Series consists of records relating to Ujjal Dosanjh’s early political career in the province of BC. Materials relate to specific campaigns for MLA, NDP leadership, and BC premiership positions in 1979, 1983, 1991, 1996, 2000, and 2001. Also included are a limited range of records generated as cabinet minister and attorney General of BC. Political flyers, memorabilia, correspondence, political statement, notes, memos, campaign platforms, and documents related to his overseas travels in the capacity as a BC politician are contained within the series.
Records detailing the 1978 Vancouver South election by Dosanjh and running mate Jim Duvall encompasses all material related to the campaign. These include writings, election materials, and related correspondence. Dosanjh’s motivations and thoughts are outlined in speech notes, letters of intent, and news releases. Advertisements include professionally printed advertisement flyers, meeting notifications, NDP information booklets, and handmade campaign buttons featuring the face of Ujjal Dosanjh.
The material for the 1983 campaign for Vancouver South with new running mate Joyce Whitman contains advertisement posters, leaflets, and textual documents. These include Dosanjh and Whitman’s candidate nomination forms, election budgets, joint electoral statements, donor and canvasser lists, volunteer information, and handwritten notes regarding political vision. Reference material includes an academic article by John Wood from the Department of Political Science at the University of British Columbia which analyzes the East Indian electoral behaviour in the election in 1979.
1991 Vancouver-Kensington election material includes internal NDP correspondence, a plastic “Elect Ujjal Dosanjh” lawn flag, booklets detailing Dosanjh’s election platform, budget documents, and an extensive list of donor forms and membership lists including a period address book dated from 1980 to 1991.
1996 election campaign material is composed of campaign notes, flyers, fundraising tickets, donor lists and cheque copies.
Records detailing the 2000 NDP leadership campaign and 2001 BC premiership campaign are represented by platform and strategy notes, correspondence, delegate lists, media and advertisements, canvasser information, contact lists, and donor logs.
Congratulatory correspondence regarding Dosanjh’s attorney general appointment, NDP leadership victory, and premiership ascendance are numerous and composed of messages from private individuals, corporations, organizations, and fellow politicians.
Records concerning a political scandal involving BC premier Glen Clark make up a prominent portion of the material related to Dosanjh’s role as Attorney General. An interview transcript with Clark, correspondence, publicly released statements, personal notes, briefing packages, and search warrants make up the contents of the topic.
A collection of election campaign paraphernalia has been complied spanning Dosanjh’s provincial political career from 1979 to 2001. These include buttons, business cards, handouts, pamphlets, and leaflets.
Records related to the Provincial Politics series in the form of contemporary media articles and correspondence may be found in the Media and Publicity series and the General Correspondence series.