Guy Gentner’s complaint about Forward B.C. NDP dismissed by party

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      Maverick New Democrat Guy Gentner has lost another fight with his party.

      Like the one that resulted in him and three others getting suspended 25 years ago, the dispute involves the use of the NDP brand.

      This time, it’s about a group that has “B.C. NDP” in its name, the one that calls itself Forward B.C. NDP.

      This is a group that surfaced after the party lost this year’s election. Its public face is Sage Aaron, daughter of the influential and long-time Surrey-Green Timbers MLA Sue Hammell.

      Gentner, a former Delta North MLA, knows that one can’t mess around with the party’s brand.

      Back in the 1980s, Gentner and his colleagues formed the municipal electoral organization New Delta Party.

      “I mean, it was cute,” Gentner recalled in a phone interview with the Straight, although he also noted that they “never used the acronym” NDP.

      B.C. NDP headquarters didn’t think it was cute, so it handed down two-year suspensions to Gentner and his group. Gentner went on to run for Delta council under the Tri-Delta banner, and years later in 2005, got elected to the first of his two terms as NDP MLA for Delta North.

      Believing that a precedent was set in 1988, Gentner recently complained that the use of the party’s brand by Forward B.C. NDP is also illegitimate.

      In a letter last month addressed to president Moe Sihota and provincial secretary Jan O’Brien, he pointed out that Forward B.C. NDP is not a duly constituted body approved by the provincial executive. Therefore, he argued, the use of the NDP name violates the party’s constitution.

      Gentner sent a follow-up letter dated November 4 to O’Brien, stating that the “misappropriation” of the party’s name is a “serious matter”.

      On November 7, O’Brien told Gentner by email that party officers have dismissed his complaint.

      Asked how he feels about the decision, Gentner said: “Disappointed but not surprised.”

      Comments

      5 Comments

      Evil Eye

      Nov 14, 2013 at 12:18pm

      The preceding demonstrates that the NDP has morphed into a secluded old boys/girls club, that do not want to hear from lesser members.

      The NDP should heed well the old fable,"the kings new clothes", because the party is being preened by old style party types claiming all is well and welcoming policies for everyone, where in reality, NDP policies are like being naked 50 year old, nothing important to show.

      SPY vs SPY

      Nov 14, 2013 at 1:01pm

      This current response to Guy's complaint about "Forward BC NDP" reveals two things.

      One - Forward BC NDP is a cover name for current BC NDP insiders whose objective is to control those very people in the BC NDP who want the current insiders thrown out. Joseph Stalin did the same thing by setting up bogus dissident groups that were organized by the States Secret Service.

      Two - The Current Insiders want to keep their jobs no matter how badly they have failed!
      These folks are addicted to their status in the Party!
      These folks feel they have POWER & CONTROL and surrendering this to anyone else is will mean Personal Political DEATH! We are the party is their motto!

      The only way the NDP will survive and win the next election, is for all those insiders to accept personal responsibility for their serious errors in judgement and resign.

      Ke Dongshan

      Nov 14, 2013 at 3:15pm

      SPY's comments are totally correct. To use a Shock Doctrine analogy, FORWARD is seizing power right when the membership is still stunned by the election loss. FORWARD talks about reform but they are really about concentration of power for the current party elite of crypto liberals. Real reform would expand political thought and access to power, not contract it!
      Evil Eye is correct in his remark about FORWARD being an old boy/girl's club.

      Sick of the Establishment

      Nov 29, 2013 at 12:45pm

      Love that the three comments above have such mixed approval. They're all spot on. Anyone voting down those comments is obviously the same NDP insiders we're all slamming for incompetence and deceit, or just a party member who has had the wool successfully pulled over their eyes.

      WAKE UP, NEW DEMOCRATS! OUR PARTY IS DYING!

      Reinier Kanis

      Dec 2, 2013 at 11:48am

      The fact Nathan Cullen dropped out of the running should have hit major headlines. I cannot speak for him but it sure does spell out that the same people who were running the show that crashed during the election, are still in charge.

      Ask why the Federal NDP and provincial NDP are at opposite ends over voting reform?

      Maybe we should all seriously consider looking at the Greens as the only remaining alternative to the Liberals.