Colin Anderson, Bruce Bell and Peter Massey
One of the stumbling blocks for the B.C. delegates to support Colin Anderson last
convention was his involvement with Bruce Bell and his signing the application suing the
Brave 66. Indeed, I felt the same. However, I want to examine the situation and talk about
Colin Anderson, Bruce Bell and Peter Massey. I don't know any of these three individuals
but I know of them and have seen what they've done. Indeed, actions speak louder than
words. I saw a recent e-mail that was signed a proud Bellite. To me that's like saying a
proud supporter of Clifford Olsen. Bruce Bell was bad. He betrayed the members and was
replaced.
However, that e-mail did raise many good points about how Bruce Bell's replacement has become just as bad as Bruce Bell. Perhaps that is what Master Stewart was worried about in granting the Brave 66's counter claim to Bruce Bells legal action against the delegates who had a non confidence vote in him at a Special Convention called to deal with the members lack of trust in the TWU leadership.
Instead of resigning and running again in a democratic
election Bruce Bell knew he would lose, he sued the 66 delegates plus
Don Stang who made the non confidence motion and applied for a restraining order
restraining them from participating in a democratic election later that week. I kid you
not. It was a bizarre application. Listening to the counsel for the Brave 66 made me proud
to be a Canadian.
The female counsel argued that Bell was resorting to a Corporate trick to avoid running in a democratic election. The judge at that point frowned at Bell and Bruce had that same dumb look on his face he did when Vancouver gave Lila Hacket a standing ovation when she read her minority report at the Vancouver Ratification meeting. It was priceless.
Master Stewart said a hundred people can sit in a room and vote on anything they want. They can vote on tomorrow's weather if they want. It looked like he was going to deny Bell's application only he flipped at the final moment and granted the bizarre application. In explaining his reasons for judgement he cited a time in American history when a similar political tension existed between two political parties which resulted in years of civil war. As absurd as Bell's application for lost wages for suffering a non confidence vote before his term was up, Master Stewart was worried about giving too much power to the other party when nature would take it's course the following year when Bruce Bell's office would come up for re election.
Actually there were three political parties. LL Cool J's party involving Lori Ruggles and Lila Hacket as well as George Doubt's party. Since Bruce Bell had sold out the members after drinking Buzz Hargrove's poison kool aid LL Cool J's group joined George Doubt's group to get rid of Bruce Bell. In all honestly, they would have voted for anyone including a trained monkey just to get rid of Bruce Bell. Unfortunately, George Doubt turned out to be a Senator Palpatine in disguise and used the Bruce Bell disaster as an opportunity to seize power. Once he got that power he turned on Lila Hacket after using her to get elected and became Darth Sideous.
Things went downhill fast after that. The Doubters turned into DICtators. They sued and harassed everyone who would not support their financial junkets. The caucus split after they trashed Lila and it split again after Lori left. Now only the Doubters are left and they are just as zealous to seize power as Bell was when he got cozy with Buzz Hargrove.
In Collins defense I will clarify that Bruce was from B.C. and came recommended. Colin was from Alberta and didn't really know Bruce. He was from a different union that joined the TWU. Turns out that even Bruce's right hand man, Peter Massey, didn't even know Bruce. Bruce came out with some powerful statements when the lockout began. He said "Job security is the hill to die on" and "No one goes back until we all go back." Buzz Hargrove was the villain who changed that tune.
When Buzz Hargrove got involved in negotiations we all thought he would help save the day and get job security on paper. In reality that was the first concession he made. He told Bruce contracting out was a given and proposed a quick fix with the sole intent of having the CAW take over the TWU for another dues grab. It was an evil betrayal.
I remember reading one set of affidavits where Bruce and Buzz's secret meetings with Darren Entwistle were discussed. The union gets bent all out of shape when it's representatives meet with management in private. Personally I don't have a problem with it as long as they are zealous in private advocating for the members. Bruce and Hargrove's secret meetings with Darren were dirty deeds done cheap and I really don't think even Peter Massey knew what was going on.
A conversation was quoted in one of the affidavits when Peter Massey was asked at the David Emerson fundraising dinner where Bruce was. Peter said he didn't know. They asked him if Bruce was meeting with Darren in secret and Peter said "I sure hope not." I really don't think Peter knew all that Bruce was up to.
I met Peter Massey once. I saw him at the Vancouver courthouse when Bruce was suing the Brave 66. I had a suit and tie on and was organizing a dozen papers in triplicate since several members sent me E-mail supporting the actions of the Brave 66. Peter looked humble and nervous. He looked at me and causally asked which side I was on. I smiled and said I'm sorry, I'm with the defendants. He had that look like he felt a little sick and his eyes said, "Oh shit." I couldn't help but have compassion on him. I felt like he was a good guy who was getting sucked under by Bruce. I got the feeling that his biggest crime was that of being a bit of a BSer but I really didn't get the feeling he was a vindictive malicious Shelagh White.
So here's my point, if Bruce's right hand man in Vancouver didn't know all that Bruce was up too, certainly Colin didn't over in Alberta. They had them all over for a barbecue at their place. It was honest enough. Bruce came recommended. No one really knew the depth of the betrayal. Turns out it went so far as turning down a special mediator when the members marched on the CLRB demanding one be appointed. We can thank Buzz Hargrove for that.
I don't like the term Bellite. Bell was bad. Keeping his name is a bad memory. It's time to move forward. Don't call yourselves Bellites any more. Call yourselves Anderson's. They are good. I met Patty on the line in Calgary along with her friend BJ. Together they were known as the twisted sisters. The were solid noble front line activists. They were the ones that told me about the atrocities happening at the slaughterhouse in Brooks. They genuinely cared about the labour movement.
I was surprised to hear they didn't support the recall motion. I thought the Calgary motion was unanimous. I smiled and asked them what they thought and to my surprise they said they didn't like the way it was being done. The constitution had a recall provision already in place. The delegates didn't have two thirds for the recall so they are trying to circumvent the constitution. That is why they supported the legal action. They saw it as defending the constitution. I believe they were genuine not malicious. I can't say the same about the others.
I trashed Colin when he ran for the NDP in Calgary. I didn't think someone who would sue the members should be running for anything in the labour movement. He asked someone to ask me to take my posts about him down and I said he could kiss my ass. If people are allowed to speak for his candidacy, I'm allowed to speak against it. That was the end of it. Unlike John Carpenter and George Doubt he didn't threaten to sue me for expressing my opinion. That says a lot.
Come on dear brothers and sisters, since the war is past, for friends at first are friends again at last.
It's time to move forward. There is no Doubt. The Bellites are dead. Long live the Anderson's!
Dennis Watson aka Finian
