It’s hard to image that our provincial election is coming down the wire with the New Democrats trailing three points behind the BC Liberals as of this week. Looking around, you couldn’t even image or think that we are in the final weeks of election mode. For the most part, despite what the polls registrar this election campaign has been a sleeper. Sorry, how could I forget someone got their driving license suspended. Com’on is that the best its going to get? What happened to the good old days of BC politics where flamboyant personalities duked it out and the last one standing was presumed the winner.
You guessed it the ideology of “political correctness” in our democratic structure has shaped our minds and souls to the point where everyone’s existence is frozen. Is “political correctness” destroying our democracy in how candidates operate there campaigns? Our candidates afraid to make a decision or need to pick up a phone to speak with a advisor before speaking? Well, this campaign is demonstrating how, “political correctness” needs to be tossed out and replaced with candidates, who can spark a lively debate on the issues of importance. Politics is becoming to scripted and we have to get back to the ages of real conversation, if we are ever going to revive interest in our democratic process.
Let’s take a look at one of the most candid” “unpolitical correctness” moments in BC political history and how political battles were fought and won on the campaign trail. Premier WAC Bennett was speaking in Mission City, which was supposed to be the last leg of the long 1956 summer campaign. During the premier’s Social Credit address many of the uninvited CCF supporters gathered and heckled Bennett from inside and outside the hall. Bennett spoke for more than two hours and amplifiers carried his voice to the crowd unable to get into the hall. During his first half of his speech the premier’s smile was well in evidence as he jibed back at his hecklers. Bennett however, showed no fear of his hecklers, using humor and charisma to fight them. At one point he even called out, “ I just love hecklers.” When Bennett announced there would be no debt by 1962, a heckler cried out, “ You won’t be here in 1962.” To which, the premier shot back, “ I’ll be here in 82.” Later, another of the premier’s promises was met with the succinct insult, “ Oh, what a liar you are.” Hearing this, Bennett invited the heckler on stage, helping him up with his own hand. The man repeated the insult, but upon further questioning, admitted he was a supporter of the CCF. Another heckler suggested the bridge should have been built at Mission instead of Agassiz. Bennett replied, we must think of the rest of the province we’ll get to Mission later.
Bennett said efforts were made to get the Mission High School auditorium for the meeting, but it was not available, “ which shows that schools are not owned by the government and I am not a dictator.” At this point a voice was heard of baloney. The heckler was CCF candidate Grewall, who proceeded to enter the hall and began to seat himself on the stage, “ to the accomplishment of mixed cheers and catcalls.” The premier continued his speech, as many cried out to hear Grewall speak. Bennett said that the CCF and Liberals could rent their own hall if they wished to speak. At this moment Grewall leapt to his feet and spoke angrily (to the premier) and shook his finger in Bennett's face. When the excitement subsided hecklers heckled Bennett to speak about former forestry minister Sommers corruption case. Bennett stated that under Canadian law a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Bennett later claimed, he was hit in the arm during the scuffle and was escorted out of the Legion hall by the RCMP.
I spoke with former premier Dave Barrett in 2003, during a four part series; I did a few years ago. Barrett recalled hearing many incredible stories about Grewall, when he first arrived to Canada in 1957. Barrett said during the interview, “ He was icon, I didn’t think I had a chance of getting elected in his riding. He lost the election, but won the hearts of many.” When Barrett became premier in 1972, he was invited to the Sikh Temple in Vancouver and was presented with a ceremonial sword. As he received the sword, he told the audience, “ This isn’t for me, this is for Naranjan Grewall. He is our true hero.” Barrett and Grewall unfortunately never met, but he started his political career in Grewall’s former riding of Dewdney, when he first got elected to the BC legislature in 1960.
When Grewall was nominated as a candidate for the CCF party in the Dewdney riding in 1956, this drew excitement. But, according to Barrett, Grewall faced open discrimination on the campaign trail. “ The former mayor knew the risk he was taking and many people were surprised he took this risk to enter the race,” said Barrett.
Barrett said Grewall overcame many racial insults. “ Every kid in the North Fraser, who thinks he or she is being discriminated against, should read the Grewall story and the challenges he faced.”
Grewall, was later found dead in a Seattle motel room with a gunshot wound to the head in July of 1957. He was 47 years of age.
KenHerar@gmail.com
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