A Dipper being "approached" to run for the Tories?

Where do these dumb rumours come from?

After his defeat to Dawn Black in the NDP nomination race, it isn't surprising that Steve McClurg would be looking to run for the Liberals. It is surprising that the Liberals would want him, though.

I don't understand it. The Liberals could take New West-Coquitlam if they had a decent organization and a credible candidate. Their pursuit of McClurg demonstrates that they don't have either.

Too bad too because nobody wants the Conservatives back in that riding, but the NDP are way too far-left for reasonable people to vote for them.

The Liberals know they can't win there. So they don't even try to get a good candidate but instead run a New Democrat to embarass the party and drive down the numbers. This is likely the Liberal strategy in BC -- drive down NDP numbers at all cost. Fewer NDP seats = more Liberal seats!

I heard that he has been talking with the Conservatives too.

I think One Bourbon has it about right. The intention is to upset the Federal NDP's chances in BC. I can understand McClurg's frustrations at being denied the nomination, but I am not impressed by his comparison shopping spree.

I would too agree with One Bourton's assessment. Why though whould someone spread the rumors that he was actually was appraoched by conservatives.

Our EDA already have someone declared her candidacy in the riding who has a much closer connection to the local/ethnic community. Trust me, connection with the union thing is the least of what we need in this riding. (as shown in the NDP nomination/04 election). There are a couple of high-profile liberal councillors sitting on Coquitlam city council who are scared to death by Dawn Black. But liberal candidate selection in this riding just gets worse each year, and that is truly sad.

"Our EDA already have someone declared her candidacy in the riding who has a much closer connection to the local/ethnic community."

That would be Yohan Martin, the Korean lady who teaches at an elementary school in Coquitlam.

Prominent with the Korean-Cdn community, but does she have prominence with the overall community?

Sicne "ethnic community" is diverse (Chinese, Korean, Indo-Cdn etc.) what exactly is her connection, and more importantly does Joe and Mary Sixpack really care?

Is that important when it comes down to the deliverance of good representation to all constituents?

That riding will go NDP once again. Hard to remove an incumbent.

McClurg was in the local papers last week after he joined a new municipal group that consists, in the majority, of right-leaning Liberals such as Bill (Casey) Cook, himself a former campaign manager to Joyce Murray, B.C.'s one-time minister of Earth Wind and Fire.

McClurg's departure has not raised many hackles in the NDP.

GGG'job should know that New Westminster has a long history of electing NDPers. There ain't no such thing as too-far-left in that city.

"GGG'job should know that New Westminster has a long history of electing NDPers. There ain't no such thing as too-far-left in that city."

Few people outside of Burnaby and New Westminster know the intensity of the NDP movement in both places. The NDP that's there is the last remaining remnants of the old NDP group, the Cocke Machine and in Burnaby one of the strongest NDP organizations in the province outside of East Vancouver. They are one that knows how to win campaigns, and knows how to win. They hate to lose.

The area is a dead zone for Conservatives and Liberals as the ground is littered with the carcasses of campaign managers and candidates who tried to kill the beast only to become the hunted and later politically torn apart for food.

There have been victories but except for Paul Foresth, none have been long lasting.

The NDP in Burnaby and in New Westminster will go after their opponents like a hungry pit bull dog or starving wolf would go after a piece of raw meat.

The NDP was weak in 2005, but be warned.

The NDP will rise in fearful strength soon enough.

They will seek their prey and eat them in a sickening political sight that would cause even the strongest and hardened political person to turn away in disgust.

The beast will feast.

However, the Coquitlam side, which is a majority of the riding, has been known to swing and sway left to right -- they were the prime reason this riding was saddled with fumbling Forseth for so long. There's plenty of rumblings on both the Grit and Con candidate search in this area -- expect a fresh face for both (altho the Cons are courting a former Liberal hopeful). Remember, the election where McLurg fell to Forseth, Haggard was just 2,500 back of first in what was the closest 3-way race in Canada.

While I do admit that Dawn Black is the most prominent NDP MP in BC 2nd only to Libby Davies, she does not really have the name recognition locally. Steve McClurg would have been perfect to undercut the union bosses' support who hold no pledge of allegiance to Dawn Black, AND he is thinking about it. Shall he run for the liberals, it will guarantee the first ever Korean Canadian in history to Ottawa.

I voted for Steve as a New Democrat, and I would vote for him if he ran for the Federal Liberals. He a great community activist.

"Shall he run for the liberals, it will guarantee the first ever Korean Canadian in history to Ottawa"

and the significance of that to the voters in the riding is._______________________________.

Seems to be more of a self-serving statement than
the better one of just getting the seat back and having an MP who actually does the job.

Personally I don't really care what ethnicity a
person is. I'm more interested in what the candidate will do for the riding and if they are actually going to earn their MP's pay by providing excellent service to the constitutents.

Its far more than just attending banquets put on by one's own ethnic community and earn self important needless praise.

The statement of "first [ethnic type here] Canadian to be elected to [name of political position here]" is getting way worn out and doesn't actually do much.

The significance you ask?
How do I start with this? Could this mean that Conservative Party is really the party for new immigrants on the contrary to popular beliefs? We shall see of course, but two things are for sure, the liberals can forget about the "ethnic votes" and the ndp is losing its sense of reality.

burlivespipe is right, a large part of the riding is in Coquitlam where the support for Dawn is weak. She only won the riding because the liberals had probably the worst candidate it could have (not to mention a tory traitor). But Dawn Black will be defeated if liberals run an union backed candidate this election. I do agree with Budd that the liberals are pursuing Steve to win the riding who is already wavering. Dawn Black is in trouble.

Steve McClurg? Community activist? The only reason I have heard of him is because he lost a tight race to Paul Forseth (a race that Dawn Black definitely would have won!) The majority of people have no idea who the "community activists" are, largely because they are the same group of 50 people who get on every committee and every community group. It's easy for them to do because nobody else cares.

The significance you ask?
How do I start with this? Could this mean that Conservative Party is really the party for new immigrants on the contrary to popular beliefs? We shall see of course, but two things are for sure, the liberals can forget about the "ethnic votes" and the ndp is losing its sense of reality.

You're obviously not looking far and wide.

The Conservatives already have ethnic MP's. Jaffer, Grewal (despite her faults), and many others.

The "party for new immigrants" vote is getting a bit thin. The federal Liberals played that up for
decades, and it really does not mean much any more, as many immigrants are smarter than that.

The Liberals tried to run Kwangul Peck (another Korean Cdn) and he didn't make it, despite running twice. The most votes that could be had by Martin is about 2500, not enough to win the riding.

So your answer is not the correct one. I asked the significance of having the first Korean Cdn. elected is... what? What would her ethnicity do
for the voters that someone else who is let's say
Anglo-Cdn. or Indo-Cdn. could not?

Martin will have to obtain the support of alot of voters, not just the Korean community (of which some will vote Liberal, others will vote NDP).

She should get a sizeable volume of votes from the Korean Cdn. community in Coquitlam, but not 100% of it.

Anyone who thinks its good idea to vote for a candidate simply because he/she is "one of us" is a fool.

Red Dawn will be back. It's very difficult to unseat an incumbent.

Yes, Kwangul Peck ran for the liberals, but he chose the wrong party, like David Emerson.

And no, Conservative Party never used this "i'm an immigrant too" tactic in any of their election. Bev Oda didnt get elected because she was "the first ever Japanese-Canadian MP elected". Unfortunately, their party value just echoes better with the ethnic community.

The significance you asked? Like I said, it will just further erode the liberal "hold" on ethnic communities for which the party constantly paints itself as a champion. Or did that happene last election?

Anyways, it appears that the liberals are targeting union backers in the next election, and even some are already contemplating this option. I wonder if they have learned anything from Dave Haggard, the star candidate/union boss that ran for liberals in 2004 which took quite a few votes from the NDP. I would think this liberal tactic to bring down NDP will fail miserably as there is no way union support is going to detach itself from NDP and attach itself to a sinking ship.

"Yes, Kwangul Peck ran for the liberals, but he chose the wrong party, like David Emerson."

A bit off the mark there, considering that Kwangul Peck ran twice and had federal Liberal power on his campaigns.

Kwangul has always been a federal Liberal. It's definately not one of him choosing the wrong party. He was a Chretieniste.

"Unfortunately, their party value just echoes better with the ethnic community. "

Anyone who perpetuals that is a fool.

Ah yes, Kwangyul. Wasn't he the guy who stated on his website that he worked moving apple crates in new York resulting in the loss of his fingerprints? Liberal candidate recruitment has gotten WORSE since then...

What make you think McClurg is shopping for anything. He clearly states that he has not been approaced by the Conservatives, and wouldn't run for them.

Also he's from the riding, Haggard wasn't, which makes him a much better choice.

Some observations about past and present. Relying on McClurg for union support is a misnomer. I believe that amongst the NDP set in New West Coquitlam are people who are quite effective at gaining union support at the box. In terms of money and donations in kind, under federal law that's highly restricted for both unions and businesses / corporations. So its a non starter from the get go.

In terms of his municipal musings, some people would call Voice New Westminster a non partisan group (like Vancouver's NPA) some would choose to call it an unholy alliance of what can only be called the political version of a 'scrap heap' of formerly defeated candidates for office at a variety of levels.

And for Steve McClurg to call himself a progressive person and an NDPer and to be cozying up to the likes of Casey Cook, and the other members of the Uptown New West / Queens Park mafia, is truly amazing. Casey has only recently discovered, something akin to being born again, the issue of Development Cost Charges, and other so called socially progressive policies. In his time on council, he didn't act in any way shape or form to bring about these policies. Yet now, whilst sent to the sidelines, he and his new found "friend" Steve attack like sharks smelling blood in the water. In some eyes, Steve is being used as a token or a tool to help engineer a second run for office for Casey. In other's eyes, he's simply making a desparate attempt to get elected to something or at least appear relevant.