Radio India commentator says landscape has changed in Vancouver South
Broadcaster Ravinder Gill offers his views on the federal election.
Radio India political commentator Ravinder Gill says the ground has shifted in the federal riding of Vancouver South after Ujjal Dosanjh's complaint to Elections Canada.
Before today's Vaisakhi parade in Surrey today, Gill told the Georgia Straight that momentum has switched to Dosanjh after Radio India revealed that Ripudamen Singh Malik was backing his Conservative opponent, Wai Young
Dosanjh complained to the federal-election overseer that Malik used the Khlasa school, which he founded, for partisan purposes even though registered charities are not permitted to be engaged in partisan political activities.
In 2007, Malik was acquitted in B.C. Supreme Court in connection with the bombing of Air India Flight 182 off the coast of Ireland on June 23, 1985.
"Even the prime minister, the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, has to comment today in Mississauga that Ripudamen Singh Malik will never be a member of the Conservatives," Gill said.
Meanwhile, Gill, who ran for the B.C. NDP in Vancouver-Fraserview in 2005, described the race in Newton-North Delta as extremely close between New Democrat Jinny Sims and incumbent Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal.
In Surrey North, he said there is three-way fight. He added that there is a chance that voters of South Asian descent might split their votes between Liberal Shinder Purewal, New Democrat Jasbir Sandhu, and Conservative Dona Cadman, who is the incumbent.
In Fleetwood-Port Kells, Gill predicted that Conservative Nina Grewal will coast through to easy reelection.
As far as the national picture goes, Gill said that it appears as though the Liberals are "fighting for their survival".
"If the Conservatives got the majority, then the NDP and the [Bloc] Quebecois can hold the opposition in a strong way," he suggested.
Follow Charlie Smith on Twitter at twitter.com/csmithstraight.
Comments
5 Comments
J_J
Apr 24, 2011 at 10:28am
The landscape may have "shifted" but I think Dosanjh still is in trouble. It was a last ditch effort by Dosanjh to save his seat as the Liberal vote collapses. This story doesn't look good on Young, but I accept her side of the story that she was visiting many schools, was invited to Khalsa and didn't know Malik would be at the meeting. Candidates can't control the thousands of people they meet on the campaign trial. I think that's a legitimate reason. Also, I know what type of person Dosanjh is; the type who would exploit any news story to win political points.
virgil miner
Apr 24, 2011 at 10:58am
its like a mulitcultural cult.
kaur
Apr 24, 2011 at 1:48pm
Ujjal Dosanjh rocks!!
I think Rupaduman Malik should crawl back under his rock and TRY to stay out of trouble (perhaps an impossible feat while he walks free). If his dirty tricks win out, it would be a travesty. I hope Mr Gill is right and Ujjal is in a good position.
Aa
Apr 24, 2011 at 2:48pm
@J_J what news story? over the last 4 years, any other stories that ujjal exploited on? Just because you support the conservatives, doesn't mean you can just make a false accusation. But again, it's all face-saving.
Jim Smith
Apr 24, 2011 at 4:10pm
Dosanjh is a good man who isn't afraid to speak out against extremism. It has got him physically attacked in the past but the man has principals. He deserves to win.