Longtime Liberal backs Conservative McLeod
In what could be a sign of the Liberal Party of Canada’s fate in Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo in this federal election, a high-profile member of the party has decided to switch sides.
Gur Singh told KTW he intends to support Conservative candidate Cathy McLeod.
The longtime Liberal said he feels the Conservative MP has done a “good job” representing Kamloops since being elected in 2008.
“I’ve been here for 40 years and I believe she’s been one of the best MPs I have dealt with in Kamloops,” Singh said.
He said he doesn’t see the Liberals having much chance in the riding, so he’s throwing his support behind McLeod in hopes of stopping the NDP and candidate Michael Crawford from winning.
“Having an NDP person here will not be as good for the riding as having someone who might be in the government,” he said, noting he is not dissatisfied with the Liberals.
Singh was one of three vying for the local Liberal nomination in the 2004 federal election.
Former Kamloops city councillor John O’Fee won the nomination and then lost to Conservative Betty Hinton in the election.
Singh was also the B.C. Liberal candidate in the 1996 provincial election.
He finished second in a field of five, with 9,273 votes. The NDP’s Cathy McGregor won that election.
Singh, who called his decision to move to the Conservative camp “tough,” praised McLeod’s work as an MP, noting she is very visible in the community.
As for what kind of support the well-known retired neurosurgeon will provide to McLeod, including financially, he hasn’t decided.
In response, Liberal candidate Murray Todd said he had not spoken with Singh and couldn’t comment specifically.
However, Todd said it is not unusual to see the movement of supporters from one party to another.
“It’s not going to be unheard of,” Todd said, suggesting traditional NDP members are also moving away from that party.
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