Former federal cabinet minister not ruling out court action to get a new B.C. Liberal Party

Former federal Liberal cabinet minister Herb Dhaliwal wants to help fill the political gap left by the collapse of BC United.

“This polarization is not good for British Columbia. British Columbians need another choice," he said Wednesday.

Dhaliwal has been trying to register a new party for this election under some version of the name "New BC Liberals."

Elections BC has rejected the idea, because a similar name is already registered – the previous name for Kevin Falcon's rebranded BC United.

“Tell Elections BC that they're no longer interested in the Liberal party name so we can have candidates in the next election,” urged Dhaliwal.

Elections BC says the rules don't allow Falcon – or anyone else – to release a name that's been registered in the past 10 years.

Political scientist and Royal Roads University professor David Black says Dhaliwal has identified a problem created by the implosion of BC United.

“What becomes of the centrist voters who were basically left in exile by the dissolution – the campaign suspension – by the BC United party?” Black questioned.

Former BC United candidate Karin Kirkpatrick is running as an independent. She likes the idea, in principle, of a return to the BC Liberals on the scene, but says it's too late. The deadline for registering any party is Friday, two days away.

“The practicality of it right now doesn’t make any sense,” she said Wednesday. “I would much rather for people to tools down right now and focus on getting some of us moderate independents elected.”

The impact of BC United suspending its campaign is sweeping. Candidates including Meagan Brame in Esquimalt-Colwood – who decided not to run – have a garage full of signs and merchandise, such as clothing, they bought through campaign donations.

“Whether they want it back or I donate it to a local, you know, shelter, I have a lot of T-shirts and hats I'm sure somebody could wear,” she said Wednesday.

Other former BC United candidates running now as independents, including MLA Tom Shypitka, are forced – under Elections BC rules – to pay BC United a second time for campaign signs if they want to reuse them with the old logo covered to support their runs as independents.

“These nuances that seem to keep coming up all the time seem to be a little frustrating,” he said.

As for Dhaliwal, he says he plans to consider legal options, and says he won't go down without a fight.