upon appointment, dyck wished to sit as a new democratic party senator, but ndp spokesperson karl belanger immediately indicated that the party would not recognize her as a member of the ndp caucus: as the party platform specifically favours abolition of the senate, it refused to confer legitimacy on the body by accepting dyck; additionally, dyck's membership in the ndp was revealed to have lapsed. under the rules of the senate, senators are free to designate themselves however they see fit, and dyck changed her designation to say "independent new democratic party". on january 15, 2009, she joined the liberal senate caucus.