“In 2010, we’ve all learned a lot. I’ve certainly learned a lot. But one of the critical lessons for me is when British Columbians come together, focus on an objective, and work together to reach that objective, it is incredible what we can accomplish.” Gordon Campbell televised address October 27, 2010.

With these words Premier Gordon Campbell wins the understatement of the month award. It seems he now gets it that the HST petition campaign was a huge success? This is good because he and his government seemed to fail to grasp that fact for the longest time. Now, unfortunately, it appears they are oblivious to the fact that they are incapable of managing the business of government.

One glaring example that Gordon Campbell can’t keep track of public spending came the day after his televised speech when the cost estimate for the broadcast was increased from $100,000 to $240,000. This differential is hardly a contingency type accounting error. The Oxford dictionary states that to flounder means “to make mistakes, manage business badly or with difficulty”. This definition aptly describes Gordon Campbell and his government.

The HST debacle has broken the trust between the government and the governed beyond repair. As a result, the wheels are rapidly falling off the government’s bus but Campbell keeps clinging to the steering wheel and trying to instill trust in his unhappy passengers.

Proof of the damage to the bus came in an Angus Reid poll released on October 16th. The poll found only 9% of people approved of Campbell’s work. This is a new record for the worst ratings. The NDP lead in every region and particularly dominate on Vancouver Island where they scored 60% support to the Greens 17% and the Liberals 14%. The NDP leads in support in all of the categories measured – gender, age, and income. Shake your head if you like but even in the over $100,000 income category the NDP topped the Liberals by 8 points.

When it came to opposition to the HST, Vancouver Island again took the lead. Seventy-eight per cent of Vancouver Islanders want to abolish the tax while the provincial average is 72%. In case there was any doubt about the seminal importance of the HST issue, the poll showed all categories of respondents measured by gender, age, income and region said they would vote against the HST in the referendum.

You’d think it would be enough to send the premier running for an early escape to Hawaii for his annual Christmas revelry? Not Gordon Campbell, nope, his reaction was to revamp his cabinet, add one new person and shuffle sixteen existing ministers. Mostly he created a lot of work for government stationary suppliers by changing not only the ministers but the names of so many ministries. Thousands of people will now need new business cards, letterhead, etc.

A scan of the newswires found little cheering for all the change. More often, even in what used to be reliable government supporting media, the cabinet shuffle was panned. A Times Colonist editorial took particular aim at the size of the cabinet: “In the 1996 election campaign, Campbell described the 18-person NDP cabinet as "bloated" and pledged the Liberals would govern with a 12-person cabinet. The cabinet is now at 24 members — half the Liberal caucus — and includes dubious positions such as minister of state for building code renewal. Surely that is an assignment that could be handled without the expense of a minister's office.”

Locally, the creation of the new Ministry of Natural Resource Operations caught the attention of people concerned about the prospect of the Raven Underground Coal Mine being approved to operate in the Comox Valley. According to the premier’s press release the new ministry will “streamline government processes for critical natural resource industries to ensure we can better attract global investment and turn proposed projects and investments into actual worksites and jobs.”

The cabinet shuffle had barely landed when Campbell hit the airwaves for his expensive TV infomercial. It was expensive in more ways than one as his spending spree appears to conflict with plans announced in September by Finance Minister Colin Hanson. Hanson announced that corporate taxes were coming in better than forecasted thus allowing for greater deficit reduction targets that would lead to a small surplus budget by 2013/2014. Campbell’s tax cut and education spending bag of goodies seem to add up to a pre-Halloween treat that will spoil Hanson’s magic deficit disappearing act.

Gordon Campbell chose not to proceed with a legislative session this fall. Thus the ability to scrutinize and question the actions of the government is very limited. The BC Finance Committee has been travelling around the province to gather fiscal input but Campbell announced his spending plans before the Committee could finish its tour, let alone produce a report. With so much confusion emanating from the government, BC could definitely use a legislative budget officer similar to what exists federally.

The Parliamentary Budget Office is a branch of the Library of Parliament that was created in 2006. Kevin Page, who has held the post of Parliamentary Budget Officer since 2008, has vigilantly implemented his office’s mandate despite the fact that it makes the government unhappy. Most recently Mr. Page analyzed the federal finance minister’s fiscal update that included a prediction that the Conservative government would transform the current record setting deficit of $55 billion into a modest surplus by 2015/16. Mr. Page concluded that the government’s predictions were lacking in analysis.

The reports produced by Mr. Page and his staff are able to prod the government to address the difficult questions and to forecast accurately rather than politically. It is similar to the concept of an auditor general whose analysis can roast the government for past actions. A budget officer can analyze current events, forecasts and proposed legislation. For BC right now, a budget officer would represent the “beater patrol” that could force Campbell to slow his damaged bus down and govern more responsibly.

Jane E. Burton is a freelance writer who operates her company Memorable Lines from her home in Fanny Bay. For more information on the services offered please visit her website at www.memorablelines.com.