You gotta love BC politics 8O
B.C. premier says embarrassed aide who quit did the right thing
TERRI THEODORE
VANCOUVER (CP) - B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell says a prominent Liberal organizer who called him on an open-line TV show to ask a question using a false name "clearly made a mistake" and acted properly by quitting his job in the premier's office.
"He's embarrassed by it and he's done the right thing," Campbell said Thursday. Prem Vinning, a well known Liberal organizer, called himself Peter during the weekend phone-in show on a multicultural TV network when he asked Campbell about the government's transportation plans.
That's a very, very good question," the premier said before answering.
Campbell said he didn't recognize Vinning's voice, but there were technical difficulties during the show with the phones and with low volume levels from callers.
Vinning resigned this week as director of Asia-Pacific trade and economic development. He started the job on Monday.
The premier said he didn't ask for Vinning's resignation nor does he see the need to caution his political staff or Liberal party friends about making similar calls.
"As far as I know, this is an isolated incident," he said.
"I think people understand that was a mistake, and certainly Prem does."
Vinning wasn't available for comment on Thursday. He confirmed he was the caller earlier this week to a reporter with Public Eye Online, a website that describes itself as a journal covering British Columbia politics.
One man who has seen both sides of the political and talk-show circuits says the issue is "pretty small potatoes."
" Politics is a rough and tumble and pretty dirty game," said Vancouver radio talk show host Rafe Mair.
"On the scale of sins in politics, this ranks very very low."
Mair said planted political calls he describes as a "put-up job" are very common in the industry.
The longtime radio personality, a former B.C. cabinet minister in the Social Credit government, revealed his secret for cutting off such supporters' questions.
"You let the (phone) board fill up and then you cancel them all," he said. "Then start afresh and hope from there you got rid of the stackers."
Mair said he and his campaign manager did the same thing when he was running for office in 1975.
"The only calls that got through were friends of mine. That's politics. It's nothing you boast about, but it happens."
Campbell said he has no problem with his supporters calling in to such shows.
"I would certainly hope some of our supporters phone in, because certainly those who aren't supporters phone in," he said.
Mair said the matter will be quickly forgotten.
"Ask yourself how many people in British Columbia are going to go into that ballot box and say 'Oh, I can't vote for Gordon Campbell because of what Mr. Vinning did.' It just isn't that big an issue."
B.C. premier says embarrassed aide who quit did the right thing
TERRI THEODORE
VANCOUVER (CP) - B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell says a prominent Liberal organizer who called him on an open-line TV show to ask a question using a false name "clearly made a mistake" and acted properly by quitting his job in the premier's office.
"He's embarrassed by it and he's done the right thing," Campbell said Thursday. Prem Vinning, a well known Liberal organizer, called himself Peter during the weekend phone-in show on a multicultural TV network when he asked Campbell about the government's transportation plans.
That's a very, very good question," the premier said before answering.
Campbell said he didn't recognize Vinning's voice, but there were technical difficulties during the show with the phones and with low volume levels from callers.
Vinning resigned this week as director of Asia-Pacific trade and economic development. He started the job on Monday.
The premier said he didn't ask for Vinning's resignation nor does he see the need to caution his political staff or Liberal party friends about making similar calls.
"As far as I know, this is an isolated incident," he said.
"I think people understand that was a mistake, and certainly Prem does."
Vinning wasn't available for comment on Thursday. He confirmed he was the caller earlier this week to a reporter with Public Eye Online, a website that describes itself as a journal covering British Columbia politics.
One man who has seen both sides of the political and talk-show circuits says the issue is "pretty small potatoes."
" Politics is a rough and tumble and pretty dirty game," said Vancouver radio talk show host Rafe Mair.
"On the scale of sins in politics, this ranks very very low."
Mair said planted political calls he describes as a "put-up job" are very common in the industry.
The longtime radio personality, a former B.C. cabinet minister in the Social Credit government, revealed his secret for cutting off such supporters' questions.
"You let the (phone) board fill up and then you cancel them all," he said. "Then start afresh and hope from there you got rid of the stackers."
Mair said he and his campaign manager did the same thing when he was running for office in 1975.
"The only calls that got through were friends of mine. That's politics. It's nothing you boast about, but it happens."
Campbell said he has no problem with his supporters calling in to such shows.
"I would certainly hope some of our supporters phone in, because certainly those who aren't supporters phone in," he said.
Mair said the matter will be quickly forgotten.
"Ask yourself how many people in British Columbia are going to go into that ballot box and say 'Oh, I can't vote for Gordon Campbell because of what Mr. Vinning did.' It just isn't that big an issue."