IT WAS too pleasant an afternoon to consider mortality, but it was 2 logical response to David Mitchell’s assessment of the pressures of public office. We sat in the sunshine os the patio of the Hollyburn Country Club, surveying the downtown skyline. He had just come from the first meeting of the all-party legislature conmmittee assigned to handle the directives of last fall’s plebiscites: the voters’ overwhelming demand for powers of local initiative, and the ability to recall elected of- . ficials.. No one is in a hurry with this ore. Mitchell is amused by his comunittee colleagues from the = New Democratic Party. Before the plebiscite, their lead- . ex Mike Harcourt was the first to 3 “declare, “1 intend to vote * yes’ to both questions.”” Hinis dropped by Mitchell and others indicate that this topic may be studied for a millennium before “any law passes. . ‘ of obec th - politicians as a junior in the ’ Saskatchewsn fegislature, as the “ author of successful books about “W.A.C, Bennett and BE Vander \ Zatn, and as media commentator, his greatest leszon since achieving lected office has been the worklosd. ; 46 was surprised, andl shouldn't have been; I hate to geimit it, but this job is a lot harder than it fooks,”’ he said. . After he finished describing the rigess of office, I asked him why, in the face of such pressure, pro- Gary Bannerman OPEN LINES minent politicians seemed to live forever. I cited a long list of famous names who lived well into their °70s, 80s and even 90s — peopie who had been notorious for round-the-clock work and party- ‘ing in their younger days. I went further. Why —- if the job is so demanding — do we never hear of cabinet ministers dropping with heart attacks, strokes or incurable disease? We hear these sad stories about 50- year-old men in just about every other profession. The 38-year-old Mitchell, slip- ping back into his former role as an analyst, protested: “‘I don’t think it’s because of a healthy lifestyle!”’ He cited a litany of problems: high divorce rates, sleep depriva- tion, tension, insecurity, poor wages and constant worry. I let him ramble. He paused to reflect some more, finally con- cluding: “Actually, it is more like a sickness... one that goes on forev- er.” We sensed, this pleasant after- noon, that the second most pro- minent resident of the opposition benches was permitting himself a rare indulgence: an aimless, me- andering conversation free of deadlines or potential land mines. No one was waiting to pounce upon the slightest innuendo that he might be trying tc upstage his leader, Gordon Wilson. He says he still enjoys the occa- sional conversation with former premier Bil} Beaneti. Describing his decision to seek election, Mit- chell said he told Bennett: ‘‘The ~ ‘bus was going by and I got on.”” There has never been an “‘Of- ficial Opposition” as inexperi- enced as this Liberal caucus any- where in Canada, with the excep- tion of the current group of right-wing kooks in New Brunswick. Mitchell, despite never having _ served a day in elected office be- fore last fall, is their resident “pro.” He is house leader, den mother and dean of the caucus. Mitchell described four dimen- North: -Vascoever ‘City Covcit: Monday,: Aug. 24; .7:30 p.m.: “Commuiaity use of:. schools: ‘report/246: East St. Heritage des- ignation/Collector car. auction/ Enhancement of .the Municipal Role vin” Affordable. Housing wis Vitecves ‘Diotics ‘Council: Monday, Aug.. 24, 8:45. p.m.: Noise. regulation bylaw/Economic Twinaing report/North Vancouver: task. force.on ‘community use “of schools/i.ynn Canyon Safety Task Force report. West Vancouver District ‘Couzell: Next meeting Monday Sept. 14. DEVELOPMENT PERMITS North Vancouver City Council: Appiication for 653 East 5th St./ 2289 Alden Lane (Noort). Sign Permit application for 1715 Lons- ’ dale Ave. North Vancouver District: Ap- - plication for 1882 Marine Drive, 120 Charles St; proposed © sub- division’ for Seycove Marina; 8th Annual “ cle Trek for Li rie & Breath Call the B.C. Ling Association 1-800-665-LUNG or 731-4961, moorage favility for Indian Arm. All agenda items are restricted by space. For a complete listing of West Vancouver agenda items, call 922-1211 after business hours for recorded information. A com- prehensive agenda is also available at the West Vancouver public library. Comprehensive agendas for North Vancouver City and District are posted at the respec- tive halls and are also available at the public libraries. Sunday, August 23, 1992 - North Shore News - ® Politicking is ‘a sickness that goes on forever’ sions of an MLA’s work: legislator, critic, constituency rep- resentative, and the party. “I feel very good in the house,’’ he said. Debate and the execution of bills is rewarding and useful. “‘One day, I think people will regard me as a house man.”’ The role of critic, assessing and correcting government, is “stimulating,’’ he said, although he is disappointed by the press and professional observers who seem to want the Liberals to become the kind of oppcsition that was run by the NDP. “The public decided to change both the government and the op- position in the last election.*’ He interpreted this to mean that there should be a new style of op- position. “Poor opposition encouraged poor government — there is a huge appetite for change.”’ Constituency work, Mitchell said, is ‘very satisfying, helping people with hundreds of specific problems,”” He then described the glorious diversity of West Vancouver~ Garibaldi, from the afflacnce of the urban area to the excitement of Whistler, from the charm of Bowen and the neighboring istands to the native concerns of remote Pemberton. . “I know every MLA likes to talk about his constituency, but this is a titemendsus riding.’* . The most frustrating part of the job is the party ork, trying to forge a solid team and to define common goals. “That's the guts of what being a politician is all about,’’ he said. He candidly admits that his party had made many amateur mistakes. The teething pains have been embarrassing on occasion, “but we are getting better every day.”’ David Mitchell is Ao. more unique as a politician than he has been as a political writer, profes- sional historian or business execu- tive. He followed no traditional. paths. Polis masters degree is in history. He studied at the Banff School of .. Advanced Management. His last professional position was as vice-president, export marketing and genera! “anager, industrial realations, for Westar Timber. He runs in marathons. He is married with two daugh- ters. His office resume announces that his favorite book read this year is How to Father a Successful Daughter. He had hoped to be able to parailel his political career with some writing, teaching and con- . sulting. : “But there is no time. It is just . about impossible in politics today to do anything else,’’ Mitchell . said, somewhat wistfully. |. As we parted that recent after- noon, the MLA eager to catch the - news headlines on his jeep radio, we wondered where this im-' .. pressive newcomer might be a de- cade from now. Some speculate that he might be premier. oy: If so, somewhere along the line, “ David Mitchell would have — discovered a political gift: passion. ; DOMINION: