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The Hill Times
| July 24, 2000 | BACK | NEXT
Doug Young back in the Liberal fold
Former minister says he's back but not to
run
Young says odds are slim about being a candidate in next election
Angelo Persichilli and Mike Scandiffio
The
Hill Times
Doug Young is back in the Liberal Party after
renouncing his Canadian Alliance membership but he stated he is not
planning to run for the Liberals in the next election..
The former New Brunswick minister was a political troubleshooter for
the prime minister in the last government before being defeated in the 1997
election. Mr. Young was ousted from the party after he joined the Canadian
Alliance and supported leadership candidate Tom Long's campaign earlier
this spring.
But The former minister, famous for his aggressive partisan attacks
in the House, received a new membership at a surprise 60th birthday party
at his cottage in New Brunswick two weeks ago.
Liberal Party president Stephen LeDrew signed the membership card after
being approached by Toronto Liberal MP Dennis Mills.
Mills, a long-time friend for the former minister, said the party's
reaction to Mr. Young throwing his support behind Mr. Long's leaderhsip bid
"blew the whole thing out of proportion."
"A number of us who are elected have friends in all
parties" said Mr. Mills.
The Toronto MP defended Mr. Young's record as a minister, saying
"I can't think of any Liberal minister who has done more for the
economic revitalization of Atlantic Canada."
Mr. Mills who describes himself as a centralist said he and Mr. Young
have disagreed over the role of government but adds that the New Brunswick
minister played a key role for the party and the government.
"The prime minister gave him the tough dirty jobs to clean up
the mess in many ministries," he said. "You cannot deny the
history of Doug Young's history within the party."
Mr. Young was made defence minister after David Collenette stepped
down from cabinet over questions of political interference.
Party President Stephen LeDrew said he signed the membership after he
received assurances that Mr. Young had given up his Alliance membership.
"I told Dennis Mills I wanted to see proof," said Mr.
LeDrew.
Mr. Mills said he gave the party president his word that Mr. Young
had renounced his Alliance membership.
"I've committed 20 years to the party, if my word wasn't good
enough then I'm not a Liberal," he said.
Mr. Mills gave Mr. Young the membership tucked inside a book of
essays on liberal economist John Kenneth Galbraith.
He said Mr. Young, known for his fiscal conservatism laughed at the
irony when he received it in front of 300 guests. Mr. Young is now a member
of Mr. Mills' newly-named riding association for Toronto-Danforth
The support for Mr. Long had angered several Liberals who saw it as a
betrayal. Toronto MP John Godfrey (Don Valley West, Ont.) took a jibe the
former minister in caucus, saying he hoped Mr. Young would bring the
Alliance the same kind of success in Atlantic Canada in the next election
as he brought the Liberals in 1997.
Mr. Young said he was told by one long-time Liberal that he did not
lose or gain friends with his support of Mr. Long but it did embolden
critics to speak out publicly against him.
Mr. Young said receiving the party membership left him "feeling
comforted" and described it as "a bridge to establish normal
relations' with former colleagues.
He maintains that his support for Mr. Long was support for a friend
in a leadership race and remains a Liberal. He said his decision has
affected his relationship with his colleagues, especially the prime
minister.
"I think the prime minister was upset with me, I know he was
upset," he said, adding that he has not spoken to the him since his
controversial decision to support Mr. Long's leadership bid.
"I look forward to speaking to him again," said Mr. Young.
Some believe that the decision to accept Mr. Young within the Liberal
family has also a lot to do with the concerns the party has about its
fortunes in Atlantic Provinces. Before his fall-out with the party, there
was speculation about Mr. Young running in the Ottawa riding of Carleton
Gloucester if the current Liberal MP Eugene Bellemare decided not to run
again.
Mr. Mills speculated that Mr. Young would run in the next election
and may even have leadership aspirations.
However, Mr. Young told The
Hill Times that he is not
pursing another run at the House of Commons.
"No, I have not thought about an election. The prime minister
was very generous to me giving me three portfolios in the years but it is hard
on the family," said Mr. Young who was first elected to the New
Brunswick legislature in 1978 and to the House of Commons in 1988.
"I really have worked extremely hard at putting together a
return to law."
Mr. Young has joined the New Brunswick law firm of Patterson, Palmer,
Hunt and Murphy and heads a lobbying firm, Summa Strategies with former New
Brunswick MP Paul Zed.
He would not completely close the door to a return saying "the
odds are slim" that he would run again.
"The only reason why I leave a sliver of hope is that I have
been in politics too long to say never. "I cant say there under no
circumstances, that no matter what I won't go back. But it is a very tiny
sliver."
As far as the unofficial leadership race which has been bubbling on
in the Liberal Party, Mr. Young said the prime minister has earned the
right to decided what he wants to do.
"I'll support his decision 100 per cent," said Mr. Young.
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