Thursday, July 6 2006 10:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ottawa: Sukh Dhaliwal, the Indo-Canadian member of parliament, has thrown his support behind Michael Ignatieff in the latter's bid for the Liberal Party's leadership post.

According to media reports, Dhaliwal, a Liberal MP from the Newton-North Delta electoral district in Canada's British Columbia province, announced his support for Ignatieff, thereby giving the latter a vital link to the politically active Indo-Canadian community.

There are over 850,000 people of Indian origin in Canada.

Dhaliwal had earlier supported Toronto MP Joe Volpe's candidacy for the post but later withdrew following reports that Volpe had received thousands of dollars in contributions from children.

A report in the Vancouver Sun newspaper quoted Dhaliwal as saying that Ignatieff understood the issues that matter most to me and my community - modern urban infrastructure, sound fiscal management, accessible health care and reducing youth violence.

Dhaliwal will be Ignatieff's regional chairman for western Canada in the countdown to the second ballot from November 29 to December 3 at the party's leadership convention in Montreal.

According to the Vancouver Sun, Dhaliwal also said that Ignatieff also knew that transforming the country's immigration system was the key to Canadian success in an increasingly competitive world.

On his part, Ignatieff said that Dhaliwal's support meant a great deal to him.

"I welcome his sound advice and counsel, as well as his influence as a community leader in B.C. (British Columbia) and beyond," the Sun report quoted Ignatieff as saying in a statement.

Ignatieff,a scholar and a novelist, had a weak organisation in British Columbia and Dhaliwal's support is being seen as crucial in the run-up to the party elections.

The Liberal Party had a leadership crisis after former Prime Minister Paul Martin stepped down from the party leader's post following the Liberals' embarrassing defeat in the country's federal elections in January this year.

Martin handed over the reins to Bill Graham on March 18, who has been serving as the party's interim leader since then.

Apart from Ignatieff, 10 others are in the fray for the party leadership's post.