Let me be the first to say it … “May the best man, or woman, of what ever ethnic background, win.”

The race is well underway now in both the Liberal and NDP camps to elect a new leader … one who for the Liberals will automatically become Premier --- and for the NDP, one who will be leader of the opposition.

As you will recall the NDP recently were the butt of numerous jokes over their party policy which requires that at least one of the top 3 positions in the party must be held by a woman,  With the President and Treasurer both being men, that pretty much left the party leaders position open.

So the party of social justice and gender equality has how many women running?? Hmmmmm, let’s see there’s ……………… no one.  6 guys are running to be leader of the New Democrats --- although to give them credit one candidate, Fraser Nicola MLA Hari Lali was born in India.

So that leaves then the Liberal party as the party of social and gender equality – right?  Well they too have 6 people running – and although two are female – none appear to be from any kind of minority.

BUT, is that how any political party should be selecting and electing a leader?  What has happened to the principle that we should be electing the best person for the job?  Disagree if you want, but having quotas, or perceived ideas about the type of person that should be running flies in the face of democracy.

And now it’s a race …

“Welcome to a future – a New Democrat future – where everyone can contribute and no one is left out” --- NDP MLA Adrian Dix during his leadership announcement Monday January 17^th in East Vancouver

It hasn’t be a very well kept secret, and now Adrian Dix, alleged to be one of the toughest New Democratic MLA’s, has announced he is running to lead the party.  Dix, who was elected to the BC legislature in 2005, is a former room mate of Premier Glenn Clark.  He worked with Clark helping him become premier in 1996 when the NDP last won a provincial election, and then went on to serve as Clark’s Chief of Staff.

Justine Hunt from the Globe and Mail has stated that, “Mr. Dix has been one of the strongest critics on the opposition benches since winning election in 2005, tackling both the children and families file and, more recently, health. He takes credit for pushing the government into the creation of an independent watchdog for children and youth, as well as for winning better security for women using public transit.”




Royal Inland Hospital --  Kamloops, BC

For those living in the Kamloops, Thompson Nicola region, Adrian Dix, who is currently the NDP’s Health critic has often been on the attack with regards services at Royal Inland Hospital, most recently with regards to the cleaning of hospital surgical equipment.  This caused him to be a burr under the saddle of Kamloops South Thompson Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger, who as you know just a few days ago had to retract and appologize for the following comments he made in an interview with a Kamloops radio station: