Best Parties From This Leadership Weekend

Okay, time to review some of the parties/hospitality suites at this weekend's incredible convention.

Top Parties:

1) Sukh Dhaliwal's Suite at the Delta. Any party with free booze will top this list. Sukh's party was packed, and the room was busy until it got hard to breathe and delegates poured out into the vast Delta Centre-ville Mezzanine (and filled it too).

2) Dr. Ruby Dhalla's Hospitality Suite (Delta Penthouse). The mini-samosas were a hit. Again, an endless supply of free booze was a big part of it - as was the killer view of Montreal.

3) Young Liberals Event (Metropolis Nightclub). Great people meeting event. Not a good booze situation (one drink ticket), but the Young 'uns get much props for the souvenir shot glasses. Any Young Libs party has to make a "top parties" list, and this one definitely does. We closed the joint, and had some great pizza and poutine across the street...

4) Ken Dryden's Suite. Ken Dryden's hospitality suite, Ken Dryden hockey cards, and the man himself (able to sign autographs). Need we say more?

5) Scott Brison's Suite. Scott knows how to party. Let's just leave it at that.

6) Alberta Hospitality Suite. Alberta beef-on-a-bun. Mmmmm...

Honorable Mention:
4) GK's Montreal Smoked Meat Party... Montreal Smoked Meat - need anyone say any more? Unfortunately the meat only lasted the first hour or so, and late arrivals were SOL.

Worst Parties:
(You know who you are). Basically any party with a cash bar falls into this category. I mean c'mon... how the heck are young Liberals expected to survive if they can't get their free food and booze? Hospitality suites are supposed to be "hospitable".

1) Stephane's victory party. What party? Yes there were a lot of Liberals in the hotel, but a lot of GK's supporters stayed at the Hyatt (they had a pretty big party there; some were even talking to other's about Gerard's upcoming run at the leadership). Number one reason this party was a bit of a let-down? No free booze. Note to Stephane's organizers: When you just won the leadership of your party, try being a little Liberal with the booze, or at least have some food in the room... Oh yeah, and open a window... there were as many party-goers in the frigid hotel lobby (trying to cool off), as in the party rooms. One other thing: When rival candidate supporters come to pay tribute to your winner, you don't criticize them for their Iggy or Rae buttons... Just a hint at bridge-building.

2) Bob's W Event. Once again with the cash bar... We know the campaign had cash... Where'd it go (if not for the important thing like swinging delegates with booze)?

Will be reporting "live" from the BC Liberal Convention this upcoming year. Maybe the Alberta Convention (LPCA) and Sask Conventions too...

Cheers!