The Globe and Mail presented an editorial this week that appears to be written by a confounded ideologue seconded from a Toronto high school paper. It really is the most appalling example of careless ignorance and misunderstanding. Coming from a source styled as Canada’s national newspaper, the blurb demonstrates mainstream media decline has gone almost as far as it can go.

“The appointment of Gordon Campbell, the former premier of British Columbia, as a member of the Order of British Columbia is well deserved, though it comes at a time when his popularity is at a low ebb. In his 10 years as the first minister of B.C., he did much to restore the province’s governance and prosperity, after an era of economic and political volatility…

“While providing balanced budgets and tax relief, Mr. Campbell demonstrated his serious, practical concern with the environment, aboriginal affairs and public transit, and with infrastructure generally…

…His honour is fully justified.”

A quick scan of 137 reader comments showed about 95% disagree with the G&M editorial, some in unmannered fashion. Of course, I had to leave my own words among the comments. Here they are:

This is a shameful editorial for a newspaper that considers itself an important national publication, not a partisan organ of a regional political party.

You imply that honesty and integrity count for nothing. Restoring the province’s governance, you say? Well, he did promise the most open, accountable and democratic government in Canada. Trouble is, he delivered quite the opposite. He promised much else too but little resulted in benefit to citizens of the province. Vested interests yes, ordinary citizens no.

You claim that Campbell delivered balanced budgets but you don’t account for BC Hydro’s $44 billion in deferred liabilities to private power producers, a number that grew by $26 billion in Hydro’s last fiscal year alone.

He promised workable initiative legislation, workable recall legislation, promised citizens and MLAs a better voice in government, promised MLAs a role in policy development, promised free votes in the legislature, etc. The reality is that Gordon Campbell learned he could promise anything at election time and do the opposite afterwards.

The Globe and Mail, like its competitors in mainstream media, failed to objectively examine the work of Campbell’s government or to hold it to account for wrongdoing. That failure has led to shoddy and dishonest goverment, not governance restored as you pretend.

For those that want a longer list of Campbell’s failures, examine his starting platform. The article linked here provides indisputable evidence:We can work, but we won’t