The same person who advised Christy Clark to give Harry Bloy a major portfolio in her first cabinet must be the same person who told her that calling for TV coverage of court proceedings against drunken vandals and hooligans would be a good thing.
Clark's throne speech recommendation rings of talk-radio buffoonery.
She justifies the recommendation, which attorney general Shirley Bond has dutifully trotted off to try and secure, by saying "this breakdown in civil order requires that justice be done, and that it also be seen to be done." Pshaw. While allowing TV and radio coverage of court cases may be a potentially good thing, this move is a craven attempt to appeal to some sort of emotional need for public humiliation of the culprits. Culprits who, for the most part, probably will enjoy their second 15 minutes of fame.
If public humiliation is the goal, may we suggest stocks in the Robson Square? Perhaps a public caning?
If Clark was so moved by the need for justice to be seen to be done, we'd like to know why she didn't call for a review of the whole Basi-Virk political bribery corruption case when she became premier. The government approved paying $6 million in legal costs and never did answer what triggered the plea deal and why the government paid the pair's legal fees even though the duo had pleaded guilty. Justice was neither done, nor seen to be done in that case. But we don't recall any outrage in the government's offices over that one.
The problem with Clark's broadcast idea is not just that its motivation is to quench the public's thirst for revenge, but it also detracts from her other move - revising the Family Law Act - which might merit genuine support.
We think she underestimates the intelligence of voters who will realize that if the premier was serious about justice, she'd work on fixing the court system, and not creating more reality TV shows.
