By HUBERT BEYER Gordon Hanson, the NDP MLA for Victoria, was crying the blues the other day. Nothing had gone right in the last year and a half, orso, he said. First there was May 5, the day Premier Bennett’s Social Credit troops stormed to their third victory; then there» was July. 7,°the memorable. day on. which’ the government dumped a drastic restraint budget and 26 bills on an unsuspecting legislature; and now Graham Lea had deserted the NDP fold. ~-It was time, Hanson. said; to take a break, have a holiday, lick the wounds and see what disaster would strike ~ next. “Well, 1 don’t. know what the deflated New Democrats are talking about to each other these days, but I’m amazed they haven’t caught on to the fact that Lea’s flight into the arms of free enterprise — the middle-of-the-road kind — might be the best thing that has happened to.them since the Socreds wiped out the provincial Liberals and Tories. If 1. were Bob Skelly, I would: give Lea all the en- - couragement and help I could in his efforts to establish a. ‘renewed foothold for a centrist party. If the New Democrats weren’t so preoccupied with their. . jilted-lover.complex, they. would Bet.c out their calculators. and spent a little time on basic math. They would suddenly remember that they won the 1972: ° election with less than 38 per cent of the popular vote, but lost that year with 45 per cent support from all ballots cast. ~The difference was that in 1972, the Tories and Liberals _ “pulled enough votes in: enough ridings to let the enough _ NDP. ‘candidates slide to victory. The parties wedged ideologically. between the Socreds and. the NDP. were. e the : "spoilers that propelled the NDP to victory. By 1975. Liberal and Tory. bases had beri eroded and i it ye was for all: intents and purposes" a one-on- -one e fight bet- . ween the Socreds andthe NDP. 2 ten i When’ the 1979. election tolled’ around; ‘B. C. had truly : ding. co gives. shim: a fair: chance of: winning asa Liberal, : and | that. won't be in Prince Rupert, a traditional NDP : tronghold. Lea. may well fail j in: his own aims ‘of setting himse! f and ‘a few others elected as ‘Liberals, but he certainly has — ~ enough political credibility to be a formidable drain: on _Socred support, especially in: ridings that have voted _ Socred simply because they didn’ t re sa NDP. and there was no other choice, .. As I said, I don’t. iknow why the NDP feels sO bad about Lea’ s defection. | ~-If-Lea makes half the- impres ssion on: ‘the | voters in the i “next general. ‘election that he made on political observers. . during ‘the NDP leadership. race, he’s bound to attract - support. And most. of that: support will probably come * from: British Columbia who can’t bring themselves to vote « for the NDF and have voted for the Socreds holding their pee ea “NDP. sipparters are more ‘loyal to their party: than - Socred supporters are to theirs because the NDP represents an. ideology, while Social Credit is: merely a common. “interest group, a coalition of people . whose common political denominator is free enterprise, © “Such a coalition falls apart: more saci than a party: _ which has. a fervent, ‘underlying. ideological belief, even if the party’s: polices” are sadly out of date, For that reason, ‘fig - Liberal support: would draw. more: from. the Socreds than : from the NDP... ‘One more: thing; Don’ tT eapest a ‘yerloue three: “way ‘fight at the: byelections ‘that.will be held sometime this: year, in. those. byelections,. he sald Ae contesting them,» Not that. the ‘Liberals: had. Sel hia: for advice, would, advi ise Against ‘good candidates, strengthen grass-roots “constituencies, fill'cofferge Inca nutshell, he would: build a strong’ Liberal base ‘ond i a enter the next. general election” as a credible. force, rather than waste money ‘and energies on a few byelections that a will come to soon for Bood preparation. efor ais a and boys. +19 ys. “ete “eComputers “@Photoqraphy Dev.’ » eSalling/ Boating: : . -eCamplires °° eDrama =e. Tn He “Arts og d Cratts: ssuimmlng dt A People Place? "DON'T MISS ALL THE FUN Brine Ao hora Come SW LVAN SONSHINE '84 AN Madd Eel Reed eS Bea Information and tebstration sei 852-1009. Phone: Grace Barritt . @ eArchary “eSports: “eMusic » ‘in childcare. went to Theresa Grant: received. a Bachelor yhen | asked Lea what he would advise the Liberals todo. : he . stressed. But if-he were.to plot Liberal: ‘strategy, he would a se the time between now and the next, election to seck out, f mpporty: ‘build | q APPLE SAUCES", UVic sraduates Ten Sidney students were among recent graduates from the . University. of Victoria.. One- of © them, Adele Hern, was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy degree in recent ceremonies. Noreen. Agnes. Anne Campbell and Roger. ¢ Simpson received Masters & of Arts degrees. " Robert) John Aslett, Wayne Lindsay Carmichael and Rolf. Petter Tonseth § received Bachelor of ff. Science degrees. : Bachelor of Arts degrees Viscount freezer with capacity light’ and shielded - safety: lock and key, Ann. Caiger and Patricia space. White, Gale Hool. Jean Katherine . of Social Work: degree and Colin Campbell. Robinson received a Bachelor of Laws degree. Brentwood Bay student Barbara. Carla Schofield was awarded a Bachelor of Arts. degree as was Saanichton’s: Wendy Joan Unfreed. wi your ae” purchase of. 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