Premier’s Press Secretary Bridgitte Anderson Lands at Prestigious Crofton House School
Bridgitte Anderson, Premier Gordon Campbell’s shadow for the last many years has landed at top-ranked Crofton House School.
In a release sent late yesterday by well-respected educator and Crofton Head, Dr. Patricia Dawson, Ms. Anderson is introduced as the new Director of Marketing and Communications.
This is a sure sign that the Premier is on his way out. Ms. Anderson was a constant companion as Press Secretary and played a key role in shielding him from the onslaught of criticism particularly through the last year. There was no one better at it and her skills will be missed.
That leaves long-time Campbell loyalist Lara Dauphnee in the Office of the Premier, as his longest serving staff member, having been there from the beginning of the Premier’s tenure.
Below, the release from Crofton House.
From the Head of School
I am very pleased to announce that Bridgitte Anderson has joined Crofton House School as our new Director of Marketing and Communications. Bridgitte is a former journalist, and has 20 years of experience in media, locally and nationally.
Most recently, Bridgitte was the Press Secretary to the Premier where she was a key advisor to the Premier on communications issues and worked closely with media across the country.
She is passionate about education and is the mother of two children, a daughter who is entering grade four in September and a son who is entering grade two.
Please join me in welcoming Bridgitte Anderson to Crofton House School.
Best regards,
Pat Dawson
Wow, that’s quite a catch for the school.
Does this mean that we can look forward to seeing front and side head shots of an ‘over-reshfreshed and emotional’ Headmistress, in the very near future?
Shurely, not too much lime cordial!?
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I’m not sure what she’ll do but I wish her luck.
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Now that is interesting. Hmmm. I think Ms. Dauphinee has worked for the Premier since his time as Leader of the Opposition.
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That’s correct, I was simply referencing the time he’s been Premier. Appreciate your perspective, always great having you come by.
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Wow.
Yep he is on his way down.
I wish I could enjoy it but at this point I just feel embarrassed for him.
All that said good on Ms. Anderson and her new appointment.
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Agreed. I don’t know how easy it would be to work for Gordon Campbell. Particularly at this point. Smart move on her part.
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So any bets on Ms. Dauphnee following Mr. Campbell to whatever his next post will be?
And no, I’m not implying ANYTHING with that sentence. I’ll leave that type of conjecture to the rather nefarious crowd that you’ve banned more than once from your site.
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If I were a betting man, I’d bet pretty heavily she’ll be working under him again.
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My sources say she likes to stay on top of things.
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Lara’s been very giving of her time to the Premier…
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I didn’t know that- I’ve heard very vague rumours
Didn’t Wilson lose because of Tyabji (spelling?)
…just looked it up, those two are legal now.
And really what a bunch of nonsense. I personally welcome the day when people could care less about other peoples bedtime activities. Gosh forbid we just get someone that can run a province. I doubt Wilson could have done worse.
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If we’re paying for the Premier’s girlfriend to be employed with tax dollars, I have a problem with that. If she’s qualified and there’s no relationship, great.
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“If we’re paying for the Premier’s girlfriend to be employed with tax dollars,”
Good point, agreed. In fact that would justifiably really piss a lot of people off.
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Of course it would. But why isn’t the MSM media asking? If they let me into a media scrum in Victoria, I’d happily ask. It’s important.
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maybe that’s why?
I think A LOT more people are going directly to the source for news (journalist blogs) because its the last place to get an OPINION.
The msm is full of content cut and paste from whomever emailed to them (MLS / Desk of G.C., etc) but it is getting more rare that anyone weighs into the content.
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I am starting to really like what Global is doing. It’s reminding me of the Cameron Bell days, which, frankly, defined journalism in this province. He did for BCTV what Haysom (Who is now at Global/BCTV) did for the Sun (and then under Patricia Graham/Kirk LaPointe/ Dennis Skulsky, it died!). But I agree with you, generally speaking the MSM no longer do the heavy lifting.
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: … I’d bet pretty heavily she’ll be working under him again.”
Passionate for that position she is.
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Indeed.
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I always cringed at the sight of Ms. Anderson dutifully shadowing Dear Leader to tape his every encounter with her former press colleagues. After all, as a journalist, she had been such an assertive irritant that, as I recall, Gordo patronizingly referred to her as “Bridgitte baby.”
It was a sad day when she traded honest journalism for lucrative flackery of the very person who had dissed her. Guess it was a sign of the times as ensuing years have seen the Public Affairs Bureau grow like topsy as reporters seek job security by drawing a government paycheque.
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Crofton House – prestigious? Well okay, but only if you find a nest of feminist vipers something to be looked up to; of course it’s right around the corner from the abortion clinic – talk about philosophic propinquity!
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Larry, as a Crofton House School parent, and a proud one, I can tell you that the environment is conducive to raising a well-educated young woman with a social conscience and a kind heart. As you know, I am a graduate of St. George’s and in MANY way CHS easily eclipses Saints–although they are both considered top schools in the province. I won’t get into it, but suffice to say, with a new Headmaster at Saints this year, hopefully things will improve. But, Crofton is a superb learning institution lead by very, very good educators.
I have no idea why you would raise the abortion issue. Sigh… If it’s near a clinic, so what? There are abortion clinics all sorts of places, throughout the city. That’s a rather ridiculous addition to your comment.
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Crofton House School is also conducive to educating young girls on their inalienable rights of doing just whatever it is that makes them most happy without any sense of moral outrage that those “rights” might not be conducive to the happiness of future offspring.
You have the right to assume that the “bloom is off the rose” at your sister’s school, because of the religious beliefs taught there, and I have the right to associate the liberality of schools like Crofton with modern (sigh) secular ethics as opposed to (Christian) morals.
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For one of my most well-read and astute readers, you’ve certainly allowed your emotions to trump logic on this one.
1) Your assumptions on CHS are, surprisingly, completely off base. Nothing you’ve written about the school even comes close to reality. If liberating women to believe in themselves through top drawer education is a crime, then add me to the list of criminals. I think a good education is the cornerstone to keeping children away, as much as possible, from the ills that plague society. I want both my daughters to enjoy their time at the school. It’s a great place to learn and grow.
2) The “rights of future offspring”?? What on God’s green orb are you talking about? I know many alumnae from CHS. And they are WONDERFUL mothers.
3) I never thought the bloom was off the rose at Little Flower because of religious beliefs. I thought they completely mishandled the termination of a woman who was lesbian. Last I checked God created her too. I’m not going to rehash it, nor am I at all pleased that we’ve veered off into a meritless tangent. Little Flower is a good school too, but they mishandled the termination of that teacher because some parents went to the administration and bitched about the teacher being gay. In addition, some manufactured stories about what she did; stories that have now been proven completely false.
4) Because Crofton House does not embrace one religion over another, doesn’t make them secular. In fact, they have a very strong code of ethics. Stronger than St. George’s (their code hasn’t been enforced in over a decade), a school that is supposed to be born out of the bedrock of the great Church of England.
5) Show me the Christian moral that says you get to judge without a stitch of empirical evidence?
I trust you’re enjoying the sun.
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I am a student of CHS. I’ve been at the school for four years. Our school may not be christian, but that allows us to meet new people and have open minds. In the workforce, we wont meet people that are only our religion, so we need to learn to work with everyone. In my grade alone, there are probably close to 30-some odd Jewish girls, at least one Bahai, and many many others. On the topic of abortion, It’s a clinic. A clinic that happens to be on Granville street, and many blocks away from our ivy walls.
We’re normal teenagers. Just because we wear the Gordon tartan to school doesn’t make us any different.
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Dear Lily:
As a Crofton parent, let me say how proud I would if my daughters graduated from CHS and were as kind, compassionate and level-headed as you.
Bless you.
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Alex:
As per your comment of August 13th, 2010 at 5:40 p.m., I cannot help but notice that you are getting very “frisky”.
I like it!
But do you really think that the Premier will go any time soon and more importantly, that he will go willingly given that he knows that if he does so, he may accelerate the process whereby he could face criminal charges over his involvement in “Railgate”?
Moreover, do you really think that there is anyone in his caucus of “trained seals” who have the will and strategic cunning necessary to lead a coup d’état?
And finally, do you really think that any of them have the courage to take on Coleman…the Premier’s Beria and the idiotic “Puppet” master behind Railgate…who may be also facing criminal charges?
If I were a betting man, I would think not.
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To answer your questions (in order):
1) I think he needs to go soon because as the most recent polling shows, he is now not just killing the party, he is rapidly lowering the chances of any new credible leader, like Carole Taylor or Dianne Watts, from stepping in and saving us from the NDP.
2) I have no idea what he could face as a result of the Basi-Virk trial, but I do know that based on the political information available, he should be made to take the stand and answer some very specific questions. His best pals bookended this deal. On appearance, that stinks to high Heaven.
3) A coup d’ etat? Yes, absolutely. I think any of Ian Black, Bill Bennett, Kevin Falcon, Gordon Hogg, John Les, George Abbott or John Rustad could do it. They’re all smart enough and good guys (regardless of one indiscretion or another–that happens to everyone in govt). But you’d need more than one to bolt and sit as an independent.
4) I don’t know anything about Coleman being the Premier’s anything. He’s made some good decisions (on social housing) and some idiotic pronouncements on mental health (suggesting luxury towers on property adjacent to Riverview, instead of reopening the facility and FULLY funding it).
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In response to your observations (in order):
1. Strongly agree!
2. Try obstruction of justice as a starter.
3. Let’s commiserate together in a year…
4. Follow the trial and you will see.
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Ok. will do…
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Canadians and, in particular, British Columbians disgust me with their blasee dismissal of the credible allegations about Gordon Campbell and Lara Dauphinee.
You see, there is this rumour that Gordon and Lara are boyfriend and girlfriend and that, by itself, is OK. Gordon and Lara are entitled to their privacy.
It is none of my business what they do in private.
And, it is OK too, if Gordon, our Premier, is cheating on his wife.
Again, it is none of my business.
But, it becomes my business when Gordon Campbell, our Premier, hires his girlfriend at a salary of $150,000, of taxpayers money, and that girlfriend works in the Premiers office because I am a taxpayer, that is my money and your money, and both he and she work for you and me.
What goes on in the Premier’s office is not private business. It is public business and the taxpayer have every right how and why their money is spent and if there are hidden benefits for the Premier or his girlfriend.
Campbell and Dauphinee have chosen to be public servants.
What they do or don’t do in the Bedroom or their home is a private matter but what they do in the Stateroom is a public matter.
Everyone in this province has a right to know if the Premier, a public servant, is using public funds to pay a salary to his girlfriend and, if so, what benefits does he get and what do we get for the money.
There is a “perceived conflict of interest” in direct contravention of the Members Conflict of Interest Act and I asked Paul Fraser to investigate it but he is a pal of Campbell’s and he declined saying my allegation was based on unsubstantiated rumour.
Well, I don’t follow spy on Campbell and Dauphinee so I really don”t know what the truth is their relationship and by e-mail I have asked Cmapbell to clarify what he is the truth and he declines to answer
A few years back I spoke to a gal at CBC and she acknowledged the media was aware of the relationship and other media people privately confirm it.
So, it appears the British Columbia media certainly knows about the relationship and they have played along for about ten yers now and they should be ashamed of themselves – professionally – because they are a disgrace to their profession for covering up – if it is true.
BTW your readers may wish to look at our web site
http://www.waterwarcrimes.com
It is a completely different subject but it does a pretty good job documenting what has gone on and what is going on in relation to the developing plans to export fresh water to the USA – a project I personally support, although I don’t necessarily agree with the way our leaders are doing it because they won’t tell us what they are actually doing.
It looks like it is a done deal.
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Hi John:
Thx very much for stopping by. I have been to your site several times, and while I agree with your premise, the conspiracy of the dying judges etc., makes no sense.
I appreciate you coming here. Take care.
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Ok Ok its a big deal – I hadn’t thought of the fact she was getting a salary – it definitely changes things – I agree. This is news to me previously I just heard he was cheating on his wife.
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What his relationship is with anyone, including his wife, is his own business. But if the taxpayer is paying for his, er, down time, for lack of a better phrase, then I have a huge problem with that.
The act itself is nowhere as unethical as having you and me pay for it.
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I must say I agree with John Carten, up to a point. I say it is my business that the Premier of my province is cheating on his wife. A man who will cheat on his wife, cheats also on his children and is very likely to cheat on the electorate. When it becomes public knowledge, and he is in a position of respect and the public eye, the electorate should care about the moral fiber of their leaders. Those who don’t, deserve what they get, the rest of us don’t. Those who have no problem with that kind of conduct may vote for their candidate, those of us who don’t approve have the right to know of the situation. This is not judgementalism, it is voting your conscience.
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A very principled comment.
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Okay Alex, I admit I may be slightly over-the-top on Crofton, but the impression I get from many “successful” women that come out of these secular academies for women only, is that they are taught that their success is all important and there is nothing, whatsoever, that should stand in the way of their achieving same. They are taught to be loud and brassy and insistent on this. They are taught that traditional marriage is no longer necessarily advisable and may be in fact, a hindrance to their personal desires. It calls to mind the anomaly of the gold ring in the pig’s nose. Gloria Steinem slept her way to success, these just trample everyone and everything standing in their way. These are not the woman men are seeking, it was their vulnerability and their kindness that was really so attractive, and they are losing this, and will not find happiness in the end. Happiness and success in one’s career are not necessarily, synonymous.
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My dear Sir Lawrence…I would venture to guess that Gloria Steinem ain’t the poster girl for anyone coming out of Crofton House. Trust me. Dartboard, maybe; poster girl, I doubt it very much.
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Hey Alex,
We seemed to have morphed slightly into a Campbell/Dauphinee discussion so…..
A different perspective on why “cheating” matters.
If a man or woman divorces his wife or husband – its usually net bad for everybody – kids, the adults involved and often it has societal impact – in fact I believe it ALWAYS has negative societal impact. Yes, yes I know there are clear circumstances where divorce is arguably the RIGHT option, but definitely not “more” often than not. I’m sure we can spar on what I just wrote for days….:)
While someone getting a divorce is one thing – cheating on your husband/wife is an entirely different matter. its a MONSTER character issue – its an issue that makes the person COMPLETELY UNFIT to hold positions of leadership.
If Gordon Campbell is cheating on his wife (and I don’t care with who) – the wife that he made vows too – that he has children with – if he is essentially LYING to his wife – imagine what he is doing to us – the stupid public that he has contempt for.
I wonder what would Paul Fraser would do if someone presented a full file on Gordon Campbell and Dauphinee that was researched clearly and investigated at a detective level. It (if it really is true – which is not 100% clear at this point) would HAVE to be investigated – would’nt it?, and if not, then in the least it could be released.
Cheating is a CHARACTER issue that makes you unfit to lead. It DOES matter what the premier does in his private life if what he does impacts the way he governs. You CANNOT just cheat in one thing….it’s a disease that infects the whole person.
Yeah – I’m not perfect nor am I particularly good – but that does not mean I can’t call an issue when I see it.
JB
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Fair enough. I’ve been a cheater in the past and I know what it’s like. For a fling, you end up looking in the mirror and asking yourself why you would disrespect both the woman who you are in a relationship with and the one whom you used–it’s quite unfair to both. The bigger question is of yourself. It’s really a self-loathing. Why are you doing it? There is nothing glamourous or exciting about it. It’s loser’s game. It’s just another way of hurting yourself.
More to the point, what the Premier does is his business, except where the taxpayer might be paying for it. Then I have an issue with it. It’s not a monster issue, as you put it, if he’s got not relationship with his wife and has fallen in love with someone else. Relationships are complicated enough without having to add layers of rules to them. Every one is different. Every one SHOULD be sacred.
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Hey Alex,
Just to clarify. I understand that people (for whatever reasons) fall in love with other people, and I also get “flings” or the affair that just started that leads to divorce. Not that any of those are excusable in any case…
The scenarios above which can often lead to a divorce – are quite different from a person who has a long standing pattern of cheating/affairs/flings this IS a big character issue whereas the above scenario is something that was “transitional cheating”…lol, I just made that up – but I think you get what I’m trying to say.
JB
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Okay, okay, I get it…jeezus…
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Interesting how the light ripples on the surface really indicate a big earthquake below.
I’m sure he choreographed his exit before the last election & Olympics. I’m certain his departure will really have no positive saving spin on the mortality of his caucus brethren – it’ll just mean he won’t be around when the train wreck finalizes the Liberal end-game. The lemmings that are left will sheepily follow a new leader who has no bearing on the final outcome. The people have signed the death writ and there will be no life-support.
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“I’m sure he choreographed his exit before the last election & Olympics.”
No he didn’t. He is neither that intelligent, nor is he that decent a leader. That would have been the act of someone who genuinely cared about the party he represents. And he clearly doesn’t care about anyone except himself.
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I look at this announcement from a different perspective. I suspect that most of the public school boards throughout BC would love to be able to afford a “Director of Marketing and Communications”. To my way of thinking, this is just another reason why private schools should not be subsidized by our tax dollars.
I have no problem with private schools operating, but it should be on their own dime. We have a damn fine public education system that is available to all, and if some parents feel their children would be better served in a private system then they should pay the freight.
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I have often times battled my own dilemma on this.
By the fall of next year, I will have three children in private school. That’s a massive bill, but one that my wife and I are more than happy to pay. The schools we chose for our children are the best in Western Canada, without equals. The money I’ll “get” (but never see because it goes to each school) is peanuts. $2,500 per student when your total bill per child is almost $20,000 per year (of after tax dollars) means nothing.
However, can you get me exempted then from paying into the public school system through my taxes if you’re going to cut the minimal funding to private schools since we that choose that road for our children are children of a lesser God? The VAST MAJORITY of parents who choose to send their children to public school make MASSIVE sacrifices to do so. Very few, about 5%, are the very rich.
As for the public system, I think it has major problems. They often graduate functional illiterates because the BCTF are ass-covering dinosaurs and not promoting younger teachers with better qualifications. Plus, the public school system, thx to morally bankrupt politicians like VBE Chair Patti Bacchus is not well-served by having hacks politicizing children and their parents. It’s disgusting. It anyone tried that at Saints’ or Crofton, they’d rightly be tossed out on their ass.
And if I’m alone in my thinking, then why is it the number of people sending their kids to private schools in B.C. has EXPLODED?
But if you can get me tax exempt status on funding public schools, when they outlaw funding for private schools, I’ll even where an eagle-feather headdress, just to make it done deal.
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Agree with you Old Boy. The public education system doesn’t teach the ways and means of good effective writing. I’ve seen it in business letters (one was actually a rejection letter from a company for a job I wanted. I marked the errors on it, and sent it back!). There doesn’t seem to be emphasis on the three R’s as theire used to be in public school (and do schools really flunk out a student and have him or her repeat the grade anymore?) , and many kids fail in post secondary because of it.
In this day and age of texting and TGIF and OMG texting, it gets worse. I’ve seen “texting” written on business letters.
Private schools aren’t the domain of the rich, In fact I know of one long time friend who never went to public school he is Catholic but went to school (through High School) through their private school system. His dad was not a big wig, he ran the big paper machines at the old Island Paper mill on Annacis Island that was owned by M and B (MacMilian Bloedel.
Keep the blog smokin’ Old Boy!
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Thx Seymour. Yes, you’re right, good writing has slipped, largely because previously held standards have been significantly watered down.
For people who appreciate Hitchens, and, the very few others like him, it is a moment of self-admonishment when we realize how there is no singing chorus to the ‘New English’ of email and blogs.
For example, I used to write posts here as I would a column in the paper. But then I thought about the informality of blogging, saw what my readers preferred and as I learned more, I took the communication level to where I’m basically writing a letter to a friend. Sure, there are the ten dollar words interspersed in various posts, but I make no effort to do that. It’s the way I’ve always written.
But I agree with you, we have become to lax. The English language is so beautiful, and sad, too, that it’s finest writer, Hitchens himself, will be gone from esophageal cancer within five years (his doctors estimate). I shall post about him and his transformational role in the world over the last twenty years. And then I will happily provide a prayer from him–for an avowed atheist.
I always enjoy your pithy comments.
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Britain is presently about to go through the whole School choice question under something called the Academies Bill, if I’m not mistaken.
It would appear that the word “choice” has influence on certain matters (not discussed here!) but the same supporters are not willing to let others have said choice. I’m willing to bet that Alex pays a hell of a lot more taxes than most of us, and though I don’t have any children in any of the systems, I too am made (rightfully) to pay education tax, but (wrongfully) most of it goes to the public system.
In furtherance to the Crofton hullabaloo, this is his blog and he gets to set the tone, I just want to say that I really hope Alex is right in his conjecture about the mission of Crofton House and that I am wrong. It would be interesting to hear from students of the school about what is actually taught about social conscience. Then again, they may not be the controversialists that their male elders are?
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Alex, your choice of the expression “morally bankrupt” (two posts above) is exactly what I feel in reading this particular blog stream. I think that it is shameful to be speculating on amorous affairs (notwithstanding potential costs to taxpayers) without delivering carte blanche proof to back the rumours. Your posters (or do I mean “posers”) are very good at saying that they heard this or that, but where is the proof? Come to think of it you are keeping up with them too. I’m sure that Mr Campbell (and his wife) are used to these allegations but I feel sorry for Lara Dauphnee whose name is being dragged through the muck. Guys, save it for TMZ until you have proof.
Now back to the topic. Does the hiring of Bridgitte Anderson mean we’ll be seeing Pat Dawson in plad shirts?
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1) I think you have it backwards. There is AMPLE evidence out there. Why no one in a scrum hasn’t asked is beyond me.
2) I sat across from a VERY senior BC Liberal a few years ago and the information flowing from her was, well, stunning. Considering she was referring to herself…but it was a causal dinner with mutual friends at a charity event and I just can’t break that kind of story. What is discussed in private stays private. However, she made the exact same statement to others and the story is out there, without question. So let him answer for that as well.
3) Ms. Dauphnee is hardly being dragged through the mud. She has every opportunity to respond. I keep it clean here, but on other blogs she has been made out to be a trollop–but never here. I’m simply asking if my tax buck is paying for the Premier’s non-governmental entertainment. It’s a very fair question, frankly.
As for Dr. Dawson, I think the world of her and her wardrobe is smashing.
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I am surprised that you would attempt to read so much into Bridgette’s departure. As she has a young family I thought taking this job in the first place was a mistake given all of the time the job has you away from home shadowing Gord most everywhere he travels.
As for the immediate departure for Gord, we can all continue to wish but let’s not forget when Jessica left many circulated the same rumours about Gords’ supposedly imminent departure. Had Mickey not re-run for President I might have held out hope for a fast exit but her running for yet another term troubles me.
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When Jessica left it was different–he has hit Rick bottom in popularity and is now causing his party major grief. That was then and this is now. He has managed to even erode some of the up Taylor or Watts would bring with them. That’s no small feat. Gordon Campbell will miss Bridgitte’s uncanny ability to shield him. She was great at it even though it frustrated some in the press gallery to no end. She was there to cover Gord, that’s obvious. Oh well, she’s landed in one of the best places in the province. I hope her kids see more of her.
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