Campbell backing the wrong horse
National Affairs
Claire Hoy
Larry Campbell has always been good at publicizing himself. The Liberal senator, and former Vancouver coroner and mayor, was, after all, the inspiration for the long-running Canadian television drama "DaVinci's Inquest," so he knows a thing or two about getting his name in the paper.

He also knows something about backing the wrong horse.

During the last Liberal leadership race - won by Stephane Dion - Campbell supported Ontario MPP Gerard Kennedy. Kennedy finished fourth. During the general election Campbell was trotted out as a "star" pitchman for then prime minister Paul Martin - which was only fair, of course, since Martin had handed him the "taskless thanks" position of Senator - and we all know how well Martin fared.

In the 2005 B.C. provincial election, Campbell campaigned for NDP candidate Tim Stevenson in Vancouver-Burrard. Stevenson lost a squeaker to nondescript Liberal MLA Lorne Mayencourt. Later that year, Campbell openly endorsed counselor Jim Green for mayor over Sam Sullivan. Sullivan won. And so it goes with a man some media critics have taken to calling "Senator Blowhard."

Now, Campbell has found another losing cause to make headlines for himself: he wants to ban the National Football League from Canada.

"As proud Canadians and fans of the CFL, we must make every effort to defend our own brand of football," he thundered. "The CFLis a league that millions of people have grown up with, supported and loved. As Canadians, we must ensure that this great cultural icon does not become extinct over the wishes of one city and one group of people in this country."

That latter reference, of course, is to Toronto cable magnate Ted Rogers and his associates who - the nerve of those guys - have spearheaded a move by the struggling Buffalo Bills NFLteam to play eight games in Toronto over the next five years with the ultimate goal (they hope) of moving the team to Toronto (or some other NFLteam) once current Bills' owner Ralph Wilson dies. Wilson, 89, has announced he wants the team sold after his death and Buffalo isn't exactly awash with cash these days.

Campbell, rushing to the defense of the indefensible, introduced Bill S-238 earlier this month stating, in part, that "no person owning or operating a football team within a foreign league shall require or permit that team to play football in Canada."

That would make the Rogers deal with the Bills illegal, subject criminal sanctions.

In his bill, Campbell defines "foreign league" as "a league organized or operating in a country other than Canada or having its principal office or any part of its membership in a country other than Canada." Somebody should tell Campbell that the NHL's "principal office" is in New York City. Hmmn!

In a National Post article endorsing Campbell's hairbrained idea, CFLcommissioner Mark Cohon waxes eloquently about the 53,000 Canadians who "were on their feet, belting out 'O Canada'," at the 2007 Grey Cup game. "...The sight was unforgettable. The sound was deafening. And the moment, for me, was defining." That's nice. But what's that got to do with supporting a law which would tell Canadians they can't watch a brand of football they want to watch?

Many Canadians, particularly in the West, prefer the CFLto the NFL. But here, in heavily-populated southern Ontario, more people like the NFL.

Why? For starters, the NFLis better football. It's the reason why more people like the NHL than the OHL or why they'd rather watch the PGA than a local golf club match. That's the way it is sports fans, and it's hardly up to government - especially the unelected Senate - to dictate otherwise.

Some people prefer the three-down Canadian version. Many don't. Me, for example.

Four downs offers far more offensive opportunities and more complicated defensive strategies. In Canada, it's mostly two plays and a kick. Boring.

Anyway, it is not certain that if the NFLdid relocate in Toronto - and that is a big IF - that the CFLwould die. That's a convenient Toronto-centric view, i.e. that the league couldn't survive without Toronto, but it isn't necessarily so.

And even if it did happen, well, so what? That, as they say, is life.

Yet the Post, of all newspapers, while not endorsing Campbell's bill, nevertheless editorialized that in addition to more fans and corporate support for the CFL, government funding should also be used to prop up the league. Oh please. Corporate welfare for the CFL? I think not.

The Post claims the, "CFLis a more entertaining product than the NFL..." No, it's not. But even if you think it is, fine. Buy a ticket and watch it.

Just don't try to stop the rest of us from watching what we like best.