Election day in Ontario in 1985. On the way into a candidate’s campaign headquarters, Liberal Leader David Peterson’s executive assistant was leaving and we stopped to chat. There was no pussy-footing about the situation. “First thing tomorrow morning, you have to arrange a meeting with NDP Leader Bob Rae.” He
Continue readingTag: Liberal Party
Babel-on-the-Bay: Ontario can have a two-day budget day.
Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa hardly needs us to tell him what to do. Premier Wynne put Ed Clark of TD Bank in charge. That way, she tells Clark and Clark tells Sousa. No comments from the cheap seats are allowed. But do they have any idea of how long
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: We’re having a ‘Be Kind to Stephen Harper Month!’
At a recent meeting of the Broadbent Institute supposed communication experts were telling the New Democrats that they should not keep up the incessant attacks on the Conservative government. It is not that they are feeling sorry for the bastards. They just feel that those who oppose the Conservatives need
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Who leads Canada’s progressives?
Canadian media are a lazy bunch. They follow the paths of least resistance and false assumptions. Take this past week when some supposed progressives were gathered at the Broadbent Institute in Ottawa for its Progress Summit. The one question that was never answered was ‘Who were the Liberal Progressives at
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Laurie Blakeman Takes a Symbolic Step…in the Wrong Direction
Crikey! On Friday Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman announced that she’ll be running as a candidate for the Liberals, the Alberta Party and the Greens in the upcoming election… …and on Sunday Ms Soapbox announced to her dad that she’d joined the NDP. He swears he’ll never speak to her again.
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta Politics: Maverick MLA Laurie Blakeman accepts Liberal, Green and Alberta Party nominations
Fresh from her big victory in Alberta’s Gay-Straight Alliances debate, Edmonton-Centre Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman announced this morning that she has accepted the nominations to be a candidate for the Liberal Party, Alberta Party AND Green Party in the upcoming provincial election. With these three nominations, she hopes to… Continue Reading →
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Interview with Colin Smith, LPC Nomination Contestant for Carleton
I’ve not done one of these in awhile, but today, we have an interview with Colin Smith, an LPC nomination contestant in the riding of Carleton, a riding that was abolished in 1966 but re-created by the boundary re-distribution in 2012. It will be where Pierre Poilievre, a Conservative on
Continue readingHarper outmaneuvers Trudeau on Bill C-51
If any political party ought to oppose Bill C-51, it’s the Liberal Party. After all, it’s liberal values that the Bill threatens to erode. And yet, Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau has decided to support it. He wants some changes, and if the Conservatives don’t make them, he will …
Continue readingYappa Ding Ding: Let’s send Bardish to Ottawa!
This is my official endorsement for the Waterloo Liberal Riding Association candidate to stand in the next federal election. I’m rooting for Ms. Bardish Chagger.
Bardish is an amazing person and an incredible asset to our community. She has done everything – really – go see her web site for all the details (bardishchagger.ca). Most recently she served, for the last four years, as president of the Waterloo Federal Liberal Association (WFLA, formerly the KWFLA).
When Bardish talks about the five years she worked as Executive Assistant to Andrew Telegdi when he was our MP, she says, “I learned about the work of an MP, but most of all, I learned the value of helping constituents surmount their challenges. Inclusiveness, community building and social justice are at the heart of my work and of my volunteer and Liberal Party involvement – all of which position me to help return the Liberals to Ottawa.”
What mostly impresses me about Bardish is her leadership ability: she draws people in, motivates, makes them part of the community. And she does it non-stop, year after year. I have interacted with her at LPC(0) AGMs, on the KWFLA board, in election campaigns, and many other places, and I have always been impressed. I don’t know if her political ability is natural or learned, but she has it in spades.
I really like both of the other candidates (Dan Herman and Cathy MacLellan) and I wish them all the best, but Bardish is the best choice, by a mile, in my opinion.
The nomination meeting will be held on Sunday, February 22 from 4 pm to 7 pm at the Waterloo Inn (475 King St. N.). To vote, you must be a member of the Liberal party by now. Details are here: waterloo.liberal.ca/nomination
Continue readingYappa Ding Ding: Let’s send Bardish to Ottawa!
This is my official endorsement for the Waterloo Liberal Riding Association candidate to stand in the next federal election. I’m rooting for Ms. Bardish Chagger. Bardish is an amazing person and an incredible asset to our community. She has done everything – really – go see her web site for
Continue readingYappa Ding Ding: Let’s send Bardish to Ottawa!
This is my official endorsement for the Waterloo Liberal Riding Association candidate to stand in the next federal election. I’m rooting for Ms. Bardish Chagger. Bardish is an amazing person and an incredible asset to our community. She has done everything – really – go see her web site for
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: They’ve Already Shown You Their True Colours. And You’ll Vote for Them, Why?
My party has only one voice in Parliament but it’s a voice against which all the rest are to be measured and, when you do that, you get to see them clearly for what they are, their true colours. In today’s Toronto Star, columnist Tom Walkom calls out Mulcair and
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Adam Vaughan, Scott Simms visit #Brant; charity walk response
Last week, Liberal MP’s were out and about in Southern Ontario prior to the re-opening of the last session of Parliament before the next election, and in Brantford-Brant, 2 MP’s dropped by to visit with voters on issues and to support Danielle Takacs, Brantford-Brant Liberal candidate. The first MP to
Continue readingThe Progressive Right: Jennifer O’Connell for the Liberal Party Nomination, Pickering-Uxbridge ( #lpc #cdnpoli )
Pickering-Uxbridge will be holding the Liberal Party nomination on January 29th at the Pickering Recreation Complex [meeting notice, PDF]. There are three contestants seeking the nomination.I am supporting Jennifer O’Connell and think Jennifer would be…
Continue readingThe Progressive Right: Jennifer O’Connell for the Liberal Party Nomination, Pickering-Uxbridge ( #lpc #cdnpoli )
Pickering-Uxbridge will be holding the Liberal Party nomination on January 29th at the Pickering Recreation Complex [meeting notice, PDF]. There are three contestants seeking the nomination. I am supporting Jennifer O’Connell and think Jennifer would be a tremendous representative for Pickering-Uxbridge and a great addition to Justin Trudeau’s team as
Continue readingThe Progressive Right: Jennifer O’Connell for the Liberal Party Nomination, Pickering-Uxbridge ( #lpc #cdnpoli )
Pickering-Uxbridge will be holding the Liberal Party nomination on January 29th at the Pickering Recreation Complex [meeting notice, PDF]. There are three contestants seeking the nomination. I am supporting Jennifer O’Connell and think Jennifer would be a tremendous representative for Pickering-Uxbridge and a great addition to Justin Trudeau’s team as
Continue readingCuriosityCat: Mulcair leads the way to a more democratic Canada
Mulcair: The man who would bring democracy to Canada Thomas Mulcair, that very capable MP who is leader of the NDP, has publicly committed himself to remedy our democratic deficit, as this post indicates. Mulcair is to be commended for two things. First, for signing the Fair Vote Canada declaration
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Pre-emptive pre-writ Liberal strike – radio style.
This got released yesterday on the radio. A nice little ad on the radio explaining why the Liberal Party is opposed to income splitting. Personally, I’m pleased to see we’re starting to fight fire with fire vis-a-vis the pre-writ campaign ads that the Conservatives have mastered in their attacking Stephane
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Canvassing in Whitby-Oshawa with Celina Caesar-Chavannes
This past Saturday, I had the privilege to be part of a small group to travel to Whitby-Oshawa and visit Celina Caesar-Chavannes campaign office (there was a bit of pre-travel angst on how I was getting there, but it worked out, thanks to a couple of understanding people). Celina is
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Interview with LPC nomination contestant Joy Davies – South Surrey-White Rock
Here is another in a series of interviews that Liberal candidates or nomination contestants have done with me; this time it is with Joy Davies, a Liberal nomination contestant in the BC riding of South Surrey-White Rock. I thank her for participating and giving Liberals out there and nationally her
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