Plecas's strange speech to local politicians had a kernel of truth: people are losing faith in politicians

On Wednesday evening, B.C. Speaker Darryl Plecas's biggest sin might have been not reading the room. 

His 30-minute speech to the Lower Mainland Local Government Association went from talk of Harrison Hot Springs Resort to talk of B.C. politics over the span of 48 hours.

The quasi-endorsement of Hells Angels and Mafia leadership, along with a strange comparison of disingenuous consultation to sexual assault, were remarks that raised the most eyebrows. 

But before those controversial remarks, Plecas had already begun receiving blowback from delegates.

Why? He dared tell a room full of politicians — about 150 mayors and councillors in all, from Pemberton to Chilliwack — that the general public doesn't like them. 

"My point was there are people in political office who do damage to politicians overall. It's one of the reasons why the vast majority of Canadians in every single province disrespect politicians," said Plecas to CBC News the day after his speech.

"They do not like politicians. That's not my opinion. That's a matter of surveys." 

Rising tide against the establishment

Leaving aside the question of which surveys Plecas was referring to  — he didn't cite sources in his speech or the Power Point presentation that accompanied it — there's an element of truth to what he said. 

Across North America and Europe, the success of parties and referendums that seek to upset the established order have gained greater strength. 

Closer to home, only about 60 per cent of B.C. mayors seeking re-election last year were victorious, a record low this century. Local politicians who choose to retire (also a record high this century in last year's election) regularly say the anger of people on social media is a big reason why they're stepping aside. 

Rather than blame others, Plecas was asking his fellow politicians to engage in some introspection. 

"The main theme was to say politicians need to have a moral compass which guides everything that they do, and they need to be attentive to many things which seem to me to be consistently overlooked," he said in the same interview Thursday.

At least, that was supposed to be the theme. 

Rambling speech 

But in talking to local politicians in the aftermath of Plecas's speech — dozens were all too eager, off the record, to talk about it during all hours of the conference — there were two main reasons his speech didn't hit the mark. 

Just under half highlighted the fact local politicians are generally different than their provincial or federal counterparts: the vast majority do the work part time, there are few parties, and opposing councillors are rarely at each other's throats in the same way you see in provincial legislatures or the House of Commons — or at least try and hide it in public.

"Again, I know it's different at the municipal level," said Plecas, more than once after the heckling began, but only after 10 minutes where he made no real distinction between small-town mayors and national political parties. 

Just under half were more confused than anything else: politicians, like any group attending a professional conference, don't expect to be attacked in a keynote address. 

It's always a tightrope to attack the group of people you're speaking to, and if Plecas had a focused speech, he might have achieved what he hoped to accomplish. 

Instead, he deviated early and often from the notes on his Power Point presentation. And he did so in a halting tone, leaving those who weren't angry almost confused as to what he was trying to do. 

"I take responsibility for [the heckling]. The way I said it," admitted Plecas the day after. 

Around 10 per cent of delegates said Plecas' message, when pared down, should have been the real headline.

It's likely more than 10 per cent of the general public would agree.

But if you can't read the room you're in, your intended message rarely gets out of it.