Joyce Murray will win this in a walk without any better competition than this. Cindy Grauer, might, might be better to pull it off. Murray is not shy to pick up the phone and work the list to get the nomination. If this is the best that can be done, then the Liberals are convinced they can't win government back. To throw away the safest seat they have (ok maybe Heady Fried might be somewhat safer) to a failed provincial cabinet minister, who comes across like an angry den mother, is astounding, even for the Grits. And with Cameron St. John running her campaign, there won't be a lot of room for mistakes. She'll take it from this lot of three.

On the other side, maybe Rick Peterson will make it to cabinet after all...but then again, I'm still waiting for Jim Moore to be rewarded with what he has earned...

What a gong show.

Is it a coincidence of names, or is Cindy Grauer a descendant of Dal Grauer, the one time head of the BC Electric Company?

Great news to see that Catherine Evans is seeking the nomination. I have seen her in action as a very hard-working and effective advocate for public education. I know she will bring the same degree of thoughtful consideration and hard work to the job of MP. Good luck to you Catherine.

Catherine Evans served on our Secondary PAC executive for a number of years, including three terms as chair. She was consultative and responded efficiently, respectfully, and, where necessary, compassionately, to the concerns of a very diverse and opinionated group of parents. She's well educated, highly principled and knows the issues of the community well. I feel fortunate to have a candidate with these qualities in Quadra.

As a public education advocate (and Quadra resident), I’ve had the opportunity to work with Catherine on a number of projects. She is intelligent, articulate and well read and a very quick study with a strong sense of social justice. She’s worked on Stephen Owen’s campaigns and is up to speed on local issues. She’ll be a very strong candidate and an effective MP. She has my vote.

It is encouraging to see that Catherine and her five bridge club supporters know how to use the internet.

What about the elephant in the room.

Mason Loh has also been talked about as running.

Mr Tsakumis,

I find your bald assertions that so and so is "useless" or in this case that Joyce Murray is a "failed cabinet minister" (which I believe you've now written twice on this site) more than a little bit arrogant.

Would you care to tell all of us why Ms. Murray is a "failed cabinet minister?" If you are referring to fact that she lost her seat, one that had been solid NDP/CCF for 60 years or so before the Campbell near-sweep of 2001, than your characterization of her is off-base.

Come on now, let's have some examples. Show us how well-read and smart you are! Specifics - which policy initiatives did she fail to get off the ground? Which initiatives were a failure?

Joyce was the co-chair of the Dion campaign in BC and that campaign seemed to do fairly well here. I know she has a reputation for being an incredibly hard worker and she is a very sharp lady. She isn't a very dynamic presence, but like Owen, she has substance and good experience.

Of the three that are running, she is the only one with a shot at Cabinet if the Liberals formed government. The rumours of Loh running must be a joke. He shot himself in the head with his faked memberships for the Rae campaign.

I must be getting mixed up here. I thought that Loh had been cleared by the Liberal Party of accusations of impropriety and that the people working for Ignatieff had their complaint about his membership cards ruled invalid.

Joyce Murray? I think she failed her constituents in allowing St Mary's hospital to be bulldozed. As Environment Minister, I cannot recall any new policies or programs or any major achievements she was associated with. In that regard, I suppose her record as an Environment Minister closely parallels that of Stephane Dion, so maybe that's why she supported his leadership bid.

Whose campaign be Greg Wilson managing in the race for the Quadra nomination?

When the Vancouver School Board announced $20 million in cuts to core services in 2002 because of the Province's unfunded teachers' pay increase, Evans was a central figure in galvanizing 14,000 parents in two weeks to put political and other differences aside and get together in an unprecedented letter-writing/ media campaign.

I was there and I don't think anyone had time to play bridge but a lot of Vancouver parents were impressed, and that effort did eventually pay off. Memories of Christy Clark's initial failure to respond did not help her later bid for the NPA leadership so I wouldn't be too quick to rule out the bridge clubs & soccer moms.

1) Count out the soccer moms when dealing with the LPC--they don't give a damn about them. While I agree that Ms. Evans may be the 'best' of the three, she has no Q rating and does not fit the typical 'profile' of what nonsense the Grits have been offering those living in Quadra since McSleepy was MP. Owen was only marginally better in that he appears to have a pulse, most of the time. Joyce is yet another in that same mold. That's how little respect the federal Liberal party has for the Quadra riding.

2) Joyce Murray was indeed a failed cabinet minister as she did nothing to balance the ministry of earth, wind and fire. It was owned by extremist hacks who were committed to make-work projects.

3) If any of us were Mark wouldn't we be supporting Joyce? Of course. She was a Dion supporter who offered another available set of shoulders to drape a green scarf over. Cameron St. John is a close friend of Mark and Christy's and a good campaign chief, so the writing is on the wall.

4) Any individual campaign Greg Wilson runs, he will run well and with authority: no need for any inter-personal component, so it's safe, and he'll do well. Mason Loh was exhonerated as far as I remember, if he lives in the riding and runs, Murray will lose in a close dance since she's got the approval of the (current) Grit King.

And there you have it.