January 15, 2003 Op-Ed fidam Honsinger OP Editor The recent impaired driving charge against BC Premier Gordon Campbell, which finance minis- ter Gary Collins called, “a human and very terri- ble mistake,” raises many provocative questions. Should government officials be accountable to the public in, their private lives? One can argue whether Campbell has been accountable profes- sionally, but Louise Knox, national president of the anti-drunk driving group Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) feels Campbell should step down until the issue is resolved. Impaired driving is the number one criminal cause of death in Canada. A terrible mistake indeed. Campbell, noted for the spearheading of the Liberal government's restraint agenda which has deeply cut public services and jobs, closing schools, hospitals, and reducing social services— has joined the ranks of Glen Clark, Bill Vander Zalm, Bill Bennett, Mike Harcourt and other BC Premiers who have been suspect of controversial behaviour. Karmically, while in opposition, Campbell was adamant in demanding the resigna- tion of NDP officials in light of any political con- troversy—a stance that I’m sure will haunt him in the next couple of weeks. At the early stage of this event, Campbell seems to have strong political support from his MLAs, as they play the pathos card relating how Campbell “has a strong sense of loyalty and duty and will feel that he has let people down.” It will be interesting to watch how Campbell’s crack damage-control © page 8 http://otherpress.douglas.bc.ca Should Campbell Step Down? Poison Control 101 team plays this one out with calculated responses designed to weather the storm. There is no debate as to whether drinking and driving is illegal and a serious and dangerous offence. Some say this infringement has no bear- ing on whether Campbell can perform his duties in office. What about highway safety, ICBC, or liquor licensing issues? How can Campbell com- ment with any integrity? This is definitely debat- able when one considers that Campbell’s infrac- tion was the result of a conscious decision, which reflects his integrity and character as a leader. Ask yourself, should he be in charge of a province if he doesn’t possess the judgment to govern his own personal life? Would you elect this man if the elec- tions were tomorrow? Drunk driving is unacceptable behaviour. Loved or hated, I don’t think anyone should drink and drive, and there is no denying that the repercus- sions of government official’s actions are ampli- fied—why shouldn't they be? These professionals should set an example. Granted, we are all human and are susceptible to one weakness or another, but drinking and driving is simply and non-debat- ably inexcusable. I think we should consider what Campbell’s stance on this would be if one of the opposition were charged. How can we trust an elected official who breaks such a serious law? Will Campbell survive this debauchery? Heavy rhetoric and the skill of his spin-doctors will play a signif- icant role. the other press Erin Culhane Opinions Editor I thought it was the flu. One moment I was sitting on the living room floor, tangled in ribbons and wrap, searching for the tape, and the next moment I was confined to the couch, unable to move for fear of, well, death. I contemplated my phobia of needles and cursed myself for not getting the flu shot. If only I had, I wouldn’t be in this position. I wouldn't be dying on the couch instead of wrapping Christmas presents. And then, as quickly as it came, it was over. The worst of it—the violent elimination of all bodily solids and fluids—lasted only about six hours. A new ultra-expeditious strand of flu? Well, that’s what I thought. Until my restaurant-owner friend told me, “You didn’t have the flu. You were food-poisoned.” Oh. Yuck. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, “Many cases of foodborne illness go unreported because their symptoms often resemble those of the flu. The most common symptoms of food- borne illness may include stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diar- rhea and fever.” Yep, that was me. I suppose that with all of the parties, open houses and get-to-geth- ers, this time of year is one of the worst for food poisoning. With guests coming and going over periods of several hours and food sit- ting out on tables waiting for the next visitors, it’s a recipe for a gastrointestinal disaster. Health Canada estimates that every year approximately two mil- lion Canadians suffer from illnesses caused by foodborne bacteria and about 30 of them die. “Control of this problem is made diffi- cult because bacteria may survive food processing, or foods may become contaminated during preparation, cooking and storage,” the website states. The Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education website states: “Although most individuals recover, foodborne ill- nesses can result in chronic health problems in 2 to 3 percent of cases. Illnesses such as chronic arthritis, and hemolytic uremic syn- drome (HUS) leading to kidney failure, have long-term conse- quences for the individuals affected and for society and the econo- my as a whole.” I spoke with Robin Gear, manager of environmental health sery- ices for Tricities and Ridge Meadows at the Simon Fraser Health Unit. She asked me how I knew I had food poisoning and I admit- ted that I thought it was the flu until a friend told me otherwise. I told her about my symptoms, including “I thought I was going to die.” She chuckled at that, saying, “That’s one of them.” Gear pointed to the high-stress season as a contributing factor to food poisoning. “This time of year people get run down, the immune system is lowered and they are more susceptible to bacter- ial loading.” Some foods, while not dangerous on their own, can become prone to bacteria when mixed with other foods. And then there’s the prob- lem of sneezing and general finger-to-nose contact, as Gear pointed out that 65 percent of people carry Staphylococcus in their noses. Eww. “This can get quite gross,” said Gear. She recognized that food poisoning is difficult to determine, but said, “If you are convinced it’s something you ate, give Simon Fraser Health a call and they will certainly go in a check it out,” adding, “To prove a case of food poisoning, we would need a sample of the food and a sample of vomit or stool.” She's right—this can certain- ly get gross. For house parties, it’s wise to put out small portions of appetizers and replace them with food kept in the fridge. Gear said it’s impor- tant to recognize the safety zone: “Food should be kept under four degrees or over 160 degrees if it’s perishable.” It shouldn't be left at room temperature for longer than two hours. Well, I’ve learned my lesson. No more diving into dip when I don’t know how long it’s been sitting. My New Year's resolution — Poison-free in 2003.