The NDP in April 1973 brought in the Agricultural Land Reserve which, despite the huge protests of the day, has never been repealed notwithstanding the fact that many Socred MLAs in the Bill Bennett government thought it should be abolished.

It’s also survived the right-wing Campbell government. It’s not surprising, then, that NDPers are very proud of their creation. Certainly NDP MLA Michael Sather is proud of it and has put his principles clearly before the NDP caucus saying he will vote against the ratification of the Tsawwassen treaty, recently concluded, where 200 hectares will be taken out of the ALR to be used as the band wishes. For his act of lese majeste Mr. Sather has been tossed out of caucus.

If an MLA can’t vote his conscience, especially on matters where he’s standing up for a personal and party principle, one has to conclude that electing MLAs – and MPs for that matter - is a waste of time and money. I include MPs because a few months ago Conservative MP John Cummins, a former commercial fisherman, was tossed of the Standing Committee on Fisheries for criticizing the governments new Fisheries Act. What’s the point of putting a man on a committee for his expertise and the moment he utilizes it, he’s fired?

The Sather case is an ill-disguised move by NDP leader Carole James to show tough leadership in the wake of her appalling leadership over the entire issue of the “Gateway Project.” Unwilling to offend natives or her supporters who support the Gateway project MS James opted to withdraw from the field of battle.

One can understand why a government backbencher would be censured for voting in such a way as to put his government in jeopardy but it’s very difficult to understand how an act of independence which does no harm except to embarrass the leader should call for the political version of capital punishment.