Provincial Liberals court Reform MP Scott

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Aboriginal leaders who worry the British Columbia treaty process is on shaky ground because of the NDP's woes got a harrowing new scenario to fret about over the summer.

It came in the form of the election readiness activities of the provincial Liberal party.

Widely seen as the government-in-waiting that will eventually replace the NDP in Victoria, the Liberals are positioned a good distance further to the right than their federal namesakes.

Further evidence of that came with revelations in June that a number of federal Reform MPs are being courted to sign on as high-profile candidates in the coming provincial election.

One of those named in an internal Reform list of MPs at risk of being poached is federal Indian Affairs critic Mike Scott - the leading opponent of the Nisga'a treaty.

Scott's name was also tested around the same time in Liberal-sponsored polling in his Skeena, B.C. riding to determine how he and other local politicians would fare in voters' eyes as the Liberal candidate.

The Liberals confirmed they've thought about Scott as potential candidate material, and Scott confirms he's been approached about the idea.

"I haven't really given it serious consideration,'' Scott said. "Who knows what I might be doing down the road at some point?''

Steve Cook, a local organizer of efforts to unite the right, said Scott - who has twice won his federal seat by healthy margins - would be a great choice to take the presently NDP-held seat.