British Columbia is the only Canadian jurisdiction that has recall legislation on its books. Since it was introduced by the NDP government of Premier Harcourt in the mid-90s, recall action has been initiated eleven times with one success, that of Parksville-Qualicum MLA Paul Reitsma. Then, in late January after a sixty-day campaign, organizers in the riding of Delta South were successful in garnering the required number of signatures to take to Victoria to begin the recall process of sitting MLA Val Roddick. Roddick is a member of the governing Liberals of Premier Gordon Campbell and is but one of seventy-seven Liberals in the seventy-nine-seat House. If the signature-validation process proves successful, then Roddick has no option but to step aside and a by-election will be called. Ms. Roddick can throw her hat into the ring and have another crack at winning the riding she won so handily in 2001.
The reason recall was put to the people in Delta South is because the Liberal government has been forced into a series of cutbacks and downsizings in order to get a handle on the spendthrift actions of the previous NDP government. [BC is now a have-not province.] One of the areas most affected is in Delta South where the Delta Hospital is located. The hospital has been affected and cries of betrayal were heard throughout the riding. The citizens vented their anger on their MLA, Val Roddick. A campaign to save the Delta Hospital was begun and soon after, a local physician put up a hefty sum to fund the recall campaign. Roddick claimed that she was working diligently on her constituents' behalf but her pleas for understanding fell on deaf ears. Now, she waits as Elections BC decide whether or not the more than twelve thousand signatures collected on the recall petition are legitimate.
Since the recall initiative heated up in Delta South, the local newspapers have been filled with letters from residents who have voiced their opinions on the merits of recall, on whether or not it was a 'home-grown' idea and, should the process be successful, who will pay for the by-election. Of course, the taxpayers will pay for the by-election as in any other by-election but there are some in Delta South who claim that the cost of the by-election ought to be borne by those who foisted the recall exercise on the riding. Now, to some facts about recall legislation.
First, recall legislation is not a 'home grown' act. The BC version came into being on 24 February 1995. The Recall and Initiative Act originated as SBC 1994, chapter 56 effective 24 February 1995. It was introduced by then Attorney General Colin Gabelmann, a member of Premier Michael Harcourt's NDP government. The Elections Statutes Amendment Act, Bill 59, sections 13-20 amended it; and it received third reading in 2002. It did not, as mentioned by one reader, spring to life at the call of Gordon Campbell when he was Leader of the opposition in the mid-90s.
Second, recall legislation has been around for hundreds of years. Records suggest that the modern version first saw the light of day in Switzerland about 1830. There and then local cantons used the legislation to have direct legislative control. The Swiss, however, stole the idea from the Greeks who used 'Initiative Referendum and Recall' legislation to correct 'deficiencies' in their city-states a rather long time ago. [An interesting sidebar to this is that the Swiss, who have one of the lowest inflation rates in the world, have used this initiative to keep taxes low. It is generally agreed that Switzerland is one of the most stable countries in the world and has far fewer social problems than several other countries. Also interesting, is that Switzerland is not a member of the United Nations.] The system was introduced in Italy, Austria and several US states. Australia has looked at it but to date has not adopted 'Initiative Referendum.'
Third, in the USA, the Founding Fathers considered initiative and referendum processes as a necessary check and balance against government abuse. Beginning back in the 1600s, many state constitutions contain such legislation, clearly indicating that the then-British subjects were not at all happy with White Hall. In British Columbia, as recently as March 2001, then-Premier Uijal Dosanjh said, "Referendums are divisive. Referendums pit people against people." He uttered those words at the First Nation's Summit. Was Dosanjh correct or not?
Fourth, it would appear that the initiative and referendum process has worked as a democratic process in other jurisdictions. In the United States, such processes have been used to stop trapping and hunting, often successfully. Unfortunately, some of the possible good of IR&R has been waylaid by wealthy individuals and organisations that have the power to direct the process to their own ends. Often facts are mislaid and emotional arguments win the day. Did that happen in Delta South, one wonders?
Fifth, while recall has been front and centre locally, it is but one item in the Initiative, Referendum and Recall legislation. Most readers will be familiar with 'Initiative 13' in California some years ago. There, the taxpayers were upset at the spendthrift actions of their governments. Initiative 13 was a proposal put to the voters to severely limit the ability of legislators to increase taxes. The upshot was that the counties were short of funds to support important community services. Government services - including police and fire departments - were curtailed and the people suffered. Initiative is not always the answer.
Finally, as the electorate in Delta South sit and wait for Elections BC to say yea or nay to the recent "Recall Roddick" campaign's success, perhaps it is time to reflect on the ramifications of Initiative, Referendum and Recall legislation. Is it democracy in action as has been suggested by some? Or, it is a means to an end used by certain, powerful forces intent on circumventing the wishes of the electorate as a whole? As with so many well-intentioned ideas, dangers lurk beneath the surface. The caveat ' Buyer Beware' seems apropos to IR&R legislation. One thing appears certain, the sixty-day recall campaign pitted resident against resident.
Bob Orrick is a private tutor of English grammar, literature, poetry and Canadian history to off-shore youngsters. His pupils hail from such places as Taiwan, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea and Venezuela. He was previously in international marketing, was a ministerial assistant to a provincial cabinet minister, spent a few years as a reporter then editor of a community newspaper and enjoyed a career in the Royal Canadian Navy.
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