Finally a champion for old white guys

We have dueling leadership races underway on the left coast as the BC Liberals and the BC NDP look to replace their leaders. I think the BC Conservatives may have a race too, but no one is paying attention.

While the BC Liberal race has seen a large field of experienced candidates discussing a wide range of policy issues and presenting plans for the future of the province, the BC NDP race has been far more interesting.

First, no one wanted to run, despite the vigour with which a group of dissidents punted former leader Carole James.

Then there was the revelation that an obscure constitutional provision requires their next leader to be a woman. With just weeks to go to sign up members, there were still no committed candidates.

Then there was the entry of Dana Larsen, best known as a semi-controversial marijuana activist, with the backing of Tommy Chong. Yes, that Tommy Chong.

After letting Larsen have the field to himself for a few days, a few more candidates have stepped-up recently. MLA Nicholas Simons has thrown his hat in the ring. One of the anti-James dissidents, I hear he's a nice enough fellow but I don't think he's seen as a contender.

And he was quickly followed by Fraser-Nicola MLA Harry Lali. He had a number of things to say during his event kick-off, but there's one that's getting more of the attention: he wants to be a champion for old white guys.

“Equity quotas are anti-democratic and discriminate, specifically against older, white males,” Harry Lali said during his kickoff speech in Merritt, B.C.

“As leader, I would welcome back older, white males into our NDP family,” he added. “I say to older, white males: ‘Don’t stand outside the tent and complain, come and join my campaign team.’”

I'm a nearing middle age white guy, but I'll be an old white guy soon enough. And I agree, old white men have been excluded from the political process and the corridors of power for far too long! Particularly old white male lawyers. Finally, old white men have a champion. We shall overcome!

Anyway, yes, I agree with Lali as far as the quotas being dumb. But geez, man. Really?

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