Kuo is in the race

By Dan Hilborn
Published Feb. 19, 2005


Tony Kuo, the political gadfly whose ambitions were quashed by both the federal liberal party and the B.C. NDP, has finally found a home in B.C.'s newest party.

Kuo was officially nominated as the Democratic Reform B.C. candidate in Burnaby-Willingdon at a meeting attended by 55 people on Wednesday night.

"I'm very excited," Kuo told the Burnaby NOW after his candidacy was formally announced in the B.C. legislature by DRBC leader Tom Morino.

"I'm honoured, I'm humbled and I'm touched," said Kuo, who made national headlines last year during a tear-filled press conference when he accused Prime Minister Paul Martin of practising race-based politics.

"I've been the victim of backroom politics so many times, but enough is enough," Kuo said with obvious emotion in his voice. "This is a party that puts people first."

But while Kuo had apparently signed up hundreds of new members for both the Liberals and NDP over the past year, he downplayed the lack of turnout at his own nominating meeting.

"I'm Mr. Democracy and I respect people's wisdom and conscience," Kuo said. "When I issued my last press release, I liberated my supporters and I want them to make their decisions based on their conscience and interest. Today, I remain the same. Those members who supported me and joined the NDP made their own choices. This is democracy. This is human rights."

DRBC also named its founding president and organizer, Matthew Laird, as its candidate in the Burnaby North riding.

Laird, 26, previously intended to run in New Westminster but said he made the switch to Burnaby North because it is closer to his work at SFU and because he plans to move into the riding in the coming year.

"We are a party that supports social programs and business at the same time," said Laird. "Government is supposed to be a moderator, standing in the middle and listening to all views and setting direction. But we've not had moderate government in B.C. We've had a dictator government for as long as I can remember."

DRBC currently has seven candidates and one sitting member of the legislature, former B.C. Liberal Elayne Brenzinger, who was forced to quit that party last year after refusing to substantiate serious allegations she made against one of her former colleagues.

Laird said the DRBC currently has about 30 potential candidates lined up to run around the province, and he fully expects the party to be able to nominate a full slate of 79 candidates.