education.Tuition payments are charged by...
fee freeze that was placed on BC universities and colleges by the previous NDP government. In 2005 a tuition limit policy was put in place, capping increases at the rate of inflation.
Environmental
Campbell made significant changes, including new Environmental Assessment Legislation, as well as new aquaculture policies. In November 2002, Campbell's government passed the Forest and Range Practices Act which reversed many of the regulations previously introduced by the former New Democrat government.First Nations
During the 2001 election, the BC Liberals also campaigned on a promise to hold a consultative referendum seeking a mandate from the general public to negotiate treaties with First NationsFirst Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
. In the spring of 2002, the government held the referendum.
The referendum, led by Attorney General Geoff Plant
Geoff Plant
Geoff Plant, QC is a British Columbia lawyer and retired politician known for his interest in citizen's legal and electoral rights and aboriginal rights....
, proposed eight questions that voters were asked to either support or oppose. Critics claimed the phrasing was flawed or biased toward a predetermined response. While some critics, especially First Nations and religious groups, called for a boycott of the referendum, by the May 15 deadline almost 800,000 British Columbians had cast their ballots. Critics called for a boycott of the referendum and First Nations groups collected as many ballots as possible so that they might be destroyed publicly.
Of the ballots that were returned, over 80 per cent of participating voters agreeing to all eight proposed principles. Treaty negotiations resumed.
In the lead-up to the 2005 election, Campbell discussed opening up a New Relationship with Aboriginal People. This position was directly opposite to his view of Aboriginal Treaties pursued in the 2000 Nisga'a Final Treaty court case, discussed above. The "New Relationship" became the foundation for agreements in principle that were made during the second term, but ultimately rejected by the membership of the First Nations involved.
Health care
The Campbell government drew up legislation that required health authorities to contract out positions when savings could be predicted. This led to the privatization of many healthcare jobs.These changes met resistance from many health care workers and resulted in a strike by some of them. This strike was ended by court order and amendments by the government on parts of the legislation. Among the resulting problems in hospitals were higher infection rates resulting from cleaning contractors hiring improperly-trained workers.
The Campbell government increased health funding by $3-billion during its first term in office to help meet the demand at hand and to increase wages for some health professionals.
During its first term in office, the Campbell government increased the number of new nurse training spaces by 2,500, an increase of 62 percent. At the same time, it nearly doubled the doctors in training, and opened new medical training facilities in Victoria and Prince George.
While the increase in doctors in training has been seen as a positive, the BC Medical Association has argued more spaces still need to be opened.
Wage rates for doctors and nurses also increased in the Campbell government’s first term. Nurses received a 23.5 percent raise while doctors received a 20.6 percent raise. The government argued these wage increases were needed to attract and retain skilled professionals in the health care system.
In June 2007, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that parts of health care labour legislation passed in 2002 were unconstitutional. The Court instructed the government to reconsider the legislation and gave it one year to make the necessary changes.
Impaired driving
Nolo contendere
is a legal term that comes from the Latin for "I do not wish to contend." It is also referred to as a plea of no contest.In criminal trials, and in some common law jurisdictions, it is a plea where the defendant neither admits nor disputes a charge, serving as an alternative to a pleading of...
for driving under the influence of alcohol
Driving under the influence
Driving under the influence is the act of driving a motor vehicle with blood levels of alcohol in excess of a legal limit...
while vacationing in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. According to court records Campbell's blood-alcohol
Blood alcohol content
Blood alcohol content , also called blood alcohol concentration, blood ethanol concentration, or blood alcohol level is most commonly used as a metric of alcohol intoxication for legal or medical purposes....
level was more than twice the legal limit. In Hawaii, drunk driving is only a misdemeanour, in Canada it is a Criminal Code offence. As is customary in the United States, Campbell's mugshot
Mug shot
A mug shot, mugshot or booking photograph, is a photographic portrait taken after one is arrested. The purpose of the mug shot is to allow law enforcement to have a photographic record of the arrested individual to allow for identification by victims and investigators. Most mug shots are two-part,...
was provided to the media by Hawaiian police. The image has proved to be a lasting personal embarrassment, frequently used by detractors and opponents. Campbell was fined $913 (US) and the court ordered him to take part in a substance abuse
Substance abuse
A substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
program, and to be assessed for alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
.
A national anti-drinking and driving group, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada
MADD Canada
MADD Canada is the Canadian arm of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Its stated purpose is to stop impaired driving and to support victims. MADD Canada operates public awareness and education programs which focus on stopping impaired driving...
called for Campbell to resign.
Minimum wage
On November 1, 2001, the Campbell BC Liberals honoured the previous NDP government's legislation to increase the minimum wageMinimum wage
A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly remuneration that employers may legally pay to workers. Equivalently, it is the lowest wage at which workers may sell their labour. Although minimum wage laws are in effect in a great many jurisdictions, there are differences of opinion about...
to $8.00 per hour from $7.60, while at the same time authority was given so new entrants into the labour force could be paid $6 per hour, 25% lower than the minimum wage. Campbell has not raised the minimum wage since. As of 2010, the list of minimum wages in Canada reflects British Columbia as being the lowest amongst the 13 provinces and territories. In 2011, Campbell's successor, Premier Christy Clark, announced that the minimum wage will increase in three stages to begin on May 1, 2011.
2010 Winter Olympics
British Columbia won the right to host the 2010 Winter Olympics2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
on July 2, 2003. This was a joint Winter Olympics bid by Vancouver and the ski resort of Whistler.
Campbell attended the final presentations in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. He also went to the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, attending the Games' competitions, as well as the closing ceremonies
2006 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony
The Closing Ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics took place on February 26, 2006 beginning at 20:00 CET at the Stadio Olimpico in Turin, Italy.-Program:...
.
On August 8, 2008, he attended the Opening Ceremonies for the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
The 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest. It began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time on August 8, 2008, as 8 is considered to be a lucky number. The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture...
in Beijing. He went to Beijing to promote the province of British Columbia at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
.
On February 12, 2010, Campbell was in attendance at the opening ceremony for the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony
The Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics was held on February 12, 2010 beginning at 6:00 pm PST at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This was the first Olympic opening ceremony to be held indoors...
in Vancouver and attended events during the games, including games in the ice hockey tournament. He made a lot of television appearances during the Olympics, talking about Vancouver and the province of British Columbia hosting the games. He was also present at the closing ceremony
2010 Winter Olympics closing ceremony
The Closing Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics took place on February 28, 2010, beginning at 5:30 pm PST at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
.
On April 23, 2010, Campbell received the Canadian Olympic Order from the Canadian Olympic Committee
Canadian Olympic Committee
The Canadian Olympic Committee - COC is the private, non-profit organization representing Canadian athletes in the International Olympic Committee and the Pan American Games. It was formally recognized by the IOC in 1907. The COC also represents the selection of Canadian cities in their bid for...
for being a dedicated proponent of the Olympic Movement.
Second term as premier
In the May 17, 2005, electionBritish Columbia general election, 2005
The 38th British Columbia general election was held on May 17, 2005, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia , Canada. The BC Liberal Party formed the government of the province prior to this general election under the leadership of Premier Gordon Campbell...
, Campbell and the BC Liberals won a second majority government with a reduced majority.
Economy
430,000 new jobs have been created in B.C. since December 2001, the best job creation record in Canada. In 2007, the economy created 70,800 more jobs, almost all full time positions. By Spring 2007, unemployment had fallen to 4.0%, the lowest rate in 30 years. However, 40,300 jobs were lost in 2008, mostly in December (35,100), and unemployment rates sit at 7.8% as of July 2009, the same level they were at in July 2001.Education
On October 7, 2005, following the successive imposition of contracts on BC teachers, British Columbia's teachers began an indefinite walk-out. Campbell having made striking illegal for teachers, educators referred to this as an act of civil disobedienceCivil disobedience
Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal to obey certain laws, demands, and commands of a government, or of an occupying international power. Civil disobedience is commonly, though not always, defined as being nonviolent resistance. It is one form of civil resistance...
. Despite fines and contempt charges, the teachers' walk-out lasted two weeks, and threatened to culminate in a general strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
across the province.
Environmental
In 2008, Premier Campbell's government developed and entrenched in law the Climate Action Plan. The Plan is one of the most progressive plans to address Greenhouse GasGreenhouse gas
A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
emissions in North America, due in part to the revenue-neutral Carbon Tax.
First Nations
The Campbell government attempted to negotiate treaties with a number of First Nations in its second term. Final agreements in principle were signed with the Tsawwassen First NationTsawwassen First Nation
The Tsawwassen First Nation is a First Nations government whose only Indian reserve is located in the Greater Vancouver area of the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada, adjacent to the South Arm of the Fraser River and the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal and just north of the international...
, Maa-Nulth Treaty Society, and Lheidli T’enneh First Nations. The Tsawwassen Treaty was passed by the band's membership in a heavily-contested and divisive referendum but came into effect on April 3, 2009.
The Maa-Nulth Treaty, which covers a group of Nuu-chah-nulth band governments, is pending ratification by the federal government while the Lheidli-T'enneh Treaty was rejected in the referendum held by that band.
Health care
The Campbell government launched the Conversation on Health, a province-wide consultation with British Columbians on their health care to lay the groundwork for changes to the principles of the Canada Health Act that were presented in the Fall of 2007.Third term as premier
Campbell and the BC Liberals were re-elected in the May 12, 2009, electionBritish Columbia general election, 2009
The 39th British Columbia general election was held on May 12, 2009 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The BC Liberal Party formed the government of the province prior to this general election under the leadership of Premier Gordon Campbell...
. Their share of total seats remained almost unchanged, as they won 49 seats in a new expanded 85-seat legislature.
BC Rail e-mail controversy
Some five years after the BC Legislature RaidsBC Legislature Raids
The BC Legislature Raids resulted from search warrants executed on the Legislature of British Columbia, Canada, in 2003. The legal proceedings were stopped just before government officials were to testify...
, controversy arose when it was revealed that e-mails among Campbell, his staff, and other cabinet ministers may not have been deleted years ago as first claimed. An affidavit filed by Rosemarie Hayes, the B.C. government's manager in charge of information services, suggested that copies of the e-mails may have existed as recently as May 2009, but were ordered to have been destroyed at that time.
On July 20, 2009, the Supreme Court of British Columbia justice conducting the Basi-Virk trial, Madam Justice Elizabeth Bennett, ordered Campbell and other top officials to turn over their e-mail records to the court by August 17.
HST controversy
On July 23, 2009, Campbell announced that British Columbia would move towards a Harmonized Sales TaxHarmonized Sales Tax
The Harmonized Sales Tax is the name used in Canada to describe the combination of the federal Goods and Services Tax and the regional Provincial Sales Tax into a single value added sales tax in five of the ten Canadian provinces: Ontario, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, British...
, or HST. The new 12% sales tax would combine and replace the previous 5% Goods and Services Tax
Goods and Services Tax (Canada)
The Goods and Services Tax is a multi-level value added tax introduced in Canada on January 1, 1991, by then Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and his finance minister Michael Wilson. The GST replaced a hidden 13.5% Manufacturers' Sales Tax ; Mulroney claimed the GST was implemented because the MST...
and 7% Provincial Sales Tax. The announcement was met with strong opposition from political opponents, news media, and opposition from most members of the public. However, the proposed tax received a positive reaction from the business community, strong supporters of the BC Liberals. Much of the opposition stemmed from Campbell's perceived dishonesty about the HST as his government had said it was not on their radar prior to the election, and the fact that it equated to a tax hike for several sectors.
On August 24, representatives from the retail, resource, and film industries held a news conference to speak out in favour of harmonizing BC's sales taxes. In addition, sales tax harmonization has been hailed by the C.D. Howe Institute, a neo-conservative think tank, as being "crucial for B.C to maintain its economic competitiveness."
On June 11, Blair Lekstrom
Blair Lekstrom
Blair Lekstrom is a Canadian politician, currently a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. He has represented the riding of Peace River South since the 2001 election....
resigned as B.C.'s Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, saying he was leaving both the cabinet and the caucus over a fundamental disagreement with the BC Liberals on the harmonized sales tax.
A freedom of information request came to light on September 1, 2010, revealing that the BC Liberals had formed HST-related plans prior to the 2009 election—contrary to their statements on the subject.
Bilderberg 2010 attendance
Gordon Campbell was invited to and attended the Bilderberg GroupBilderberg Group
The Bilderberg Group, Bilderberg conference, or Bilderberg Club is an annual, unofficial, invitation-only conference of approximately 120 to 140 guests from North America and Western Europe, most of whom are people of influence. About one-third are from government and politics, and two-thirds from...
's 2010 meeting in Sitges
Sitges
*Church of Sant Bartolomeu i Santa Tecla . It houses two Gothic sepulchres , belonging to the an older church located on the same site...
, Spain on June 3–7, 2010. He attended the meeting in an official capacity as the Premier of British Columbia.
Resignation
On November 3, 2010, Campbell made a televised address to the public, announcing his intention to resign as Premier of British Columbia. The announcement was made after months of strong political opposition to the implementation of the HSTHarmonized Sales Tax
The Harmonized Sales Tax is the name used in Canada to describe the combination of the federal Goods and Services Tax and the regional Provincial Sales Tax into a single value added sales tax in five of the ten Canadian provinces: Ontario, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, British...
, which saw Campbell's approval rating fall to only 9%, according to an Angus Reid
Angus Reid Public Opinion
Angus Reid Public Opinion is an international public affairs practice. It was established in 2006 under the name Angus Reid Strategies by Dr Angus Reid, a Canadian sociologist who founded his first research company in 1979. Reid sold the Angus Reid Group to Paris-based Ipsos SA in 2000...
poll, and led to rumours that he has lost support of some members of his cabinet. On December 5, 2010, while answering questions from reporters, he "hinted strongly" that he will not stay on as an MLA after his successor as Liberal leader is chosen in February, according to Rod Mickleburgh of The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
.
Campbell resigned as premier on March 14, 2011, he was succeeded by Christy Clark
Christy Clark
Christina Joan "Christy" Clark, MLA is a Canadian politician, the 35th and current Premier of British Columbia, Canada...
.
High Commissioner to Britain
In late June of 2011 it was reported that Campbell was to be named Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. On August 15, 2011, Campbell was formally announced to succeed the post. On September 15, 2011, Campbell officially became the High Commissioner for Canada.Order of British Columbia
On September 2, 2011, it was announced that Gordon Campbell would be one of the recipients of the 2011 Order of British ColumbiaOrder of British Columbia
The Order of British Columbia is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Instituted in 1989 by Lieutenant Governor David Lam, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier Bill Vander Zalm, the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to honour...
. Upon the announcement there was a strong public backlash against Campbell receiving the honour. Some believed his nomination contravened the legislation that prevented an elected official from being appointed while holding office. However on September 7, 2011, Lance S. G. Finch, the Chief Justice of British Columbia and chair of the Order of BC Advisory Council declared that although his nomination package was received on March 10, 2011 (four days before his resignation as Premier), Campbell was appointed to the Order on September 2, 2011 at which time he was not an elected MLA.