Three-head race in Liberal’s Richmond nomination
For the nation’s most densely Chinese-populated city, Richmond, the Liberal nomination is running extremely hot.
Three well-known names are fighting to represent the Grits to beat Conservative sitting MP Alice Wong in the next federal election. They are: former MPs Raymond Chan and Joe Peschisolido, and well-known lawyer and former chair of SUCCESS Mason Loh.
Dean Beauvais with the Liberal’s Richmond Riding Association confirmed that the three men were running for nomination. He said Chan and Peschisolido have long indicated that they wish to run. Loh joined only recently, 2-3 weeks ago.
Beauvais said the deadline for filing for nomination is over. But the sign-up for new members hasn’t. There is no date for a nomination yet.
He describes this is the most heated race for the riding since Chan and Peschisolido squared off in nomination in 2004.
Loh recently moved his law office to Richmond. Chan lost to Alice Wong in the last election. To be a Liberal candidate again, he would need to win the nomination battle.
Tags: Election, Liberals, nomination, RichmondRelated posts
Short URL: http://www.chineseinvancouver.ca/?p=9986
Of all those three candidates, only one could potentially mount a challenge to Alice Wong.
Raymond Chan is seen by many as a huge flip-flopper and is not well-liked.
Joe Peschisolido is seen as a turncoat and is not well-known.
Mason Loh has a strong profile and is the only one that could give Alice Wong a challenge. But he also has his baggage. First, he was a top campaigner for former Ontario NDP Premier Bob Rae’s Liberal leadership bid. This will put Loh at odds with many Chinese people who don’t like leftist politics (Bob Rae had quite a dismal record as premier of Ontario). Second, CIV, does he even live in the riding? Because from what you wrote, it seems like he’s a recent parachute into the riding.
No matter who wins the Liberal nomination, I will give Alice Wong the upper hand. She’s the incumbent now (won by a large margin in 2008), with a Parliamentary Secretary portfolio. She is everywhere; she’s very active and visible in the Richmond community. The Conservatives are governing decently at the very least, and have sent four cabinet ministers to China and are still perceived as the best party to manage the economy. Their policies on tax-cuts and crime will suit the voters here well. Add all that to Alice Wong’s feisty Chinese debating skills, and she definitely has the upper hand here.
jj: just curious, are you a spin doctor on alice wong’s team? :)
jj: i totoally agree with you chan and peschisolido’s rep are trushed…. both partly by their own “womangate” scandals maybe :)
and no offense…. i have seen alice on many debates but i can hardly relate “feisty“ with her debating skills. in fact, neither do chan or peschisolido have any good skills. but she’s a nice person, i agree and her english is far better than chan’s :)
how about u sn ? i left a non flattering comment on mason loh wishing he will just quit politics and it is deleted.
this kind of censorship is uncalled for.
what? deleted what? i never deleted any of your comments…
lw: i found ur comment:
http://www.chineseinvancouver.ca/2009/06/to-watch-richmonds-liberal-race/comment-page-1/#comment-4533
u left on another post
my apologies my error no unwarranted censorship. i should be censored .
here i go again JJ u sound like a alice wong’s supporter but that is ok except i do not know why ms wong is regarded as a strong candidate. she defeated raymond chan because the liberals sucked at the time and still sucks.
alice wong is a good follower of her ruler. she won’t say anything to anyone without first consulting the “high above”. but again, i think she has a mild character that harper likes
First of all, there is absolutely no way Raymond will win this year’s election (my own personal opinion but we will see after this Saturday). Secondly, Mason Loh has no knowledge on the history, needs and wants of Richmond citizen as he had never lived in Richmond, and have yet to move to Richmond as of today. He stated that he will only live in Richmond if he wins the election, which I understand, but that shows how committed he is with the Richmond election. Mason had never been in any former Richmond election as he had always lived in Vancouver. He was allowed to be part of the Richmond election this coming Saturday because he recently opened up a law firm in Richmond. If you ever have time, visit his office and you will find out more about his commitment. I respect the things he have done for Vancouver and the Chinese community in Vancouver, but I do not think he has any knowledge about Richmond. Lastly, with Joe, my understanding is that he has publicly admitted his mistakes with his former switch from Conservative to Liberal earlier when he was the MP, but if you read the article http://www2.canada.com/richmondnews/news/story.html?id=63499b04-8f92-48b3-bc41-721c6e336ddf then you will understand that he was doing it for the good of Richmond citizens. For Chinese Richmond citizens, I heard he is going to have an article in the Ming Pao newspaper Thursday/Friday and he is going to be on the fairchild TV thursday night, I think. Let’s keep up the comments and heat things up before Saturday’s election.