Saskatchewan Liberals may boycott by-election

Defenders of Dion point out that the Liberal party constitution makes it quite legal for Dion to appoint a candidate. It never seems to dawn on defenders that this is quite undemocratic. Surely, the provision should be used only in cases where there is no functioning local riding association that could have a democratic nomination process.
If the local constituency party members want Joan Beatty then she would win that nomination through the normal democratic process. Instead of going that route as David Orchard was doing Beatty was thrust upon the constituency from on high. This shows the elite, top-down structure of the Liberal party.



Saskatchewan Liberals may boycott by-election
The Canadian Press
January 26, 2008 at 10:42 PM EST
CHRISTOPHER LAKE, Sask. — Boycott the by-election, or vote for another party.
That's what members of a northern Saskatchewan riding association talked about at a meeting Saturday.
They are angry that Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion appointed a candidate in the riding of Desnethe-Misinippi-Churchill River for a March 17 by-election.
Shoal Lake Chief Marcel Head, who is chairman of an interim executive committee for the riding association, says they just want the democratic process to be allowed.
“We're being dictated as to what we can do, who to support, who to vote for and that's not right,” Mr. Head said.
Disgruntled party members want Joan Beatty, who was appointed as the candidate, to file nomination papers and run like other candidates do.
If the Liberal party doesn't recognize their efforts, then members will be asked not to vote or possibly even vote for a rival party's candidate in the by-election, Mr. Head said.
Provincial party brass have insisted the riding already has an executive and that any final nomination decision rests with senior party officials in Ottawa.
Jim Sinclair, who helped establish the Native Council of Canada, says residents of the riding, who are mostly First Nation or Métis, are concerned about Ms. Beatty's appointment.
“It's a buildup of all these things that happened in the past, of people being pushed into doing things, and issues forced on them without their consultation. and I think people are saying, ‘enough is enough.”'
David Orchard — a former Conservative party leadership candidate and a key supporter in Mr. Dion's 2006 successful bid for the Liberal crown had campaigned hard to win the nomination in the riding.
Mr. Dion has said his decision to appoint Ms. Beatty was to help fulfill a pledge to bring more women into the political process.
Ms. Beatty, the first aboriginal woman ever elected to the Saskatchewan legislature, is a former journalist and former NDP minister of culture, youth and recreation.
Mr. Head has written to Mr. Dion asking that he rescind Ms. Beatty's appointment.
The by-election is one of four being held that day.
The riding had been held by Liberal MP Gary Merasty. He won by just 67 votes over his Tory competitor in 2006, but resigned last year.