Solidarity right now

* In a September 1999 interview with The Vancouver Sun's Glenn Bohn, the then former councillor claimed local politicians who accept union campaign donations are in a "moral conflict." And, as an example of how those donations have influenced city policies, he cited North Vancouver's decision to stop contracting out garbage collection services, giving those jobs to Canadian Union of Public Employees members. As a councillor, Mr. Clark - according to The Vancouver Sun's Karen Gram - voted against that deprivatization decision in 1991. Asked about that report, Mr. Clark told Public Eye he "supported a bid process" when the service contract came up for renewal. "And that didn't go ahead."

* In 1991, Mr. Clark accused his council colleagues Barb Sharp and Bill Bell of being in a conflict of interest when they voted to purchase a garbage truck. The reason: that truck would be used by members of the union that contributed to Mr. Bell and Ms. Sharp's election campaigns. This, according to report by Ms. Gram.

* In 1990, Ms. Gram reported Mr. Clark was considering running for the Socred nomination in North Vancouver-Lonsdale. And, last month, Mr. Bell - writing for the North Shore News - reminded readers about Mr. Clark's failed 1993 bid to win the federal Reform nomination in North Vancouver, where was defeated by future parliamentarian Ted White.

Asked about his union endorsements, Mr. Clark - who describes himself as a "fiscal conservative but very much in the centre politically - told Public Eye, "As far as me accepting CUPE and VDLC endorsement this time, I happen to be a member of a union. I'm a proud of member of something called CLAC - the Christian Labour Association of Canada. And I have been for a short-time now, so I look at this as a guy in a union getting support from members of other unions - that's all."

But what about his past accusations that those who accept union donations put themselves in a conflict of interest? "You read the article by Bill Bell. Okay. Fine. I shook my finger at him. And I told him he was wrong to take the money. We sent it to the lawyer and the lawyer sided with him."

"I know what you're trying to do," he continued. "You're trying to sell papers. And you're trying to paint me in a corner. I am a trade unionist. And I'm being supported by other members of the union."

But don't these endorsements suggest his values have evolved? "There's nothing inherently wrong with unions. They've done our country a great deal of good," he responded. "Maybe I have evolved. I don't know. But I can tell one thing - there's nothing wrong with what I'm doing."