Former NDP premier appointed as Liberal in B.C.
CTV.ca News Staff

Prime Minister Paul Martin named three Liberal star candidates in B.C. for an upcoming federal election, including former NDP premier Ujjal Dosanjh.

While two candidates were acclaimed, Dosanjh was appointed, meaning he will not have to face a nomination battle. Martin described the action as a "rare exception," but said that sometimes it's the best way to ensure the right people are running for the party, and Dosanjh has much to offer the Liberals.

"He's had extensive experience. I think that he brings a very important perspective on the country, and obviously I think he brings a very important perspective on the province," Martin told reporters in Vancouver.

NDP leader Jack Layton blasted Martin for the appointments, saying he's pushing out candidates he doesn't like and appointing ones he does.

Layton calls it odd, considering Martin is a self-styled champion of democracy.

[Which both Layton and Martin define as "tyranny of the majority", which ignores the fundamental rights we thought the government bound itself to in the Magna Carta and Canada Act, 1982]

Conservative James Moore also questioned the appointments, wondering how Martin can claim nominations are local matters -- as he did in the case of Sheila Copps' fight in Hamilton -- but then simply name other candidates.

The other appointed Liberal candidates are business leader David Emerson, and Shirley Chan, a high-level bureaucrat in B.C.

Dosanjh, too, is facing criticism for the move. The former New Democrat is being harshly rebuked for switching loyalties to jump to the Liberals. Joy MacPhail, Dosanjh's successor as NDP leader, says the decision "seems so opportunistic."

"I doubt he's even getting 30 pieces of silver for his betrayal," she remarked.

[What an odd statement! How would NDP leader Joy MacPhail know how much he was, or wasn't getting paid, to pimp for the Liberal Party of Canada?]

Today, Dosanjh defended his decision.

"Doing what I'm doing, by being part of Prime Minister Martin's team, I'm absolutely not rejecting my past. I am simply embracing the future," Dosanjh said.

[Write that one down folks - its a classic.]

Some Liberals believe Dosanjh's candidacy may spark a voter backlash, since voters may hold him responsible for the economic problems and scandals that plagued B.C. during the decade the NDP held power.

[But like the true dolts that they are, the voters of BC voted the former premier of "the most corrupt party in BC history" into power.]

Dosanjh will run in the riding of Vancouver South, now held by former Chretien cabinet minister Herb Dhaliwal. Two individuals who had hoped to contest the riding pulled out Thursday morning.

Dhaliwal decided to drop out of politics, after Martin supporters took over the Vancouver South riding association last year and the new PM would not assure him of a clear run for his seat.

Dhaliwal said Martin's actions haven't matched his earlier words, during his race for the Liberal leadership.

"He talked about open, democratic, transparent nomination systems," Dhaliwal told CTV News. "And I think people have to judge... by what they do, not by what they say, and he'll be judged by British Columbians and Canadians in the next election."

[So what was the "judgement of BC voters"? They evidently support undemocratic, behind closed door nominations of former leaders of corrupt political parties. ]

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