Longtime Saanich-Gulf Islands Liberal backroom boy Kit Spence and his pet hat are considering running for the federal nomination in that riding, Public Eye has learned. Mr. Spence, a political party development expert with the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, has been doing aide work in Afghanistan since May 2004 - a country whose current level of democracy is only slightly behind the rotten borough he calls home. But the former executive assistant to Indian and Northern Affairs Development Minister John Munro will be concluding that work come September - just in-time to start signing supporters up. Of course, someone who will not be pleased to hear that is Jag Dhanowa, the party's former British Columbia multiculturalism chair, who has already announced he's seeking the nomination.
Mr. Dhanowa has run for the Saanich-Gulf Islands candidacy twice before. But his biggest media moment happened last year, shortly after the legislative raid scandal broke. During a news conference, Mr. Dhanowa said the media was using the scandal to "smear the entire Indo-Canadian community." And, at the same time, he took a shot at Mr. Spence - a critic of mass party membership sign-ups within that community. Interestingly, the conference was organized by government relations consultant Mike Geoghegan, who is currently the constituency association's election readiness chair.
Mr. Dhanowa's nomination papers have not yet been approved by the Liberal's green light committee. Also rumoured to be interested in running for the nomination is former Victoria-Hillside MLA Sheila Orr and ex-health deputy minister David Kelly.
Permanent link
Hold on, when did Mikey G cross from the NDP to the Liberals?
In answer to George's question 1997. I believe George was away from BC during the time I did radio debates on behalf of the BC Liberals against David Schreck of the NDP for one year on CKNW and about three years on CFAX.
Ah, I left in early 1999. I recall your post NDP gov MA job with a lobbying company where there was a prominent BC Lib and you in charge.
I never listen to NW but recall you on CFAX with Joe or Terry as a NDP pundit after 1996.
This is not an attack, just merely surprise, you were on your way out of AMS/UVSS politics while I was coming in, we had a little overlap. I'm probably surprised as I know that "Mike" more than the "Mike" who has aged and become more wise.
Mr Geoghegan's lack of candor never ends.
In 1999 both he and his mentor and patron, Mr Bill Barlee, both presented themselves to the media as disgruntled New Democrats who were eagerly seeking the resignation of Premier Glen Clark. Their stated motive? To save the NDP from electoral oblivion.
The truth of course, was the exact opposite.
They had joined the Liberal Party, both federal and provincial, as early as late 1996, just months after Barlee was repudiated by Okanagan electors in favour of the much more dynamic Bill Barisoff. (You can take a bit of humour, can't you Mike?).
When Clark's Govt failed to come through with a partonage lifeline, the die was cast for a major retaliatory crusade on the part of Barlee and Geoghegan. With the help of anti-NDP reporters and pundits, including CBC Liberals like Terry Milewski (who is still vigorously peddling the Liberal Party's wares with his intentionally pro-Dosanjh treatment of the Grewal tapes episode), Barlee and Geoghegan were able to help make life very, very difficult for Glen and Dale Clark, ... as was their intention.
Observers of the BC provincial yahoo scene will also recall Mr Geoghegan's rather brief stint as a lobbyist for the construction industry, where it wasn't his lack of candor that brought things to an end so much as his lack of manners.
Lack of candor? Hell it was my candor vis a vis Jenny Kwan that caused such a tempest in a teapot.
As for the construction industry I am still doing lobbying work for them as well as for clients in other sectors.
At the Rockpile
Broken News
Creatures of Government
Fighting Words
From the Gallery
Letter from the Editor
Loose Lips
Off the Hill
Public Eye Radio
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
Copyright © 2004-2006 Public Eye Mediaworks. Reproductions of any portion of this Website are permitted only with the expressed permission of Public Eye Mediaworks. Public Eye is graciously hosted by TransitionalMedia. Content management services courtesy of Ian King. Layout and graphics courtesy of Art Department Design, Victoria, BC.
This site is powered by Movable Type.