You have to be joking. Last I checked the Laurier club is the Liberal party, and you pay a $1000 dollars membership to join to get access to the Prime Minister. Who is Pandher kidding.

Why does the CPC (or any Party for that matter) allow instant converts like Paul Brar or Sandeep Pandher to seek the nomination? Where were these folks when their new Party was in opposition?? The better question is where will they be should the CPC lose and the Liberals win - I think we all know the answer!

No wonder so many people are turned off the process and have such a low opinion of elected officials. The back room manipulators and party hacks do their parties and all of us a great disservice.

Politics is just a game. In the end, one person speaks for all not the public regardless if the party is the Liberals or the Conservatives. Neither are the Liberals going to make a good difference and nor the Conservatives. Live with it. You want to make a difference? Get off your computers and go participate in the real world! Kids.

The Grits have more "Quislings" per capita than a convention of Vichy collaborators in June 1940.
Mel Brooks must be writing the screenplay for this farce.

Talk about being an opportunist. Was not Pandher quoted in the Vancouver Sun knocking Burar for only have joing the Conservatives for two years? But the hyprocrite Pandher as not even been a member for 1 year. This just shows the skills of Sean Holman, and how Doug Ward got conned

I salute the Indo-Canadian Community for their tenacity...

One way or another, the next MP will be Indo -Canadian, and why not?

I think from much of the foaming runs an undercurrent of suppressed racism. Would there be so much lather if it were two white guys splitting political alliances? Of course not.

Who cares who switched and why? The way the Liberals and Conservatives currently operate, it isn't about political philosophy anymore. It's long not been that! It's about two, not so different spheres of corporate influence. The day of the real politician is gone. Who would take these jobs to stand there for 50K or even 100K per year to undergo a proverbial super-aggressive proctocological exam on an almost weekly basis for everything from what weed you smoked twenty years ago to who your brother-in-law might be, or even how many wives you've had?

An 'A' for effort and another 'A' for perserverance.

At least in this riding the Indo-Canadian Community understands the current political tide for what it is. Bravo, I say.

"One way or another, the next MP will be Indo -Canadian, and why not?"

No kidding. Does it really matter what the person is in terms of ethnticity? Att he voters should
be interested in is the deliverance of the services of an MP.

"Who would take these jobs to stand there for 50K or even 100K per year to undergo a proverbial super-aggressive proctocological exam on an almost weekly basis for everything from what weed you smoked twenty years ago to who your brother-in-law might be, or even how many wives you've had?"

Well then who would be a campaign manager, insisting on an insane level of fees (more than just paying the monthly bills) knowing that political goodie is at the end at the expense of a volunteer who actually would deserve such a paid political post, but doesn't get it.

Alex not all politicians are cut apart, as you say, but I've seen many opportunists insist on insane levels of getting paid to run a campaign only to end up with a major loss at the end, but for some reason they are still regarded as "go to guys". Then there's the organisers who end up power broking and later end up with a political goodie only to end up in disaster later. Can you say David Basi? I knew you could.

"An 'A' for effort and another 'A' for perserverance."

An "A" for Alex.

At least in this riding the Indo-Canadian Community understands the current political tide for what it is. Bravo, I say.

Tsakumis is, regrettably, correct on the issue of how low the bar has been set for candidate recruitment. Stronach, Emerson and Turner all switched parties and each, previously vilified, were welcomed with open arms when they crossed the floor.

Sure it's reality, but how sad indeed that this is the level at which our political institutions operate.

Twiddle-dum and twiddle-dee.

"It's about two, not so different spheres of corporate interest," offers Alex Tsakumis.

So, if your first thought on wakening each morning isn't the overnight stock results, perhaps you should try another political party.

It is refreshing, though, to see that so many now understand the grits and tories are like two dolls. If you don't like one, well then pick up your body parts and tack them on the other.

Hey, it works. Just ask David Emmerson.

Strangest all candidates meeting I have ever attended was last nights for the speeches in this riding. Mr. Brar has something in common with Liberal leader Stephane Dion. Neither is that comfortable speaking English. The young Mr. Dhillon was second and was clearly nervous but spoke well. He like Mr. Brar received a quiet reception. polite applause. Ms. Stilwell spoke next and even had a cheering section with signs waving. Final speaker was Sandeep Pandher. Weirdest thing I have ever seen. An ssistant walked up to the podium carrying his speech, plced it down and walked away. Mr Pandher them went up and gave his speech. Like a king or a preacher it seemed. He reminded me of another smarmy politico from a few years ago. Joe Pesky Mosquito reincarnated. Not impressed.

:Hey, it works. Just ask David Emmerson."

or Belinda Stronach, Scott Brisson, Ujjal Dosanjh,
Garth, etc. etc.

Alex, you certainly are a clever one. Trying very hard to paint the Liberals and Conservatives as exactly alike to try and keep progressive voters from uniting and turfing Stephen Harper.

It's a good ploy. Even seems to have some take-up on this site, but it's complete bladerdash. At one time, when say Joe Clark led the Conservatives, it might have been true. It isn't any longer.

Anyone who doesn't believe that there are deep philosophical differences between the two parties ought to spend some time in the Conservative blogoshpere - amongst the true believers - and see how Dion is vilified for being a "socialist" and much, much worse.

Or spend some time listening to Ezra Levant, who lavishes the PM with praise for his "token" gestures on the climate change (which isn't really happening according to him) and how brilliantly Harper has "taken the issue off the table". The good news, says Levant is that all of the "window dressing" doesn't add up to much so Alberta needn's be all that concerned.

No, I think there are pretty profound differences in philosophy between the two parties. If folks are willing to hand Mr. Harper a mojority, that should become crystal clear in the months ahead. For me, that will be a profound disappointment because I honestly believe the world and our country need to something significant on climate change quickly and that simply won't happen with a Conservative majority. For me, this goes well beyond politics.

Ok, billy, I agree there is at least one difference between the Liberals and the Tories and especially so on the climate change beat.

The Tories have been against Kyoto since day one and have done nothing to tackle the problem. The Liberals introduced and then commited Canada to Kyoto and have done nothing to tackle the problem since?

I won't take up the tired right-wing mantra of 13 years of Liberal inaction, because it was accompanied by 13 years of Tory opposition inactivity.

Would I be incorrect for suggesting that's 26 years of old-inism.

Climate change calls for real change and Jack Layton appears to be the only leader in the House capable of wringing change out of the old-liners.

Yes, I'd be quite happy to see another minority government. Despite the angst and fears projected by the grits and tories, as witnessed here, the system does work.

"I won't take up the tired right-wing mantra of 13 years of Liberal inaction, because it was accompanied by 13 years of Tory opposition inactivity."

There's not much an opposition can do when facing
a large volume majority government.

"Climate change calls for real change and Jack Layton appears to be the only leader in the House capable of wringing change out of the old-liners."

Would be good if he started on a personal note.

Like reduce his own Co2 greenhouse gas emissions
by not talking as much as he has done before.

Jack is only out for one thing. The NDP's influences in political direction.

The all candidates meeting was quite interesting. Pandher was totally off his game, and it seem flushed. Brar made some several good hits on Sukh Dhaliwal questioning where he was. However he did seem to have an english problem. Gary Dhillon was off key all over he place but he hit the right notes that were needed although he does not seem to have what it takes to beat Sukh. Stilwell had like 6 people speak for her, whoose engligh was even worse then Brar's. Pandher may be the party choice for this riding but he does nto seem to be the people's choice. At the end I expect Stilwell will win it.

Looks like Doug Ward finally caught up to Sean Holman aka Sherlock Holmes although two days late. Seems like Sandeep is questioning Herb Dhaliwal's integrity.

Controversy over party loyalty hits Conservative party

Doug Ward
Vancouver Sun

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

DELTA - Controversy over party loyalty has again hit the Conservative party nomination race in Newton-North Delta, with news that a second candidate worked recently for Liberal politicians.

Sukh Dhaliwal, the Liberal incumbent in Newton-North Delta, said last week that Tory hopeful Paul Brar had been a key supporter of his campaign in the last election.

On Tuesday, rival Conservative candidate Sandeep Pandher acknowledged he worked as a special assistant to ex-Liberal natural resources minister Herb Dhaliwal in 2003.

But Pandher said that his Liberal ties -- unlike those of Brar -- were about providing advice on policy rather than engaging in partisan Liberal politics.

"My role was in a very non-partisan capacity," said Pandher, adding that he never joined the Liberal Party.

"It's one thing to organize membership drives or fund-raising activities and it's another to be working as an advisor."

But Dhaliwal, his former boss, said that Pandher was a member of his "political staff."

"He may see himself in a different role. But how he sees that is his own view."

"Oh, good grief," said another Tory hopeful, Heather Stilwell, when told about Pandher's Liberal connections.

"It raises questions. If someone is going to represent a party, their ideas should be in line with what the party represents."

Besides working for Dhaliwal, Pandher also provided advice to York South-Weston Liberal MP Allan Tonks when he chaired the standing committee on the environment and sustainable development.

Typical pattern here. The intense ragging goes on and only gets worse as a meeting approaches.

Interesting that none of this came out a month ago.

If Brar wins, would Dhaliwal pull back a little on his campaign efforts?

I doubt that.

Pandher claims he was never a member of the Party and was merely a policy advisor. Former MP Herb Dhaliwal states tht Pandher was a member of his "political staff".

Sean Holeman states that Pandher was a member of the Laurier Club - well according to the website "The Laurier Club is a national organization made up of business executives, community leaders and those interested in sustaining the Liberal Party...".

Sad indeed. But, hey, Pandher is following in a fine tradition established by Emerson, Stronach, Turner, Dosanjh, Rae and Brison.

and Keith Martin and Joe Pepsi-Cola..

Who is Heather Stilwell to say "..If someone is going to represent a party, their ideas should be in line with what the party represents." She herself was a STRONG supporter of the Independant Christian Heritage Party, and she totally opposed the Conservative party and their policies. She's just the token white person in the riding...why do you think they allowed her to join the race to be representative of Newton-North Delta even after the deadline to be eligible.

Stillwell wasn't a strong supporter of the CHP.

She WAS the CHP in many places.

Like most of the fundamentalists, she's most certainly not like Ned Flanders.