Earlier, we broke the news that Kelowna orchardist Chanchal Bal would be one of Gerard Kennedy's campaign co-chairs. According to the news release announcing that appointment, Mr. Bal has "been active in the party in B.C. for over twenty years." But he hasn't always been a card-carrying Liberal. During the 2000 provincial New Democrat leadership race, Gordon Wilson campaigner Moe Sihota accused some of Ujjal Dosanjh's supporters of being Grits. Among those named was Mr. Bal. At the time, he told The Vancouver Sun's Kim Bolan his Liberal membership had expired prior to joining the New Democrats and being election a leadership convention delegate. But, in an interview with Public Eye, Mr. Bal explained he let that membership lapse specifically so he could support Mr. Dosanjh - as did "many other federal Liberals as well." Said the orchardist, "The situation was that the (Indo-Canadian) community was supporting Dosanjh. And, provincially, the NDP is (a party) that our community is interested in. But federally our community is federal Liberal."