Joy MacPhail makes 'right choice' for NDP

Joy MacPhail makes 'right choice' for NDP
By Dan Hilborn, Burnaby Now assistant editor
Published June 7, 2003


Tuesday's surprise announcement that NDP leader Joy MacPhail will step down before the next election was greeted with a mixture of sadness and relief in the former party strongholds of Burnaby and New Westminster.

At Burnaby city council, where the NDP holds a strong majority of seats, there was a sense of resignation that the party is facing a tough road ahead for the next few years and a sense that MacPhail played a fairly large role in those troubles.

"I think Joy MacPhail is making the right choice in the best interest of the party," said Mayor Derek Corrigan, who continues to be seen as a possible contender for the NDP leader's job despite his repeated denials.

"She recognizes she carries a lot of baggage from the previous NDP government, and it would be highly unlikely she could unload that before another election," said the mayor. "I also think she's recognized the desire from within the party to see new faces and new approaches."

But when it comes to picking a new leader, other than dismissing his own name, Corrigan believes the party may be best served it if looks outside its existing membership.

"I think we need someone who will be a consensus builder. Someone who will be able to bring together diverse elements of the community together. Someone who can bridge the gap between people interested in the environment and labour.

"It's a big job, and there are big constituencies out there who feel very alienated from the present Liberal government. There are a lot of people in the middle who found the Liberals moved much farther to the right than they expected, and that leaves a big constituency to support the NDP candidates and a new NDP leader."

But like the other people interviewed for this story, Corrigan was reluctant to offer any names.

"I don't want to put out rumours of who might or might not run. I know my name has been rumoured all over the place, and on a local basis I've said that I won't run. I'm not going to give anyone else the same problem by suggesting their name when they may not be interested."

At least one other Burnaby council member had more terse comments.

Former NDP MLA Pietro Calendino, who has never hidden his dislike for MacPhail's role in ousting former party leader Glen Clark, said he's glad to hear she'll step down from the post before the next election.

"I think she's made a wise decision. We need fresh blood there," said Calendino, who admitted he might be interested in running for provincial politics again, given the right circumstances.

"I'm waiting to see where the winds will blow next year," he said. "I haven't ruled it (running again) out, but I'm very comfortable at city hall."

But past candidate Bart Healey, who ran in the Burquitlam riding in 2001, said MacPhail was a superb leader, and that he would love to run again, regardless of who takes the helm of the party.

"I think she's done a pretty good job and we owe her a debt of gratitude for her courage and compassion," said Healey, a teamster who has already started knocking on doors in anticipation of running again in the 2005 election. "I think politics is a little like Hollywood. It eats up good people and spits them out and throws them away."

But the kindest words for MacPhail came from former NDP attorney general Graeme Bowbrick, the former New Westminster MLA, who said MacPhail has done an admirable job both in the final days of the Clark/Dosanjh governments and as party leader.

"Joy served in a principled and selfless way," he said. "She took on the worst jobs - the Social Services Ministry just before the Matthew Vaudreuil report was made public, and the Health Ministry when the regional system was brought in. She took on crappy jobs from the premier and did it without any public complaint, and people forget that."

Bowbrick also applauded MacPhail for resigning from the Clark government. "That was not a career-enhancing move," he said. "But it's people who have the guts to do those things who you want in a leadership position, not the people who make everyone happy."