Former NDP finance minister Joy MacPhail is urging leadership candidate Adrian Dix to engage the business community, although such outreach is unsettling to some party members.
Similar efforts by ousted leader Carole James led to criticism and turmoil in NDP ranks, but those critics were chided by Ms. MacPhail, who endorsed Mr. Dix Thursday for the party leadership.
"I find it curious that the people in our party and our caucus who suggested that didn't meet their test of a good New Democrat haven't provided an alternative to that," Ms. MacPhail said in an interview after an appearance with Mr. Dix.
After a 14-year run in the legislature that also included a stint as minister of education, Ms. MacPhail is now in business, working as chair of OUTtv, a gay and lesbian TV network.
"Adrian embraced, fulsomely, all of the work Carole James was doing in meeting and consulting with the business community, and I expect him to continue on that path, and would encourage him to continue on that path," she said.
Mr. Dix, formerly the party's critic for health, has been seen as tilting to the left of the NDP spectrum, but Ms. MacPhail said he is a pragmatist with a balanced economic approach.
"I heard some of the press gallery calling him a left-winger. He's actually a pragmatist. There's no question he has a very substantial social conscience, and is progressive on social issues, but he is very pragmatic when it comes to the economy," she said.
"He believes that small and medium-sized businesses should thrive and the tax breaks should be tilted towards them because they're the job creators, so I like that."
Mr. Dix said he was willing to work with business - to a point.
"Business should have a respected role at the table, but it shouldn't be the only role. That has been the approach of this government," he said in an interview, referring to the B.C. Liberals.
He said he respects small business, noting his father is running a small business at age 80, and that a good relationship with business is not risky for an NDP leader.
"Our supporters expect us to work with all British Columbians but they expect us to act in the public interest first."
On one issue of interest to the business community, Mr. Dix said if the harmonized sales tax survives a referendum this year and is around were to become premier, he would move quickly to scrap it regardless of the dispensation of $1.6-billion in compensation paid by Ottawa to B.C. to adopt the tax.
"You can't make tax policy based on federal incentives or bribes," he said. "Surely, a one-time payment can't define tax policy in British Columbia."
Ms. MacPhail was hailed as a "political icon" by the Dix campaign. In addition to cabinet work, she carried NDP colours through years when she was one of the few New Democrats in a 79-seat legislature dominated by Liberals.
Mr. Dix's rival, Mike Farnworth, one of six candidates in the race, said all New Democrats respect Ms. MacPhail's work for the party, but he will win the race one vote at a time.
"There's 24,000 people who are going to be making this decision. I know where she stands, and I plan be speaking with the other 23,999 members."
Ms. MacPhail said she was "absolutely devastated" by the caucus revolt from the so-called Baker's Dozen that spurred Ms. James's resignation last month. She's buoyed, however, by the "positive forces" of the leadership race.
She played down criticisms of Mr. Dix over thousands of last-minute NDP memberships submitted by his campaign before a Jan. 17 cutoff, suggesting she was confident the party would properly vet them.
"There is politics breaking out around membership applications, but that's what leadership races are all about."