October 31, 2002

Dosanjh "Could" Makes News

Ujjal Dosanjh made history as the first Indo-Canadian Premier. It must have been particularly painful to lead the NDP to a near wipeout in the subsequent election and to lose his own seat of Vancouver-Kensington in the process. It is unfair to Dosanjh to suggest that he would betray his party and support the person who damaged Medicare through massive funding cuts, yet that is what was suggested in the Hill Times this week (an Ottawa based weekly).

The Hill Times, ran an article with the headline "Former NDP premier Dosanjh could join Paul Martin's team". Note the use of the world "could" in the headline. It is in the style of grocery store tabloids with headlines like "Campbell could Resign after Bizarre Tale". Based on an anonymous source, the Hill Times story reported "Dosanjh will run as a Liberal in the next federal election". The same anonymous source claimed Dosanjh is "actively helping to sign up new members". Those who know Ujjal Dosanjh know that he didn't personally sign up members for his own hotly contested leadership race. It is not likely that he would sign up members for anyone for anything.

Imagine the disgrace if Dosanjh ran to be elected as a Liberal MP only to face another crushing defeat. Does anyone seriously think that the former premier would embarrass the NDP and subject himself to ridicule?

Nowhere in the Hill Times story was there any direct quotation from Dosanjh that would confirm the speculation. In fact, the story quoted Ujjal Dosanjh saying "You know I am really having a lot of fun practicing law in British Columbia and I look out over the mountains here and I am having an absolute ball. I can't help if others are speculating about my life but I am having fun." Perhaps the former premier is having fun watching how the unfounded story gets spun, as media that are usually more credible repeat the initial speculation.

On Tuesday, October 29th, the Vancouver Sun repeated much of the Hill Times story without speaking to Dosanjh. Radio stations throughout the province also repeated the story as if it were fact. Names mentioned in both stories included people who have taken opposite views from Dosanjh in community politics for decades. Those who recognize the names know that any story linking Dosanjh to those people is not credible.

From time to time the news media makes claims and then treats them as true unless someone denies them. In the case of the Hill Times story, it is understandable that a long time New Democrat and former premier would consider it offensive that anyone would suggest that he would betray his party and run as a candidate for the Liberals.

Many activists would prefer that Dosanjh simply respond to the stories and reject them as nonsense. They will have to understand that Dosanjh may consider that an insult since he would expect those who know him not to believe the story. Dosanjh appears to have teased his tormentors by consenting to an Interior CBC radio interview during which he said the option is open for a future return to politics. No one should hold their breath; the former premier is wiser than that.