The byelection to give B.C.’s new premier a seat is this week and I see that Christy Clark’s efforts to bypass the media and speak only to “regular citizens” are becoming a bit of a story. No surprise to me.
At Vancouver magazine, we decided to do a profile of Ms. Clark, this perpetual firecracker on the B.C. political and media landscape, before she was chosen as the leader. I started work on it a couple of weeks before the leadership vote and continued on for another month after.
I never did get an interview. It was a somewhat liberating experience, although unprecedented in my career. I’ve never had the subject of a profile do that before. But over the course of those weeks, I just got a series of non-answers or We’re just so busy or We just don’t have even 10 minutes available.
A couple of hours before the magazine shipped, we got some typed out answers to very general questions I had sent earlier as an indication of areas I wanted to cover.
All kind of weird, considering that I’m not a reporter known for doing hatchet jobs in particular. (Something that my critics go after me for, frequently accusing me of not skewering people they hate — Judy Rogers for some, Penny Ballem for others — sufficiently.)
I will report what people blunder into saying about themselves, however. Maybe that was the concern, but I really have no idea.
As I said, the lack of interview was liberating to a certain extent. When you get access to a Powerful Person, the temptation to use what they tell you as opposed to what you’ve dug up elsewhere is a strong one.
But the cone of silence appeared to extend beyond the premier’s office. Of the approximately 50 people I called for interviews, sometimes specifying that it didn’t have to be on the record, only about half — an equal mix of friends and enemies — agreed to say anything of any description. Many didn’t even call back to say they didn’t want to say anything.
Makes it tough for the public to know who their politicians really are.
21 responses so far ↓
1 Dave Duchene // May 7, 2011 at 9:47 pm
Surely it can’t be an accident that she chose blue as her running colour.
2 Glissando Remmy // May 8, 2011 at 12:27 am
The Thought of The KITS By-Election
“Would have been nice for Frances to write this ‘Kiss Me Kate’ piece on Christy ‘The Medusa – Just Don’t Look Her In The Eyes- Clark, with interspersed Vodka Commercials… it would have made my headache more manageable. “
I hope David Eby wins.
I don’t particularly like the guy considering his Vision ‘sleep over’, if you catch my drift, but…the alternative is horrendous.
So, the ‘Woman of The People’ is doing waitress-ing stunts all while refusing to have a lively debate in her own riding due to time constrains. The woman who makes close to $ 200 Grands a year plus perks, is paying lip service to her own wickedness by impersonating a hard working universal gal on $8.75/ hour + tips.
Allow me to freshen up after puking inside my mouth a little, please!
Interesting. I didn’t know that the Wagon with Fools got rear ended here in Vancouver.
You described her in such a long article, when all you needed was one word that rimes with…Drew.
People have short memories. Well, yes it’s true, for some, but not with me.
No need to bring the ‘Choo Choo Train’ item on the table, now, something you didn’t quite touch up on. I know what she’ll say… if someone would bring up the ‘Railgate’ thing up: ‘Post Coitum Omne Animal Triste Est’ the Latin equivalent to ‘Up Yours BC I am the Queen of The Rock’
l still remember her despicable stunt as Minister of Education. But some BC Liberals didn’t. They wouldn’t be inconvenienced with that detail and apparently christened her in.
The only reason she ‘retired’ from Victoria was because in her megalomaniacal quest she couldn’t get Campbell job… at the time. But when the best next thing became available, that being the Mayorship of Vancouver, she jumped the queue, came back from ‘spending quality time with family’ and she ‘Real Estate’-ed a Vancouver location for face, and believe me, she was prepared to even push Sam Sullivan ‘s wheelchair down a flight of stairs if that would have been politically accepted.
In a way she reminded me of Gregor, only in pumps and a floral dress. Same Modus Operandi.
Get, Abandon, Lie, Cimb, Push, Pretend and then…loop.
Then for a number of years she bad mouthed, bashed and laughed at any and every politician that was stupid enough to accept the invitation to be interviewed by her on that CKNW trivial pursuit tabloid radio show. Poor shmucks!
IMO, I think she is a Narcissist by Nature and a Generalist by Faith. An Anglican who tried to score Jewish on a Catholic prayer. Jesus!
If she were Mary Magdalene, and if given a choice between Crucifixion and Marrying Her, Jesus would have said “I for one choose death!’ You can bet on that.
She’s ‘energy, energy, energy’. What?
Oh yeah! The Bq Radioactive Decay type. If you ask me she’s the BC’s ‘Creeptonite’. You know, the one that we needed to stay away from.
“Premier Mom at son’s hockey game. Conservative-Friendly Premier-Elect with Stockwell Day. Premier Not-Campbell announcing higher minimum wage.” You missed one though…the “Bikini Car Wash Contest and BC Liberals Membership Sign Up”.
“No Hamish, no!”
But, no, but, yeah, but, no, but, yeah, but, no, but, yeah…
Premier. Soccer Mom. Big Sister. Pal. Vodka Martinis. A big smile. Feline in Heat. Cheshire Hero. Aspirin. How am I doing so far?
We live in Vancouver and this keeps us busy.
3 Joseph Jones // May 8, 2011 at 8:31 am
cc = cubic centimetre
4 Everyman // May 8, 2011 at 9:50 am
I don’t usually pay attention to Bill Tieleman, but he did point an unflattering portrait of Ms. Clark as a dilettante recently. First she needs quality time with the kid, then almost immediately she needs to be mayor, then when she loses that race she does nothing to help the NPA with the civic election, now when her kid’s all of what, nine, he no longer needs quality parenting time??
5 George Orr // May 8, 2011 at 2:49 pm
A looming strategy for people seeking power: the cone of silence. It has a gentle smothering effect and seems to work like a fog. Compliant citizenry and nervous journalists don’t seem to mind.
Where have the ‘take no prisoners’ reporters gone?
6 Jason Gratl // May 8, 2011 at 3:59 pm
Frances,
With all due respect, this article’s attempt to strike a balance generates nonsense. It tries firstly to portray an absence of journalistic access as a virtue, and then secondly, says that lack of access results in readers not knowing the subject of the article.
Either criticize Ms. Clark openly for failing to respond to a request for an interview or flatter her press releases. Reaching for both does not become you.
Why don’t you conduct an interview with Eby?
7 david hadaway // May 8, 2011 at 8:38 pm
So, GR, would it be right to say that you don’t think too highly of her?
You’re apparently far from alone. I was in Point Grey today (we inhabitants of the eastern bloc occasionally like to see how the other half live) and noticed that Eby lawn signs seem to have the edge on Christy’s.
It will certainly be very entertaining if the Premier Non Elect (or PNE – fun for all the family) becomes the Premier Eject.
8 Morry // May 8, 2011 at 10:53 pm
Blue > not Red = Not Liberal > PCP ~ Socred
9 Glissando Remmy // May 9, 2011 at 12:42 am
The Thought of The Midnight
“The only way one would get a perplexed reaction from Christy Clark, is if someone would accuse her of doing something…she didn’t do. The knowledge of being unjustly accused would be so novel, so bewildering to her, that she would just look like ‘drunk’ from it. See, she has so little experience of Innocence!”
David # 5,
when I said that Clark and Robertson have the same Modus Operandi, I wasn’t just making chit chat.
I meant it!
Think about it. They both ‘moved ‘in the Vancouver area just about the time they smelled there were a few openings on the local political scene.
Robertson became a resident with the ‘help’ of a US registered corporation just before the 2005 provincial election. An Accidental Tourist in Victoria for two and a half years (if Gregor would have only waited a few months he could have taken Sam Sullivan heads on, but hey, during that time the arena was kind of Green occupied, it was Jimmied so to speak, as one of Vision’s Founding Fathers was on).
She was already on her way out of Victoria and into Vancouver, when He was on his way out of Vancouver and into Victoria. Strike one.
Christy took over the vortex created by the Provincial Elections and became the official NPA opposing sex opportunist. .. Have I mentioned that she pulled a pronto sell/buy/sell move, on paper of course, move that made Bernie Maddoff people say ‘Oh, she’s good!’, so she too, would become a Vancouver resident just in time for the spitting match?
Two opportunists, same MO, same results , all at the expense of the gullible Vancouver people (remember when after two and a half years of ghostly moves as an MLA in Victoria, Robbie made the juicy announcement that he will put his Cambie riding into a costly by-election – of course taxpayer’s money what else- and shoot for the Sammy’s job? Little did he know at the time that Peter the Not so Great was tunnelling his way into the City Hall’s exterior wall using Vision cut and cover technology?
Bye, bye Orgasmic Farming! (however, IMO, GR’s total farming experience might have come from the ‘I can’t believe is Butter’ and ‘Ricola’ commercials, same as my idea of cattle ranches came from the Marlboro cigarette ads in magazines).
Hello to Solomon’s Social Engineering -500!
So as He was already on his way out of Victoria and into Vancouver, She was having moist dreams of getting out of Vancouver and into Victoria. Strike two.
So, there! Two for Two.
And for the cherry on top, one more thing that points out how close their MO really is. As per one Vancourier Minstrel aka Allen the Vision Courtier mentioned not long ago in one of his Gregorian Chants that they both, Christy and Gregor, are FD Elements of the same Circle of PR and Media Vultures. Gee, what a surprise there! Go figure.
We have Robertson as Mayor of Vancouver and Clark as Premier of BC, what could possibly go wrong… get Harper as the new Canadian PM?
Nah, one must possess psychic powers for that to happen. Me? My glass is almost empty. I feel like a ballad is coming…a Good 🙂 Lovely one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7T6sqfHjfE&NR=1
We live in Vancouver and this keeps us busy.
10 George // May 9, 2011 at 8:28 am
Glissando,
WOW !!
11 G. Man // May 9, 2011 at 9:45 am
“Makes it tough for the public to know who their politicians really are”.
… Actually, It make it pretty clear.
12 david hadaway // May 9, 2011 at 10:15 am
Gregor, Christy, Stephen, all in their carefully crafted bubbles. The three of them make me think of George, Jane and Rosie the robot in the Jetsonmobile.
The real tragedy is that it seems to work with voters.
13 Dan Cooper // May 9, 2011 at 11:14 am
The article in Van Magazine was, I thought when I read it originally, quite positive about Clark. So, why should she do interviews? As I said when the media was bemoaning Harper charging $11,000/week to ride his airplane but allowing only five questions a day: as long as you keep reporting on him no matter what he does, why should he worry?
Well, she did give an interview to the Courier, anyway! My favourite bit was when she said that the NDP wants to divide people into those who should be rewarded and those who shouldn’t. And I just thought, “Oh my! And what have the BC Liberals been doing for the last ten years – including the time when Clark was helping run the show – if not dividing people into winners and losers?” It’s been up with Big Business and down with everyone else (teachers, students, nursing home residents, nursing home employees, small business, the middle class…) all along. There’s a reason why BC is always being lauded for its great “economic strength” while at the same time it has the highest child poverty rate in Canada.
14 Higgins // May 9, 2011 at 12:54 pm
Glissando,
“See, she has so little experience of Innocence!”
Buddy, you are my hero. The best read of this Monday morning for me. I too read Bula’s “feel good about Christy” article, all I could say is that I am speechless. Frances could make George W Bush sound smart in less than 2000 words. 🙂
Two thumbs up. Way up!
Cannot possibly argue you.
One thing I want to add.
Recently Clark was quoted saying that ‘life in politics is not a career’ Really? Then how come all she wanted to do, all her adult life, was to manufacture one for herself? Follow her bio and you’ll be amazed. In and out, in and out.
BTW, nice pointing out that Hollyhock/ Vision/ FD Elements behind the scene connection. How come that always, but always if you dig deep enough you’ll find the same gang circling the wagons? They operate in the same way con men are, always looking for the next mark. Anything that would keep them as far as possible from honest work. Geez!
Voters ARE really stupid, it doesn’t matter if they are East side or West side! I don’t think that the Point Grey voters are going to disappoint me on this one on Wednesday, but one could only hope!
15 Morry // May 9, 2011 at 1:35 pm
“Christy Clark: The very warm, very strategic communicator”
F. Bula channelling Lucy Maud Montgomery
16 Max // May 10, 2011 at 4:23 pm
Interesting article in today’s Courier on David Eby and how he is part of the problem in the DTES and not part of the solution:
NDP byelection candidate demonizes and denigrates in Vancouver
Downtown Eastside suffers under David Eby
Read more: http://www.vancourier.com/byelection+candidate+demonizes+denigrates+Vancouver/4758920/story.html#ixzz1Lzi44H7I
17 Mira // May 10, 2011 at 5:26 pm
max #16
Wow,what a negative article by mark hasiuk. Unfortunately there is not much choice when you have to choose between the BC Liberals Clark evil and The Vision Eby madness. Why didn’t Mel Lehan threw his hat in the game again? Why did not the NDP let him do it again?Did the Vision apparatchik got to them or ARE Them? There was a decent man right there. I smell a Vision rat inside the NDP already. And the Holly charity monies from Solomon @ comp. are too good to pass. IMO. Just wait.
18 Max // May 10, 2011 at 5:36 pm
@Mira #17
Funnily enough, if you Google, David Eby, Hollyhock… you will see that Eby has spoke at Hollyhock lectures and has been quoted in an article by Frances Bula/Vancouver Magazine on Joel Solomon/Renewal Partners.
(I have a feeling, that is not just the only connection.)
…’That intense vision, combined with Solomon’s connections, skills, and ability to distribute money, has made him a key figure locally. “If you did a power diagram of all the green or social ventures in Vancouver, he’d be at the centre,” says David Eby, the former spokesman for the Pivot Legal Society. “And he’s like the horse whisperer for donors. He’s able to help articulate a plan to an investor.”…’
19 Chris Keam // May 10, 2011 at 5:56 pm
“what a negative article by mark hasiuk.”
There’s no other kind. His editorials (not articles) routinely attack efforts to reduce discrimination in high schools and other worthy initiatives. His role at the Courier is clearly to generate letters to the editor and little else. To his credit he’s successful in that endeavour, but let’s not confuse Limbaugh-lite screeds with useful information.
20 Michelle // May 10, 2011 at 6:46 pm
Gee Chris,
I’m not so sure you read all that Mira #17 said.(continue with Max # 18) I am not so sure she said it ‘per se’ or she approved of Mark for the fact that someone finally said it!
Take your pick.
Either way, Eby is a another Hollyhock connected phony, and as much as I don’t like Christy Clark I will vote for her because I can’t stand what this Solomon related crowd stands for. Capisci? And Frances, hm, is looking more and more as after a trip to Chicago! she needs a Hollyhock Retreat. Rather badly!
21 Frances Bula // May 11, 2011 at 8:53 am
Morry
Do you mean this Lucy Maud Montgomery?
http://www.journalpioneer.com/Living/Well-being/2008-09-23/article-1396835/Lucy-Maud-Montgomery-suicide-revelation-lauded/1