I thought the good doctor was working on Kennedy's leadership bid?

If this is true, good for Gulzar Cheema. He has been shafted to many times by the Federal Liberals. Maybe he will go somewhere where he is appreciated. He has paid all dues dearly.

The Liberal Party antics have not changed at all, its just more of the same. I think this move just might be a tip of the iceberg.

Bring on the mass East Indian signups for the conservatives in Surrey.

I guess there is no difference between the Liberals and the Conservatives.

What does this do to the Kennedy Campaign in BC?

The Conservatives can have him.

Being a conservative, we don't need another "Emerson" issue.

Chema left the BC Liberals because he thought they were too far right...how is he going to mesh with the conservatives?

Maybe he will switch back to the liberals once he is elected?

I am not fan of the mass East Indian signups either

Does this open the door for economist Nancy Clegg to win the North Delta seat for the NDP?

Sam sounds like a racist. Most people in Surrey that I know happen to be Canadian (their ancestors may have come from another country just like yours Sam), What nationality are you Sam. Conservative paranoia.

Leave Cheeema alone, he happens to be going Great Guns.

Interesting to hear. Doctor Cheema was a member of NDP and then he moved to Manitoba liberals. Got elected as liberal. Left Manitoba in the middle of his term and ran in Fraserveiw lost there then moved to Surrey the bc liberals which he said too far right to Federal liberals and lost to house wife Nina and then was negitiating with federal liberals to be the Consulate General in Chandigarh they did not appoint him now to conservatives if they donot accept may be a good idea for him to be the first candidate for Block Quebec Party and fits right with his left vision if not then back to BC NDP to try for the next premier of BC. Good luck Doctor Cheema to the Premier in wating as he is also Consulate General in Waiting?

yep, gotta agree that this is just what the Tories need -- another turncoat. It's going to work so well in Van-Kingsway... Cheema is an opportunist -- Good riddance is right.

Bali...that was brilliant!

Hopefully Cheema doesn't do it...but if he does, something tells me there will be many more people like Bali, who will openly begin slamming Cheema.

People who think that the South Asian community, (not "East Indian" by the way...it's not like the Indo's living in Canada all came from freaking Hyderabad!), are a bunch of sheep are in for a real rude awakening in the short term. Long gone are the days where the "Dr. Cheema's" or "Prem Vinning's" of the world could get huge blocks of South Asians to vote in any one particular direction. If Dr. Cheema thinks that he is going to get the community behind him after he "moves" (if he does), I can assure you that it probably won't happen.

Look for the South Asian community to be key players in the Federal Liberal Leadership race. The rest of the South Asians sitting in the Federal Conservative Caucus will soon realize that their voices...are non-existent, and will SOON begin moving their votes elsewhere.

Memo to Bali and Bali Bang On:

Okay, I hear what you say, now tell me this. When are the politically active members of Vancouver's South Asian community going to start discrediting Saint Ujjal of Dosanjh for being an opportunistic party switcher?

It was in the papers yesterday how he referred ex-convicted attempted murderer Jaspal Singh Atwal to another Liberal MP for help. Granted, I have little difficulty understanding why Ujjal would have found it awkward to help Atwal himself, since Atwal also did major violence to Dosanjh himself. But that's just the point. Why was Dosanjh even willing to refer this fellow to others for assistance? There's something really strange and curious about tha.

I'm a federal Liberal and even I think this is silly. Cheema was a BC Liberal MLA in Surrey. He's still a BC Liberal supporter and this was a BC Liberal event.

The idea that attending this BC Liberal event for fellow Surrey MLA Kevin Falcon means he's thinking of joining the Conservatives is just a bit weird.

Now, hosting BC Liberal events at the home of Conervatives senators is another isue entirely...

There are a lot of the Cheema family who make a huge contribution to the federal Liberal party.

It would be a damn shame if they all of a sudden pulled an Emerson after all the party has done for them.

Cheema might be an opportunist, but I don't see any comparison to Emerson at all. The Liberal party hasn't done anything for Cheema, in fact Cheema has done more than a lions share for the Liberal Party, fundraising, membership signup, leadership etc.

If he does cross over, he will have to earn that position with that party such as nomination, and possibly the eventual general election, unlike Emerson.

I spoke with some of my east indian friends last night about Dr. Chema, they all agreed that he is being trashed on Indian radio stations for his comments...specially since he has been signing up Liberal members for Kennedy.

What is Harper going to do with Nina Grewal, she is the sitting MP?

You don't want to feel the wrath of the Grewals.

So this is the story so far.

Cheema was a BC Liberal MLA who decided to punch out and try for a federal seat, which caused a provincial by-election at expense to the taxpayers. That by-election ended up going to the NDP because of a shoddy campaign.

Cheema runs for the federal Liberals. Cheema then cloaks and after that begins recruiting for the Kennedy Campaign in the federal Liberal Leadership.

He and his supporters are thinking of him running for the Conservatives.

What does Cheema want?

You are are all hilarous....a bunch of biggots but hilarous nonetheless. You would think no one has ever switched parties before (except east indians). If Cheema decides to make the switch he will be judged accordingly. He'll have to fight for the nomination and if he is successful.. that's democracy. Then he'll have to convince the voters of Newton-North Delta that he actually stands for something. Not an easy task for someone that wears their political allegiances on his sleeve. If he's successful..then more power to him it's called democracy.

Get over it.

I was a carded Conservative Party member when I worked for my friend, Gulzar Cheema, in 2004. I would dearly have liked to see him elected then, even tough he was a Liberal. Some people just need to be there for us all. I don't know that he has any intention of switching. But if he does - and if he still wants my help - I'll be there again.

As I said, some people just need to be in Ottawa for us all. Yes, Gulzar is that kind of guy. I was willing to work for a Liberal campaign because of an exceptional candidate. Perhaps some Liberals would be willing to work for him when he is a Conservative, as I was when the situation was reversed. If he does run, I hope so.

Ron Churchill, Co-Campaign Mgr, 2004.

The voters in that riding turfed the Tories for the floor-crossing games Gurmant Grewal was playing.

Why would they now elect Cheema under a new party banner when he ran and lost already under a different one?

Jas:

How do you know that those who've posted here aren't themselves members of the South Asian community? Guess what. I'm one. It's not biggoted to call it like it is, and I think that it's about time that the so called "leaders" in the South Asian community stop being "all about themselves" and start being about "the community at large".

Not a one of them has helped open any doors to up-and-coming South Asian Canadians, nor have they had much of an impact, because no one takes them seriously.

Hopefully Cheema doesn't flip, but if he does, so what? He'll just be another individual whom the Tories use as a photo op, and little else.

Well said Bali Bang. I am also South Asian, and am sick of the same old names making the rounds over and over...reminds me of Punjab politics. I hope Cheema is better than this...