Post-pride nomination news

http://www.mississauganews.com/news/article/80394--khan-calls-it-quits

Not a huge shock coming out of Mississauga-Streetsville for the Tories, with Liberal turned Conservative turned independent turned Conservative MP Wajid Khan declaring he will not be running again. With city councillor Sue McFadden declared for the Tory nomination, which will be held very shortly, on Sept. 11th, and McFadden apparently getting the nod from Harper himself, Khan wouldn't have much a chance. Khan apparently was present at the big Tory training conference a little while back, which fueled rumours he was looking to run again, but I think barring anything unexpected McFadden will win the nomination.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/56397322.html
Sticking with the Conservatives and city councillors, John Koury, a North Cowichan councillor, won the contested Conservative nomination for the riding of Nanaimo-Cowichan, currently held by the NDP's Jean Crowder.

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/la-tribune/estrie/200908/31/01-897520-amiante-le-candidat-liberal-de-megantic-lerable-se-desiste.php
And the Liberals have lost a candidate in Quebec. Marc Giroux, who had been nominated in Mégantic-L'Érable, has withdrawn his candidacy in protest of Ignatieff speaking out about stoping Canada exporting asbestos, which is a major local issue and employer in the riding, as well as having symbolic influence across Quebec. Giroux said:

"I must be honest with myself, my family and my region. I can not support the position of Liberal Party on asbestos...For Thetfordois including myself, is a highly emotional issue because it affects us at the very root of what we are, the fundamental reason to exist in this city."

Both Tory incumbant and Quebec Lt. Christian Paradis and Bloc Quebecois have defended the exportation of asbestos since Ignatieff's remarks.

"69 is a Liberal position"

Had a great time today at the Ottawa Pride Parade. Having been to a few Toronto Pride Parades, but sadly missing the one this year, it was great to get a chance to celebrate the diversity of Ottawa, and to proudly represent the Liberal Party and the Scott Bradley nomination campaign. The crowd loved the "69 is a Liberal position" signs, with us in the parade leading quite a number of "69! 69!" chants. The local Greens and NDP also had a showing, although shockingly, simply shockingly, I didn't see the Conservatives, either federally or provincially, have a showing. The federal Tories I can understand not wanting to show their faces after the Pride-gate fiasco, but considering the PC's are running an out lesbian in a by-election right now, I kinda figured they would at least have something. Oh well.

After the parade I headed over to a Liberal Helpings BBQ hosted by Scott Bradley, and in addition to being inspired by the words of Michael Ignatieff, we enjoyed some delicious food. The nomination date apparently announced soon, with plenty more local campaign events to come.

Pre-pride week nomination news

http://www.mississauganews.com/news/article/79398--mcfadden-to-run-for-tories

Some Mississauga news, with city councillor Sue McFadden going after the Tory nod for Mississauga-Streetsville, the former riding of floor crossing MP Wajid Khan, who was defeated by Liberal Bonnie Crombie in last year's election. Mississauga municipal politics tend to be pretty incumbant friendly, so it is interesting that McFadden, who is a newish councillor, would be making the jump away from municipal politics so soon. McFadden's campaign is also using the employ of Brad Butt, an old figure in Mississauga conservative circles, who ran as the Alliance candidate in Mississauga South in 2000, and was one of the figures going after the PC nod in Mississauga South last time around before Tim Peterson was handed the nomination by John Tory after crossing the floor. I also like how McFadden basically admits that the Tories only funnel money into ridings they hold:

"In the three years on Council I saw we were getting only scraps from the provincial and federal governments. I look at what Bob Dechert (Tory MP for Mississauga-Erindale, elected in 2008) has been able to deliver and I realized that I can better contribute to my community if I’m in Ottawa.”

Yeah, how dare the people of Mississauga South/East-Cooksville/Streetsville/Malton expect the government to help them in the recession when they dared to not vote Conservative. What do they think a recession is, an opportunity for the Conservatives to actually demonstrate that some things are more important that politics?

A commenter on the article I thought also made a funny point:

"McFadden: "I’m 52 years old, I maybe have eight more years of working.", clearly they aren't cut from the same cloth as Hazel."


http://www.markdalestandard.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1720906

Outside the GTA, the mayor of Brockton, Charlie Bagnato, will go after the Liberal nomination in Huron-Bruce. The seat had been held by socially conservative Liberal MP Paul Steckle but it was lost after Steckle retired to Tory Ben Lobb. Clinton doctor Martin Bokhout and internet school principle Deb Homouth are also seeking the Liberal nod.

Pre-weekend nomination news

http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1720178

Sudbury Liberals held a nomination meeting last night, which was won by Carol Hartman, a lawyer and Sudbury Regional Hospital board of directors chair. Sudbury was a long-time Liberal stronghold, but narrowly fell to the NDP last election.

http://www.northumberlandview.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=PagEd&file=index&topic_id=1&page_id=8138
A nomination date of September 10th has been called for the Liberal race in Northumberland-Quinte West. Christine Herrington, Andrew McFadyen and Kim Rudd are the candidates.

http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1718812

Another northern Ontario riding has a Liberal candidate, with François Cloutier winning a 4 way fight for the nomination.

http://www.eastottawa.ca/article-370903-Liberal-nomination-meeting-on-horizon.html
Right here in Ottawa a nomination date has been set, with Ottawa-Orleans Liberals picking between Coun. Rainer Bloess, lawyer David Bertschi and entrepreneur Judith Cane for the Liberal nomination on September 10th. I'm pulling for Cane.

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-nouvelliste/actualites/200908/28/01-896608-coderre-courtise-proulx-qui-refuse.php
According to this article, France Beaulieu won the Liberal nomination for Saint-Maurice-Champlain which was held a few days ago. The main thrust of the article, however, is that former ADQ House Leader Sébastien Proulx, who had been wooed by Denis Coderre and the Liberals. The article also says that despite Coderre's wooing, the local Liberal association in Trois-Rivières would be opposed to him as a candidate, are organizing a nomination run by riding association president Jean Boulet. 2008 candidate and Young Liberal Marcos Simard is also interested in running again.

http://www.lhebdodustmaurice.com/article-i364278-Ronald-SaintOnge-Lynch-sera-candidat-independant.html
Back to Saint-Maurice-Champlain, 2008 Liberal candidate Ronald St-Onge Lynch is indeed planning to run as an independent.

http://btn.meteomedia.ca/weatherbuttons/template5.php?placeCode=CAON0300&category0=Cities&containerWidth=150&btnNo=&backgroundColor=blue&multipleCity=0&citySearch=0&celsiusF=C
Returning to eastern Ontario, the 4 way Liberal nomination in Glengarry-Prescott-Russell will be settled on September 3rd. Russell mayor Ken Hill, party activist Maryanne Kampouris, assisstant crown attorney for L'Orignal Julie Bourgeois, and Hawkesbury councilman Gilles Roch Greffe are competting for the nomination. I have endorsed Ms. Bourgeois.

Gary Doer to be new US ambassador

http://www.cjob.com/News/Local/Story.aspx?ID=1133974

The official word should be coming in the next hour or so. Of course, what is interesting will be to see how long Doer stays US ambassador, or if/when Layton steps down as NDP leader if he will go after the federal leadership. I can see Doer becoming the Frank McKenna of the NDP, the highly respected former Premier who everyone thinks would be a great party leader but for personal reasons never goes after the job.

Ps: I ended up going to Montreal after all, just in case any of you readers were following that sub-plot.

Non-Montreal trip nomination news

I ended up not going to Montreal due to a cold, but at least I can provide you readers with nomination updates.

http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1716061

2008 Liberal candidate Betsy McGregor will once again run in Peterborough, having been acclaimed.

http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1715805

A contested Liberal nomination in Niagara Falls, however, as 2008 candidate Joyce Morocco, and local lawyer Bev Hodgson will compete. The winner will face Justice Minister Rob Nicholson, one of the more experienced Conservative MP's, who was originally elected as a Mulroney PC in 1984 and served until being defeated in 1993. Nicholson attempted to get back into Parliament in 1997 but was unsuccessful, but managed to get back in his next time around, in 2004.

No news source for this one, but the Laurier-Sainte Marie Liberals have their nomination meeting tomorrow, and while the riding association had put out feelers to several candidates (including a rumour that former PQ leader Andre Boisclair was "open" to running), only one candidate put his name forward, Philippe Allard, so he looks to be acclaimed.

http://www.lavantage.qc.ca/200908266051/actualites/claude_guimond_se_tient_pret.html
A couple tidbits from Rimouski-Neigette-Temiscouata-Les Basques in this article. 2008 Tory candidate Gaston Noel, a local mayor, has not ruled out running again, while Guy Caron, who has ran for the NDP in the riding in the last three election, will not be running.

http://www.lanouvelle.net/article-370145-Kaven-Mathieu-reagit-aux-propos-de-Michael-Ignatieff.html
The BQ have picked a candidate to go against Christian Paradis in Mégantic – L'Érable, Kaven Mathieu. The riding has shifted from Liberal to BQ to Conservative since it's creation.


http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=2244638688
Shifting back to Ontario, Punditsguide.ca reported that former Liberal MP Susan Kadis would not be running again in Thornhill, and a possible candidate has emerged, with Kadis' Facebook group being renamed in support of Dr. Karen Mock, who has been heavily involved and recognized for her work with anti-racism campaigns.

Quebec Liberal news

http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/est-quebec/2009/08/25/007-candidats_scrutin_fed_bas_st_l.shtml

2008 Liberal candidate Jean Bouchard says he is leaning toward running again in Montmagny – L'Islet – Kamouraska – Rivière-du-Loup, one of 3 (soon to be 4) vacant ridings. The article also says that local BQ organizers are "currently seeking a candidate to succeed outgoing MP Paul Crête", which could be a sign that Crete is not going to attempt to gain his nomination back after failing to be elected as the PQ candidate in the Rivere-du-Loup by-election.

The article also mentions 2008 Liberal candidate Pierre Béland as being interested in running again in the area riding of Rimouski-Neigette – Témiscouata – Les Basque.

http://www.quebechebdo.com/article-370057-Anne-Gagne-sera-candidate-du-PLC-pour-Quebec.html

This article says that nutritionist Anne Gagne is likely to be the Liberal candidate for the riding of Quebec, in contradiction to a report in Le Soleil a few days ago that former provincial Liberal minister Jean Leclerc was still considering a run.

Jack doesn't look so happy

Whats the matter Jack, selling out got you down?

Nomination news, pre-going to Montreal edition

I'll be in Montreal for a day and a half starting tomorrow, so lets cover some stuff while we can.

http://www.cnw.ca/fr/releases/archive/August2009/25/c7179.html
The Berthier-Maskinongé Liberal nomination meeting will be tonight, and I believe former Liberal MNA Francine Gaudet will be acclaimed.

http://www.guidemtlnord.com/article-369826-Vers-la-mairie-de-MontrealNord-ou-la-retraite.html
This article mentions a candidate for the Liberal nomination in Outremont I hadn't seen before, Comlan Amouzou. Some quick googling tells me he is the President of "Doctors of Elsewhere" (My French, while improving, isn't good enough to get a better translation than the one Google Translate gave me) which is an NGO dedicated to lobbying for foreign trained medical professionals.

http://rabble.ca/babble/central-canada/st-pauls-2nd
According to this thread on rabble, former BC Green leader Stuart Parker, who was narrowly defeated for the provincial NDP nomination for the St. Paul's by-election, says that a run for the federal nomination in the same riding has has "been under discussion."

Ignatieff doesn't visit the NWT to not welcome a star candidate, as polls don't show a dead heat

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2009/08/24/nwt-ignatieff-handley.html
http://www.winnipegsun.com/news/canada/2009/08/24/10590246.html

I think these two articles definately continue to feed the meme that Ignatieff hasn't been outside Ottawa, that candidate recruitment is bad, and that the Tories have a big lead, of course.

Far too early in the morning nomination news

Can't sleep, might as well blog. New developments in the GTA(ish) and the Greater Montreal area.

http://www.hilltimes.com/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=2009/august/24/turner/&c=2
In Dufferin-Caledon, it would seem previously declared candidate, riding association president Jeff May, has withdrawn from the race, with Garth Turner saying he said he would not run on the 6th, as well as pulling his website down. Barring another challenger, this leaves Turner with a clear run at the Liberal nomination for what has turned into a seemingly fairly safe Tory riding.

http://fr.canoe.ca/infos/quebeccanada/archives/2009/08/20090823-192154.html
In Saint Lambert, 2008 candidate Roxanne Stanners was acclaimed as Liberal candidate for the next election. SL was one the ridings that was to have a by-election but got wrapped up into the general election, and it is rumoured that a disapointing Tory finish in the by-elections was one of the reasons for Harper calling a snap election. The results of the federal election lend a bit of backing to this idea, and Stanners finished a strong 2nd, under 10% behind the successful BQ candidate, while the Conservatives nearly slipped to 4th. The riding is one the Liberals are definately looking at as a potential gain.

Impressive endorsements for Scott Bradley

This taken from a Facebook note:

August 23, 2009"I had never been involved in the political process until I signed up to support Scott Bradley in the 2007 nomination. Like many of Scott's supporters, I actively supported Penny Collenette in the last election campaign, and put a Liberal sign on my lawn for the first time. This time around, I look forward to seeing Scott's name on that sign. Scott's passion for our community is infectious, and his energy is enough to win over even the most cynical voter. Scott will be a great MP for Ottawa Centre."
Patricia Barr, Director of Community Relations, Wallspace Gallery; Member, St. George's School Parent Council

Friends,This is just a short note to let you know this is the final weekend to join the Liberal Party in order to be eligible to vote for the next Federal Liberal Candidate here in Ottawa Centre. All new and renewing members must be signed up by Monday, August 24th.

I am proud to work, volunteer and coach alongside so many of you. It's been energizing to meet new supporters over the course of this campaign, to hear about the issues that matter to you most, and to see how many people are excited about supporting me and getting involved in the future of Ottawa Centre.

My campaign embraces the spirit and interests of residents in this community. This is a race not just for the Liberal nomination, but for the restoration of a Liberal M.P. representing Ottawa Centre in Parliament. It is about who is best able to connect with the thousands of people in this community that have left the Liberal Party in recent years.

As one of Canada's most diverse ridings, we must bring a mix of voices back to the Liberal party. This means reaching out to parents with young families, seniors, small-business owners, young and established professionals, the GLBT community, members of the growing communities of new Canadians, as well as long-time Liberals who have seen both the good times and the tough times in this riding.

This is a formula that has worked well in Ottawa Centre for Paul Dewar and the NDP. As your candidate, I will work to win back every corner of our riding for Liberals and the liberal-minded people of Ottawa Centre. We need to convince voters who haven't been voting Liberal to change their minds-and change their votes. Liberals win Ottawa Centre federally and provincially when we present hard-working, grassroots candidates who reach out to all of these communities.

Ottawa Centre needs a solid, committed and hard-working candidate that can relate to the average voter and fight for their issues; I believe that I am the only Liberal candidate who offers a new and viable option for voters in this next election.

Please read on below for a sampling of people who support my campaign. Some may be names you recognize, others are people you will encounter on the street, behind the counter, as a signature on a painting at a local gallery, or at the arena on a Saturday morning. Some of these individuals are people who haven't voted Liberal the past few elections, but who believe in my campaign and in the direction we want to take this riding.

Many thanks for your support - I look forward to when we next meet!

Scott

Please encourage your friends and neighbours to join the growing number of supporters of Scott Bradley's campaign: sign up before Monday, August 24th at www.votescottbradley.ca!

Here's what residents of Ottawa Centre are saying about Scott Bradley:

"I am proud to endorse Scott Bradley in his bid for the Liberal Candidate nomination for Ottawa Centre. I identify with Scott's desire to create a stronger vision for Ottawa and the National Capital Region, and as a small business owner I have seen the changes in both the size and demographics of Ottawa. Change is needed to allow our community to remain vibrant, and Scott is the best candidate to bridge old traditions and new visions in Ottawa Centre."

Monica Gallivan, Owner, Red Chair Kids, Wellington West Business Area

"I have known Scott for many years. I know first hand of his commitment to the Liberal Party of Canada through his years of working on many national and local campaigns. He is a tireless campaigner and a strong and vocal proponent of liberal principles and the Liberal Party. I am also very familiar with his commitment to his family and this community. A respected business person, Scott is a passionate advocate for positive change, a local coach and volunteer, and a generous musician whose talents benefit many local charities."

Herb Metcalfe,Ottawa Centre Liberal

"I ardently support Scott Bradley for the Ottawa-Centre Federal Liberal nomination. Scott is a hard working grassroots Liberal with strong connections to our community. His fresh ideas and new approaches enable him to connect with the current and next generation of voters in Ottawa-Centre, representing a strong Liberal alternative to Paul Dewar."

Mackenzie Johnson, Youth Chair, Ottawa-Centre Federal Liberal Association; Membership Secretary, Ottawa-Centre Provincial Liberal Association; Past-President, Ottawa-Centre Federal Young Liberals; Past-President, University of Ottawa Young Liberals

"I am supporting Scott Bradley to be the Liberal candidate for Ottawa Centre because I believe he has the personality, drive and ability to win back the riding. As co-chair of the last campaign I know how hard this fight will be. Scott is politically astute, committed to Liberal principles, knowledgeable about and involved with riding issues, and an experienced campaigner. If our goal is to win the riding, Scott is the candidate to do it."
Pat O'Brien, Grandfather; former Co-chair, Penny Collenette Campaign and Financial Agent for the Ottawa Centre Federal Liberal Association

"As Treasurer of the Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Association, I strongly endorsed Scott Bradley as our new Association President. While working with him on Association matters, I have never had reason to doubt that decision. He cares about the neighbourhood I live in, the city that I live in and the country that I live in. He is engaged, concerned and involved in issues that are important to all Canadians. I intend to actively campaign on his behalf in his run for the Liberal nomination in Ottawa Centre. I am very proud to support him."

Sara Nixon, Treasurer, Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Association

"Having worked on countless campaigns and party fundraisers with Scott, I have absolutely no reservations about endorsing him as the candidate. Scott is exactly the type of person that Canadian politics is in need of."

Hon. Joe Jordan P.C., Former MP for Leeds-Grenville; Ottawa Centre resident

"Scott embodies the spirit and drive that we need for a vibrant riding like Ottawa Centre. I believe that his friendly down-to-earth nature is exactly what the voters in this riding are looking for."Jay Lawrence, CEO, Infonium Inc.; 2009 OBJ Forty under 40 Recipient

"Anyone who knows the riding of Ottawa Centre knows just how dynamic its voters are; they demand the best and they deserve the best. With this in mind, I knew right away that Scott Bradley was the right candidate to represent the Liberals. Scott knows and understands our riding because he has dedicated his time to getting to know Ottawa Centre. He has been working with us on the ground on many election campaigns and has a close and personal relationship with the voters in this riding. I am extremely proud to support someone as dedicated and genuine as Scott Bradley, and as a fellow campaigner and friend, I know he will represent the riding well as the Liberal Candidate and future MP."

Danielle McGeeVice-President Organization Ottawa Centre Federal Liberal Association; Executive Vice-President, Ottawa Centre Federal Young Liberal Association; Canvass Manager, Penny Collenette Campaign 2008; Candidate Aide, Yasir Naqvi Campaign 2007

"While I always strive to make an informed choice in elections, I have never gotten involved in politics or committed myself to a particular party. Now I am joining the Liberal Party of Canada for the first time in support of Scott's campaign. I look forward to volunteering for Scott and the Liberal Party in the next election. His is the kind of voice that this riding and this country need."
James McClure, Doctoral candidate, University of Ottawa; new Ottawa Centre resident"

I have known Scott for a number of years and I find his energy and passion with regard to the public good indispensable to the new politics that Liberals will herald. Scott will be a great, knowledgeable and accessible MP for Ottawa Centre."
Jide Afolabi, Lawyer, Aboriginal Negotiations and International Trade

"Scott is passionate, energetic, and most importantly a loyal person who is always willing to contribute to the community. He accurately represents the new direction of the Liberal Party rather than part of the old establishment. He is committed to educating others on the issues of the Liberal Party and the relevance and importance of these issues to our everyday lives."
Donna Matheson, Community Volunteer and local Recreation Centre Board Member

"I know Scott Bradley to be a passionate, hard-working and honest man and as such he is the candidate that can win back Ottawa Centre for the Liberal Party. Scott cares deeply for the community and has a unique ability to communicate across generations and demographics to connect will people from all walks of life."
Jason Bellaire, Owner, J-Squared Design; Member, Board of Directors, Hintonburg Community Association; Community Outreach Director, Little Voice Big Sound

"Scott Bradley has always shown a genuine appreciation of the arts. I am always grateful for his encouragement and interest in my own artwork, and the work of all Canadian artists. It is the supportive voice this growing artistic community needs."
Andrew King, Local Artist; Ottawa Centre resident

"As the owner of a small business in the heart of Ottawa Centre ... I can with confidence speak to the exceptional character and dynamic energy Scott brings to the table. As a father and socially conscious member of this community, I believe Scott Bradley is a person who has led by example and can't wait to see him at the helm as the Liberals represent Ottawa Centre through this next election."
Sean Copeland, Owner and 4th generation licensed funeral director, The Whelan Funeral Home

"Scott cares about his community and encourages his friends and colleagues to do the same. Whether he's coaching at the local hockey rink or soccer field or performing music for charity, Scott strives to make Ottawa Centre a better place for us all to live."

Sandra Gage, Director of Business Development, Canadian Soccer Association; Ottawa Centre resident.

"I believe Scott-as a devoted father, volunteer and coach-is well connected to the issues and concerns of the residents of Ottawa-Centre. The Liberals need a new face and a new voice, and I believe Scott will be a solid candidate for us in the next election."
Chris Ralph, Policy Director, Ottawa-Centre Federal Young Liberals; Director, Carleton University Young Liberals

www.votescottbradley.ca

The increasingly important Liberal Scarf nomination updates

I was at the Scott Bradley event this morning (more on that later) and I had someone come up and tell me they read my blog actively. I've been getting more and more of this lately, apparently a number of people in the OLO read my blog to keep tabs on nomination news, so in order to continue that service, here we go:

http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1711549

Out of Eastern Ontario, Pembroke lawyer Christine Tabbert has declared for the Liberal nomination in Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke. The article mistakenly says Tory incumbant and uber-social conservative Cheryl Gallant is a 3-term MP, she is actually a 4 term MP, being originally elected for the Canadian Alliance in 2000, one of only 2 Ontario seats the Alliance won.

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-droit/actualites/gatineau-outaouais/200908/21/01-894810-la-campagne-federale-se-prepare-sur-le-terrain-a-gatineau.php
Across the Ottawa River in Gatineau, former Liberal MP turned NPD candidate turned President of the NDP-Quebec section Françoise Boivin says that although her nomination has not been formalized, they are waiting for a "strategic moment". Boivin has long been rumoured to be running again, and this would seem to be another confirmation.

News outta BC

http://www2.canada.com/northshorenews/news/story.html?id=4a0a77fd-e7d1-4167-a1d2-2a164c3c3ca8

I missed this nomination news completely until now, but apparently lawyer Rebecca Darnell was acclaimed as the Grit candidate for the Tory stronghold of Langley, one of if not the safest Conservative seat in BC.

http://www2.canada.com/northshorenews/news/story.html?id=4a0a77fd-e7d1-4167-a1d2-2a164c3c3ca8

Daniel Veniez confirms that he is going after the Liberal nomination in West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country. Since Veniez has declared his intentions, the Liberal turned Tory turned Liberal has gotten decent media attention, including a long profile on the Macleans website: http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/08/20/seeing-red/

Julie Bourgeois for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell

http://juliebourgeois.ca/en/

For all my talking about nomination news, I have so far been sparing in specific endorsements for candidates, so far only making two specific endorsements; Scott Bradley in Ottawa Centre, of course, as well as Judith Cane in Ottawa-Orleans. However, after following the candidates in the riding of G-P-R, a riding I have spent a decent amount a time in, I believe that Julie Bourgeois is the best candidate to win back the riding for the Liberals.

Why have I decided to support Julie? While all the other candidates are qualified individuals who have been campaigning hard and want to take back the riding for the Liberals as much as the next, Julie has specifically laid out ideas on not only how to take the riding back, but what she would do as an MP, focusing on the real issues of the riding, and using liberal solutions to fix social and economic issues within the riding. I see in Julie the same commitment to community and community based solutions that I see in Scott Bradley, and I believe that with Liberal candidates like these, we can paint the Ottawa area Liberal red.

Julie's own get to know page says it well:

When I think of agriculture, I don’t think of complex globalization theories.
I’m reminded of my paternal grandfather who owned a dairy farm in St-Albert.

I think of my maternal grandfather who owned a dairy farm up the Ste-Catherine line.

I’m reminded of all the times I helped with the harvest at the Dicaire farm or when I helped feed the calves at my aunt Estelle's or Georgette's.

I know what manual labour feels like.

When I think of business, I remember helping to build my parent’s business “Boutique Le Tournesol” which I managed during my teenage years.

“Small enterprise” are not just words for me, I have lived the challenges of a small business with my family.

When I think of social issues I’m reminded of the things I see at work every day: marital abuse, crime that leads to poverty, unemployment and dropping out of school.

I’m reminded of the difficulties faced by families dealing with mental illness, of the things I saw as a teenager working at the Champagne Residence in Vars, and as a member of the Royal Hospital’s board of trustees.

Most of all, I think of the importance of volunteers like the people I was privileged to work with at the Embrun community centre. Those amazing individuals for whom giving is more important than receiving.

You’ll understand when I tell you I don’t fear adversity; having been the first girl to play on a boy’s hockey team in Embrun.

Finally, I am defined by my roots, by the love of my family, by the support of my friends by the satisfaction of a job well done and by the community where I grew up.
Without all of you, I would not be a candidate.

Now’s the time for a new beginning!
Now’s the time for our party,
Now’s the time for our community,
Now’s the time for Glengarry, Prescott and Russell,
Now’s the time for us.

I am Julie Bourgeois, candidate for the Liberal nomination in your riding.

I believe Julie Bourgeois is the type of candidate Liberals need, bringing a combination of real world experience, social compassion, and understanding of the value of enterprise, and a vision for a better Canada.

Rainy morning nomination news

It's raining here in Ottawa right now, but that doesn't stop nomination news from pouring in.



http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/53785957.html

In this article, a Conservative nomination candidate for Churchill, Wally Daudrich, a local business owner, attacks Liberal candidate Sydney Garrioch for not leaving his position as grand chief of the northern Manitoba reserves. I hadn't seen Daudrich's name mentioned earlier, so I dunno when he entered the race, and I don't know if he faces any competition for the Tory nod.



http://www.lelacstjean.com/article-368319-Bianka-Villeneuve-representera-le-Parti-liberal-du-Canada-dans-JonquiereAlma.html

More news for the Liberals out of Quebec, with Bianka Villeneuve winning the nomination for Jonquière-Alma, currently held by cabinet minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn. Villenueve is the president of the local riding association, and has served as a notary and on the local Chamber of Commerce.



http://www.letoiledulac.com/article-367973-Le-Parti-liberal-du-Canada-suscite-de-linteret.html

In the other Tory held seat in the region, 2008 Liberal candidate Bernard Garneau says he will run, joining former ADQ candidate Jacques Cadieux, who declared back in April apparently and I missed the article: http://www.letoiledulac.com/article-i328678-Jacques-Cadieux-annonce-ses-couleurs.html

The seat has is one of the few in Quebec that historically (ie, pre rise of the BQ) tended to vote more conservatively, with the PC's holding it from 52-53, 58-62, and 84-93, as well as a being a Social Credit stronghold for almost 20 years from 62-80, so the Conservatives picking it up in a by-election in 2007 was not the most surprising thing in the world.



There is a thread on the rabble boards talking about possible NDP candidates, and while much of it is wishful thinking, some of it was a bit more substantive, with one commenter suggesting that the presence of 2008 candidate Davenport candidate Peter Ferreira in the recorded video to Layton at the NDP convention might be a sign that he is interested in the nomination.

Anyway that's all for now, hopefully hope to see you at Yasir Naqvi's community BBQ tonight.

Morning nomination news

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-soleil/actualites/politique/200908/18/01-893759-scherrer-laissee-de-cote-par-le-plc.php

2008 Liberal candidate in Louis-Hébert, Jean Beaupré says they will give it another shot. The riding was the only Tory incumbant loss last election, with Luc Harvey falling narrowly to Pascale-Pierre Paille of the BQ, with Beaupré improving on the Liberal performance enough to make it a three-way fight. The Liberals last won the riding in 2000, and it probably represents the best chance for a Liberal gain in the Quebec City area.

Election rumours as the Quebec Liberal machine rolls on

Ignatieff's office denies a rumour that started in the Quebec press: http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090818/ignatieff_election_090818/20090818?hub=Canada

But the LPC-Q continues to provide new nomination news almost every day, so they aren't letting any election or lack of an election deter them.

http://lejournaldequebec.canoe.ca/journaldequebec/politique/federale/archives/2009/08/20090818-115429.html

Lobbyist and former PQ ministerial advisor Johanne Brisson will be the Liberal candidate in the riding of Louis-Saint-Laurent, currently held by Harper cabinet minister Josee Verner. Verner used to be the most high profile Tory in the province, coming close to winning the Tories a seat in Quebec in 2004, and serving as Harper's Quebec lieutenent and as a member of shadow cabinet outside Parliament until 2006, when she won the seat. The riding previous had a storied Liberal history, as Quebec East, one of the precursor ridings, was represented by two Liberal Prime Ministers (Wilfred Laurier, and no points awarded for guessing who the other one was) and a Liberal Quebec lieutenant, Ernest Lapointe, who served in the position for Mackenzie King. The riding was held as recently as 2000, but felt to the BQ in 2004 before losing it to Verner. Brisson being a candidate is interesting, as it fulfills the second part of Denis Coderre saying that he was targeting "ex adéquistes and fatigued sovertigntists." Ex ADQ figures have already emerged in the figures of Claude Morin and others, but I believe Brisson is the first figure to emerge as a Liberal candidate with ties to the PQ/BQ.

http://www.lanouvelle.net/article-367521-Marc-Giroux-obtient-linvestiture-liberale.html

Marc Giroux was acclaimed as the Liberal candidate in Mégantic – L'Érable, he will challenge the current Conservative Quebec lieutenant, Christian Paradis. Interestingly, and I hadn't seen this mentioned in any other articles about Giroux, he also has ties to the sovertignst movement, according to this: http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-soleil/actualites/politique/200908/17/01-893432-megantic-lerable-un-ancien-souverainiste-sera-candidat-liberal.php he served on the executive of the regional association of the Parti Quebecois. Interesting, Coderre directly mentions Claude Morin and compares him to Giroux, with Coderre saying that (and this is my translation so francophones will excuse me if I don't get it exactly correct):

"Marc was not always Liberal, he followed a different path, which shows that we are an open and inclusive party. We need people like Marc Giroux, we need people like Claude Morin."

Using these two candidates as a yard-stick, I would say it is clear that we probably have not seen the last of Liberal candidates in Quebec with ties to either the ADQ or the PQ/BQ.

Nomination news out of BC

http://www.publiceyeonline.com/archives/004169.html


Oak Bay mayor Chris Causton is going after the Liberal nomination in Victoria, and apparently has the support of former Saanich-Gulf Islands candidate Shelia Orr.

http://www.publiceyeonline.com/archives/004142.html

North Vancouver lawyer Jay Straith might run for the Liberal nomination in the namesake riding. Straith also said that he "doesn't know" if former MP Don Bell is going to run (I had heard rumours coming out of convention that he was interested), but that if the election is sooner rather than later, Straith suggested that Bell would perhaps be a better candidate.

The importance of social media

As someone who was fairly involved with the Liberal social media campaign last election, this news article is particularly interesting:



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8205081.stm



"Labour MP Kerry McCarthy has been given the job of improving the party's use of social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook ahead of the next election.


The Bristol East MP, recently named the most influential MP on Twitter, was appointed by Labour's general election co-ordinator Douglas Alexander.
She will train MPs and candidates in the best use of the internet."



Social media is an every increasing part of the election process, and although the nature of Canadian politics and the parliamentary system I believe limit it's ability to be used in the same nature that the Obama campaign did (with 308 different campaigns going on at the same time, but with a heavy focus on the party leaders, I believe social media in Canadian politics works best as an outreach tool to current supporters, rather than a recruitment tool).



The Liberal Party is sadly trailing behind in terms of utilizing social media support. A quick glance at Facebook shows that both Harper and Layton currently have roughly 12,000 more supporters than Ignatieff on Facebook, and Iggy trails Harper and is barely ahead of Layton in terms of followers on Twitter.



I think the idea of having a distinct position dedicated to social media campaigning, particularly having someone as high profile as an MP serve in the position, demonstrates the importance of social media to modern campaigns. I believe the Liberal Party of Canada could learn from this. Also of note in the article is the innovative use of an issue-based Twitter feed, in this case being used to promote/defend the UK's national health service. The Liberals should learn from this example and perhaps have a twitter feed entirely devoted to the economy, for example. With the new Young Liberal website up and running soon, the Young Liberals can and should play a leadership role in helping the party conquer the social media field, and I will be doing my part.

Nomination news in 3 provinces

Garth Turner confirmed what many expected, and has declared to run for the Liberal nomination in Dufferin-Caledon. Ironically, Turner originally wanted to run for the Tories in this riding in 2006, but decided on Halton.
http://www.hilltimes.com/html/cover_index.php?display=story&full_path=/2009/august/17/turner/&c=1

Léandre Gervais, an engineer and business figure has declared for the Liberal nomination in the riding of Abitibi-Baie-James-Nunavik-Eeyou.
http://lechoabitibien.canoe.ca/webapp/sitepages/content.asp?contentid=105538&id=295&classif=En+manchettes

And no news source for this one, but an anon tip, apparently former MP Raymond Chan will be running for the Richmond nomionation but will face competition from backroom Liberal organizer Mason Lowe.

Post Summer Fling nomination news

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=278001&sc=98

Many candidates are eyeing a run for the Liberals in Egmont, the only PEI seat not held by the Grits in the province. Former Premier and 2008 candidate Keith Milligan is still deciding if he will run, with Matt McGuire, son of former MP Joe McGuire, previous nomination candidate Angie Cormier, former PEI Liberal President Brenda Hackett, and Liberal MLA's Janice Sherry and Rob Henderson as potential candidates.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/veteran-bc-tory-eyes-run-with-liberals/article1252735/

Daniel Veniez, a self described former Tory "bag carrier" and previously the chair of the Prince Rupert bulk commodity terminal until he was fired by the Harper government, is considering a run for the Liberals in West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country.

http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?mn=2&id=974&latest=1

Former MP and current Senator Fabian Manning has not "ruled out" attempting to return to the lower house. Manning was the MP for Avalon and was the Tory incumbant who came the closest to hanging on to his seat in the face of the "ABC" campaign.

http://www2.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=a986443b-5bd0-4a9e-8816-9b8a9c3cb07c
Kingsville mayor and Essex County warden Nelson Santos will be carrying the Liberal colours in the riding of Essex.

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/618053
Former Hamilton mayor and 2008 candidate Larry Di Anna will not be contesting Hamilton East-Stoney Creek again.

http://www.largenteuil.ca/home.jsp?id=3&section=news&news_item_id=16549
In Argenteuil-Papineau-Mirabel, the Liberal candidate will be Daniel Fox, the son of former MP and cabinet minister Francis Fox. Daniel is also 25 years old, which I believe makes him the first nominated Young Liberal candidate.

http://www.standard-freeholder.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1702379
2008 NDP candidate for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry Darlenne Jalbert says she will seek the parties nomination again. It would seem the nomination meeting will be Aug. 27th.

Summer Fling 2009: A victory for social liberals

Two policies at Summer Fling passed with the support of the social liberals of the OYL, and I was proud to support both. The Decriminalization of Sex Work policy in Canada, which I was absoultuely a solid supporter of passed, as well as a policy calling on the Ontario Liberal Party to support only secular public education with taxpayer dollars. I'm very pleased that the OYL will be a true champion of progressive social policy.

What have the Tories done for Toronto?

Last election, in the riding of Don Valley West, the federal Conservatives came out with a piece of lit which many felt was one of the better pieces of the last election. In a riding which arguably was the Tories best shot at winning a seat in Toronto proper, the piece said merely on the front "What have the Conservatives done for Toronto, anyway?" on a plain blue background, with no sign of party affiliation.

When opened, the piece was revealed to be a Tory ad, and it listed the different investments the Conservatives had made in the city, playing off the supposed hostility of the Conservatives to the city, and attempting to disprove it.

However, after John Baird's "Fuck Toronto" comment earlier this summer, it seems the Tories are delievering a big fat zilch to the GTA:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/681191

New nomination news

http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1699134

Steve Pickard defeated 2008 candidate Matt Daudlin in a battle of the sons of former Liberal MP's. Pickard is a Chatham-Kent municipal councillor.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2009/08/13/woman-federal-politics.html

University of New Brunswick prof Wendy Robbins is going after the Liberal nomination in Fredricton. Robbins was a co-founder of the Women's Studies program at UNB and has been an active member of Equal Voice Canada and was a recipent of the Persons Award in honour of her work in promoting gender equality.

http://www.mix97.com/news/2009/08/ken-cole-to-be-prince-edward-hastings-liberal-candidate-in-next-federal-election/
2008 Liberal candidate Ken Cole (not to be confused with Mississauga South's very own Ken Cole, was has ran for the NDP 4 times both federally and provincially) will be acclaimed today as the candidate for Prince Edward-Hastings.

http://www.wellandtribune.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1698927
News for the Tories from Welland, with Lenna Villella joining St. Catherines regional councillor Bruce Timms for the nomination. Villella is a business owner and has been involved with many local social activst groups. The nomination meeting will be Sept. 17.

NDP Policy proposals leaked

Dunno if it was accidently on purpose leaked just to generate buzz, since there isn't that much that is that controversial, but here you go:

http://nationalnewswatchplus.com/pdf/ndp.pdf

Some highlights:

-A proposal to make a 32 hour work week.
-An immediate halt to all public-private partnership projects the federal government is involved in.
-The nationalization of all major banks and the management of said banks being run by workers councils.
-The nationalization of the Big 3 auto companies and the management of the Big 3 put into the trust of community councils.
-Withdrawing all federal support for nuke power.
-A $16 minimum wage.
-Withdrawing from NAFTA, WTO, FTA, FTAA, and the GATT.
-Freeing Leonard Pelltier.
-The repeal of the Clarity Act (which interesting does not come from a Quebec riding, but from Davenport).

Yup, regardless of if they drop the "New" or not, the NDP grassroots is still firmly 30 years behind the times.

More Golden Horseshoe nomination news

This article on nomination and election prep in the Golden Horseshoe is chock full of news for every party:

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/616006

For the Liberals, Dan McLean will be acclaimed tomorrow for the riding of Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale, and former Hamilton mayor and 2008 Hamilton Larry Di Ianni confirming he is still "in the mix" for the Hamilton East-Stoney Creek nomination. The article also has a couple Tory names I hadn't heard as being candidates again, 2008 candidate Terry Anderson in Hamilton Mountain and James Byron in Hamilton Centre. The Greens have a new name in ADFW, with Peter Ormond going for the nomiantion.

Laurier-Sainte-Marie

According to a Facebook note, Philippe Allard, the Director for scientific activities at the Association francophone pour le savoir – Acfas, is going to go after the Liberal nomination in Laurier-Sainte-Marie, which has been held by Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe since being elected in a 1990 by-election.

It's all our fault

Says Lawrence Martin: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/if-theres-an-inspiration-deficit-in-our-politics-blame-it-on-the-young/article1247173/

Back in say, 2003-004, the issue of youth alienation from politics was a big one, with Paul Martin making the issue part of his general push of "democratic renewal" when he took over as Liberal Party leader and Prime Minister.

Now, the issue of youth politics is lower on the national agenda than ever before. I think a few factor contribute to this. One, youth feel even less engaged in the political system than ever before. If in 2004 the buzzword as alienation, with youth wanting to get involved, but not knowing how, the current zeitgeist is one of apathy, with youth really not caring one way or the other about politics.

Martin's article mentions young voters are drawn towards the Green Party in numbers far greater than other demographics. With large numbers of youth who are engaged politically locked in to supporting a party that probably will fail to win a seat for the 3rd consecutive election since they broke out of the fringes, the major parties see no point in reaching out to a segment of the population that probably won't vote to start with, and if they do, will vote for a party that has little ability to influence the national agenda of the country.

What Martin doesn't discuss, and I think is relevant to understanding why youth are disengaged, is the general sense of my generation that things need to happen quickly. Generation Y is a impatient bunch, and I think we lack a general understanding that it takes time and energy to make course changes of the great ship of state. We do care about things like Darfur and the environment, so we go to rallies, wear fashionable buttons, etc, but don't vote, because we see the political system as too slow moving to try and make social change. This is most unfortunate, because in the political climate of this nation, party politics and parliamentarism is the only effective way to make changes.

However, I do target Martin for saying that it is the fault of the youth for the "inspirational defict." Last election, Stephane Dion and the Green Shift offered the most bold vision for country, and the probably the first time since Turner/Mulroney in the free trade election of 1988 that a major party ran an election campaign around a "big idea." It was not the youth who felt that Dion was "not a leader" or that a carbon tax was a "crazy idea". Many pundits who now lament that Canada lacks leaders with "vision" were the same ones who said that the Green Shift in post-mortem was too bold a policy idea.

However, I do think we can tie the idea of youth being disengaged to the recent poll findings that says that the Liberals are starting to fall behind the NDP and the Conservatives among youth voters. As a Young Liberal, I believe we have to do a much better job of promoting the values of liberalism to youth. We need to talk about how only the Liberal Party can deliever a Canada to the youth of today that is united tomorrow, with a stronger economy. This summer was the worst on record for youth employment, when Parliament resumes, I believe Ignatieff should emerge with a strong youth employment strategy, to both help the economy, which is issue number 1, and re-engage youth supporters back to the Liberal Party.

Sarnia-Lambton and Berthier-Maskinongé

http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2009/08/11/10420776-sun.html

Two Liberal candidates have been green-lighted in the bellweather riding of Sarnia-Lambton, 2008 candidate Tim Fugard and Sarnia city/county councillor, and deputy warden of Lambton County Anne Marie Gillis.

http://www.lhebdojournal.com/article-365217-Francine-Gaudet-revient-en-politique.html
Former Liberal MNA for the riding of Maskinongé Francine Gaudet will take a stab at the federal Liberal nomination for Berthier – Maskinongé. The riding, in various forms, has been held by the BQ since 1993.

Very interesting nomination news out of Ottawa Centre

I have had more than a couple Conservative friends of mine tell me that Bruce Kyereh-Addo, who was wrongfully disqualifed by a CUSA Electoral Board stacked with supporters of the pro-CFS slate after he rightfully was elected CUSA President with 1744-1569 votes over Erik Halliwell is pursuing the federal Conservative nomination for the riding of Ottawa Centre.

I was proud to support Bruce when he ran for CUSA President, and while I will be supporting the Liberal candidate in Ottawa Centre, I am glad to see that Bruce is continuing to seek an active role in public life. When Bruce ran, he had both Liberals and Conservatives in his corner, and I can only hope that his team-building skills results in an Ottawa Centre campaign that is more focused on the real issues than crass partisanship.

Support Scott Bradley for Ottawa Centre

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fs.php%3Fq%3Dscott%2Bbradley%26init%3Dquick%23%2Fpages%2FScott-Bradley%2F119928935527&h=60b0db749d3c5b21cc4639b171078dfb

Scott Bradley has gotten a supporter page on Facebook. Sign up as a supporter today!

A commenter hits the Ottawa Centre nail on the head

A commenter left this, and I agree so much with it that I feel I have to advertise it some more:

"I think both candidates for the nomination have relevant professional and volunteer backgrounds, and both are good people, but I am supporting Scott for two main reasons.

First, I think that his dynamic personality and charisma gives us a real chance against Paul Dewar. The only way this riding will be won back from the NDP is by winning swing voters over, and inspiring former Liberals to come back to the fold. This takes charisma as well as a solid background. Scott is the only candidate with that charisma as well as the background.

Second, I have a lot more respect for someone who has been in the trenches with the rest of the Ottawa Centre Liberal community who decides to run for nomination, then someone who hasn't helped the Liberals before deciding to run for the nomination. How can you lead a team if you don't have any experience working with that team, or in politics at all? How can you think you can just walk into a volunteer political organization and take the top job without ever lifting a finger to help them in the past?

Scott has helped out in a lot of previous campaigns and no job was to small or too big for him. I think that, as Liberals, we should reward loyalty and hard work. Scott's got the whole package and I think he can win the nomination AND the election."

Nomination news out of Quebec and BC

http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/mauricie/2009/08/05/001-france-beaulieu-plc.shtml

France Beaulieu, a Shawinigan city councillor and president of the Mauricie Regional Conference is seeking the Liberal nomination in the riding of Saint-Maurice-Champlain. This riding was, of course, back when it was known simply as Saint-Maurice, the stomping grounds of Jean Chretien, who represented the riding for 28 (albeit non consecutive) years.

According to this article: http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-nouvelliste/vie-regionale/centre-de-la-mauricie/200908/05/01-889860-france-beaulieu-fait-le-saut-en-politique-federale.php 2008 candidate Ronald Saint-Onge Lynch is also running again. The nomination meeting will be August 28th.

http://www.lanouvelle.net/article-363503-Louis-Berube-devoile-ses-allegeances-liberales.html

In Richmond-Arthabaska, businessman Louis Bérubé is going after the Liberal nomination. He is the Business Development Manager of the Caisse Desjardins for the L'Érable region. The nomination meeting will be held on August 10th.

Also, according to Pundits Guide, the Liberals have nominated a candidate for one of the vacant ridings, that of New Westminster – Coquitlam. http://www.punditsguide.ca/riding_e.php?riding=1232

The nomination was apparently won by Ken Beck Lee, a businessman and leader of the local Korean community. He defeated Gerry Lenoski, a Liberal insider and management specialist who ran in 2oo8 in the neighboring riding of Burnaby – New Westminster.

Another name in Northumberland-Quinte West

http://www.northumberlandtoday.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1684644

Hot on the heels for 4 female Liberal candidates being named in Ontario, another woman has entered a Liberal nomination race in Ontario, with Brighton Mayor Chris Herrington saying she will seek the nomination. The race already had a female candidate in the form of Kim Rudd, and teacher Andrew McFadyen is also seeking the nomination.

4 Liberal female Liberal candidates named, a possible election sign?

http://www.liberal.ca/en/newsroom/media-releases/16120_liberal-party-of-canada-announces-four-new-women-candidates-in-ontario

Christine Innes (Trinity-Spadina), Deborah Gillis (Halton), Margaret Black (Newmarket-Aurora) and Kimberley Love (Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound).

Innes and Love I believe were both actually already nominated, but Black and Gillis are interesting. Black had been in a contested nomination with Newmarket councillor Chris Emanuel, and if she has been acclaimed, than Emmanuel must have quickly and quietly dropped out, as his campaign website is still up and his twitter account still says he is running for the nomination.

Gillis is particularly interesting. I wrote very recently a blog post which touched on new news coming out of Halton, which named 3 names: 2007 provincial candidate Gary Zemlak as being interested, and Rohit Dhamija and Sheref El Sabawy already having the green light. Gillis was mentioned nowhere in the article, which was written on July 31st. http://www.oakvillebeaver.com/news/article/270986

The article contains a quote by the riding President that is very interesting in light of Gillis being appointed:

Riding association president Steve Savage said there is no hurry to settle on a candidate as there is no election on the horizon.

Evidently Ignatieff must see at least the shape of an election on the horizon, unless he wouldn't have appointed a candidate (which I believe is the first time Ignatieff has used the leader's power to appoint, but I might be mistaken.)

Scott Bradley campaign moves forward

Although I couldn't be with Scott at the Muslim Summer Festival, I think it is great that Scott is getting out and talking with important groups like Ottawa's sizable Muslim community, which contributes so much to the local flavour of Ottawa.

http://votescottbradley.ca/en/2009/08/02/campaigning-on-the-long-weekend/

In particular, this passage here re-affirms why I am supporting Scott for the nomination:

While the event took place in the riding of Ottawa West Nepean, and both MPP Jim Watson and his federal counterpart had tents at the event, I thought it was interesting to see a Paul Dewar tent at the event as well.

If we are going to convince voters to switch back to the Liberal Party, we can’t give up ground to the NDP. That means we, and I as your candidate, need to be every place Paul Dewar is. We can win this riding back with not only good ideas, but a positive commitment to delivering results on these ideas and issues that matter to the various communities that make up Ottawa Centre.

It is this commitment to the hard work and dedication that will help return a Liberal MP to Ottawa Centre that makes Scott Bradley a true people's candidate.

Iggy's tour of Gaspe

Igantieff has been touring the Gaspe and Eastern Quebec this week, which makes sense, as the area contains a few ridings which could be Liberal pick-ups. Iggy paid particularly attention to the riding of Haute-Gaspésie – La Mitis – Matane – Matapédia, which former MNA Nancy Charest came within a few hundred votes of winning. Igantieff stated that he considered Charest, who was one of the first Liberal candidates to get formally nominated for the next election, a potential minister in a Liberal government. The area has been represented by the BQ since 1993, and Ignatieff was arguing for Gaspe to have a strong voice in government. Ignatieff said that making the Liberals a true national party was a top priority, as he "does not want to be the Prime Minister of just Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, I want to be Prime Minister for the regions."

Ignatieff had discussions with local mayors and other community leaders about issues such as EI and infrastructure spending. And in a bit of nomination news, according to this article: http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-soleil/actualites/politique/200908/02/01-889243-ignatieff-aspire-a-abaisser-le-seuil-dadmissibilite-a-lassurance-emploi.php says that Quebec Lt. Denis Coderre favours the return of 2008 candidate Denis Gaudreau in the area riding Gaspésie – Îles-de-la-Madeleine, which was a top Tory target in 2008, but Gadreau ended up finishing ahead of the Conservative candidate. The riding was held by the Liberals until 2004, and the party has a decent shot of reclaiming it if Liberal numbers in the province stay strong.