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Time and Chance
CONFESSIONS OF A WOMAN AHEAD OF HER TIME
Kim Campbell forged her own way in the rough-and-tumble world of Canadian politics, from her first election--to the Vancouver School Board--to her historic rise to Prime Minister of Canada. How did this hardworking, intensely shy woman become a political phenomenon who broke ground for a generation of women? In this candid, revealing memoir, Kim Campbell looks back on an exciting, often improbable career, at the challenges she met, the issues she tackled--from the David Milgaard case to the controversy over sexual orientation in the military, to Canada's role in the Gulf War--and the politicians who were her friends, her enemies, and sometimes both.
A remarkable portrait of contemporary Canadian politics the way it really is, Time and Chance is also an important look at the unique experience of one woman in the political arena, the price Kim Campbell paid, and the rewards she reaped for her principles, her determination, and her achievements.
From the Paperback edition.
Kim Campbell forged her own way in the rough-and-tumble world of Canadian politics, from her first election--to the Vancouver School Board--to her historic rise to Prime Minister of Canada. How did this hardworking, intensely shy woman become a political phenomenon who broke ground for a generation of women? In this candid, revealing memoir, Kim Campbell looks back on an exciting, often improbable career, at the challenges she met, the issues she tackled--from the David Milgaard case to the controversy over sexual orientation in the military, to Canada's role in the Gulf War--and the politicians who were her friends, her enemies, and sometimes both.
A remarkable portrait of contemporary Canadian politics the way it really is, Time and Chance is also an important look at the unique experience of one woman in the political arena, the price Kim Campbell paid, and the rewards she reaped for her principles, her determination, and her achievements.
From the Paperback edition.
434 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1996
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About the author
Kim Campbell
3 books2 followersLibrarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Canadian lawyer and politician Avril Phaedra Campbell, known as Kim, the first such woman, served as prime minister in 1993.
This privy councilor, diplomat, and writer held the position only nineteenth.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Cam...
Canadian lawyer and politician Avril Phaedra Campbell, known as Kim, the first such woman, served as prime minister in 1993.
This privy councilor, diplomat, and writer held the position only nineteenth.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Cam...
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 26, 2019
Campbell attributes her party's devastating loss to the following factors:
1. Public sentiment against "politicians," and her party was seen as the establishment. So was Mulroney, whose popularity had diminished greatly by the time she took the helm.
2. The Progressive Conservatives (as they were still called) favoured "ethnic accommodation" while the Reform party did not. That split the vote on the right and meant that Conservatives and Liberals were occupying some of the same territory.
3. Lack of support in Quebec in favour of the Bloc Quebecois.
4. The PC campaign lacked clear, simple messaging, whereas Chretien and the Liberals had "the Red Book." When someone questioned something, Chretien would say "it's in the Red Book," even when Campbell's team found that it was not. Chretien also campaigned on the simple message of hope, while Campbell was trying to lay out a complex vision for the country.
5. A weak campaign, including the infamous ad about Chretien that turned off the public. It made me nostalgic for a time when people expected decorum from their politicians. Now people would just tweet "Yeah! Take that, libtards!"
6. The recession. When times are bad, she says, people turf their governments.
7. The media (of course).
Anyway, this was an enjoyable look at Canadian political history.
1. Public sentiment against "politicians," and her party was seen as the establishment. So was Mulroney, whose popularity had diminished greatly by the time she took the helm.
2. The Progressive Conservatives (as they were still called) favoured "ethnic accommodation" while the Reform party did not. That split the vote on the right and meant that Conservatives and Liberals were occupying some of the same territory.
3. Lack of support in Quebec in favour of the Bloc Quebecois.
4. The PC campaign lacked clear, simple messaging, whereas Chretien and the Liberals had "the Red Book." When someone questioned something, Chretien would say "it's in the Red Book," even when Campbell's team found that it was not. Chretien also campaigned on the simple message of hope, while Campbell was trying to lay out a complex vision for the country.
5. A weak campaign, including the infamous ad about Chretien that turned off the public. It made me nostalgic for a time when people expected decorum from their politicians. Now people would just tweet "Yeah! Take that, libtards!"
6. The recession. When times are bad, she says, people turf their governments.
7. The media (of course).
Anyway, this was an enjoyable look at Canadian political history.
January 26, 2021
A "nine days wonder" who was briefly PM
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July 22, 2020The memoir of an easily forgotten Canadian Prime Minister (she was in the office for less than a year).i definitely have some sentimental interest in this memoir simply because it represents some of my earliest memories of Canadian politics. In describing the past, Kim tends to go into a lot of (too much?) detail about minor details. It definitely is interesting to see her explain why she lost her first election so thoroughly. This Is now 5/23 in my challenge to read a book by or about each Canadian Prime Minister.
November 7, 2021
This was a very interesting look into the first woman PM's time in politics! It was especially interesting to see the real meat of what was behind the Tories' loss in 1993, and Kim Campbell has a certain sense of humour that is rather interesting to me. Overall, a good read!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews