Young Liberals serve!

All this food was raised by Ottawa-area Young Liberals as part of the Trick or Eat campaign for the Ottawa Food Bank. Young Liberals from Carleton, U of O, Ottawa Centre, Ottawa-Vanier and beyond came out to help us, and a particular thanks goes out to Yasir Naqvi, MPP for Ottawa Centre for joining us.

NDP loss in Winnipeg North shows Liberals can steal urban seats from NDP

The Liberal victory in Winnipeg North I believes symbolizes a shift in urban politics in this country. Hardworking Liberal teams can knock off the NDP in urban ridings, even ones where they have been in power for most of the last decades. The Harper Conservatives have ignored the economic and social needs of urban Canadians, and the NDP, divided on important issues like the gun registry, can't be counted on to protect the interests of urban Canadians.

The path to a Liberal victory in the next election will go through working hard and knocking off urban NDP MP's in a number of ridings, and the Liberals are well positioned to make gains. Here are just a few of urban ridings held by the NDP that I think the Liberal victory in Winnipeg North exposes a weakness for Team Orange

-Outremont
With Mulcair more interested in talk show apperances, and the Liberals running a star candidate, this will be the top Liberal target in Quebec. Margin of NDP victory: 6%

-Vancouver Kingsway
With an experienced candidate in Wendy Yuan, Liberals in BC will look to take back this seat from the NDP after the floor-crossing David Emerson didn't run again. Margin of NDP victory: 6%

-Trinity-Spadina
Another riding with a great female Liberal candidate with local roots, Christine Innes, Oliva Chow can only get by on name recognition for so long. Margin of NDP victory: 6%

-Ottawa Centre
Of course, I must mention Ottawa Centre and Scott Bradley. Paul Dewar talks a good game in the House, but doesn't have much in the way to show for 4 years of being an MP for the actual people of Ottawa Centre. The Bradley Team has been working hard knocking on doors and listening to the real concerns of residents of the riding - exactly what helped get Kevin Lamoureux elected in Winnipeg North. NDP margin of victory: 14%

To note the scale of the switch in Winnipeg North, the Liberal campaign managed to raise the Liberal vote from under 10% to 46%, with the NDP vote declining over 20%. Liberals need to keep working hard and offering a positive vision for urban Canadians.

Phil Fontaine, former National Chief, Assembly of First Nations endorses Scott Bradley

"I worked closely with Scott as he led the charge within his company to put aboriginal issues on the corporate agenda. His genuine commitment to Canada's aboriginal community reflects his commitment and passion to the community as a whole. Scott would be a tremendous advocate and champion for Ottawa Centre, and we would be fortunate to have him as our Member of Parliament"

Phil Fontaine.

The nomination day is tomorrow, and we need Scott, a genuine, longtime Liberal, for a change in Ottawa Centre.

Richmond Street Liberals

The Ottawa Centre Liberal nomination has been set for Sept 9th, and to celebrate, I went out to a Scott Bradley meet and greet on Richmond Road.

I think the location of the event was telling. So often we as Liberals, and particularly in Ottawa Centre, look to Wellington Street as the centre of the universe. We think of Ottawa Centre as being entirely inside the Queensway, filled with other politicos with the same-mind set and background. We don't see Ottawa Centre as a riding of young families, immigrants, students, the GLBTQ community, small business owners, junior civil servants. We think that all it takes to win the riding is to build the biggest army, go to all the right community events, and tell how only a Liberal MP can get things done.

How we need to think is to be Richmond Street Liberals. To realize that it isn't just about having the biggest army, but to really engage with the community and develop solid community policies to give that army marching orders. It won't matter how big and how hard working a team we have (and we will have a strong Ottawa Centre team regardless who wins), if we are not engaged with the community, and running the kind of campaign that bring soft Liberal-NDP voters, non-partisan progressives who support Paul Dewar because they think he does a good job, centrists who have become disengaged from the party, and others who have supported us in Ottawa Centre in the past back to the party, our army will be knocking on plenty of doors, but plenty of Paul Dewar doors.

I will be supporting Scott Bradley for the nomination on the 9th because I believe he has the best handle on the type of Ottawa Centre that we need to focus on if we want to win this riding back. Scott Bradley is a Richmond Street Liberal, a man of the community and the grassroots, and we need a man like him in Ottawa Centre if we want a change.

"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.

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

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."

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.

Great Scott!

As I said in my previous post, I was doing some phone canvassing for Scott Bradley tonight, and it was very encouraging. People are very receptive to Bradley's political style and vision for the riding, and we got lots of people asking for more information on his campaign, and plenty of people willing to devote hours to the campaign.

Scott's campaign is really moving forward, thanks in no small part to lots of people who last time supported Penny Collenette's great campaign coming to support Scott. We are moving forward as a united Ottawa Centre team, and I am going to keep working to help make Scott Bradley the MP for Ottawa Centre.

Scott's website can be found here: http://votescottbradley.ca/

Scott Bradley for Ottawa Centre

Those who follow my blog know that I like reporting on nomination news. Usually I follow them in a dispassionate way, but in the riding in which I am a member federally, I cannot sit on the sidelines. When Scott Bradley ran in 2007, I was proud to support him, and I am proud to say I am supporting him again.

As a Young Liberal, I was inspired by the energy and dedication Scott brought to his nomination campaign, and I know that if he is successful in his nomination campaign this year, he will be a great candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada to take on Paul Dewar and the NDP. Scott is a champion for the common man, and has a strong cross-partisan appeal that any successful Liberal candidate in Ottawa Centre needs. I am proud to endorse Scott Bradley for the Ottawa Centre Liberal nomination and encourage all OC Liberals to get involved with his campaign.

Scott's website can be found at: http://www.scottbradleyottawa.blogspot.com/

Ottawa Centre speculation post

With news Penny Collenette won't be running in Ottawa Centre, (which I will be frank, took me by suprise), one of the newest games around the OC in Liberal circles is guessing who the Liberal standard bearer will be. Here are some potential names, in no particular order:

Jim Watson-
The former Mayor of Ottawa, and the current MPP for Ottawa West-Nepean and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Rumours of Watson running for either the Ottawa Centre nomination or trying to get his old job of Mayor back have been circulating for some time now. If he ran, he would be a formidable Liberal candidate, someone who could match NDP incumbant Paul Dewar in name recognition and local popularity (Watson, as the Mayor of pre-amalgamated Ottawa, won 83% of the vote, albeit over a decade again) and might be the Liberals best shot of knocking of Dewar and the NDP.

Richard Mahoney-
Fate was not kind to Mahoney. Longtime Liberal activst and organizer (serving as President of the Young Liberals, President of the Ontario Liberal Party, and was Paul Martin's long-time executive assistant), Mahoney was supposed to be easily elected to the House in a 2003 by-election after Mac Harb was appointed to the Senate, but his road hit some major bumps in the form of the sponsorship scandal, and a titan of an NDP candidate, former NDP leader Ed Broadbent. Broadbent took the riding for the NDP in the 2004 election, but only served a single term, leaving before the 2006 election to spend more time with his ailing wife. Mahoney was expected to be able to gain the seat back for the Liberals, but a dip in Liberal numbers, a local scandal involving Mahoney's work as a lobbyist, and a surprisingly strong campaign from Paul Dewar, held the seat for the NDP. Mahoney considered running for the Ottawa Centre nomination again, but withdrew from the contest and decided to try his luck in Pontiac, but was defeated for the nomination. According to the Hill Times, Mahoney is considering running again in Pontiac, but perhaps a vacancy in Ottawa Centre could lure him back across the Ottawa River.

Richard Patten-
The long-time MPP for Ottawa Centre, Patten left in a huff in 2007, claiming Dalton McGuinty was ignoring Ottawa, but many within the party said Patten was simply bitter at being passed over for cabinet. He has name recognition and knows the riding well, but could his parting shots hurt a potential run?

Scott Bradley-
A community activist, Bell executive, organizer for Gerard Kennedy's leadership bid, and defeated nomination candidate (full disclosure, I supported him over Penny). Bradley doesn't have huge name recognition but is a hard campaigner, is passionate about local issues, and definitely has more than a few followers in the Ottawa Centre Liberal crowd. Previously, I had heard he was non-committal about running for the nomination again, particularly when Penny looked like she would have it in the bag, but it's a whole new ball game now.

Diane Deans-
City councillor for Gloucester-Southgate Ward, Deans has twice been an unsuccessful Liberal candidate for nomination, falling to David McGuinty in Ottawa South for the federal nod in 2004 (to nobody's shock) and Yasir Naqvi in Ottawa Centre provincially in 2007 (to many people's shock). Could third time be the charm for Deans?

Any other possible names people have heard?

Justin Trudeau at Carleton

Just giving a little bit more PR to what should be a great event at Carleton on Wednesday:

Title: A Conversation with Justin Trudeau
Location: Mike's Place, University Centre, Carleton University, 1233 Colonel By Drive
Price: 4 OC Transpo Bus tickets
Contact: danielle.mcgee@gmail.com
Time: 6-8 PM
Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Notes: Justin Trudeau is coming to Ottawa-Centre! The Ottawa-Centre Federal Liberal Association and the Ottawa-Centre Federal Young Liberal Association invite you to join JUSTIN TRUDEAU and PENNY COLLENETTE at Carleton University for an evening of drinks and conversation. Possible Topics: Youth Involvement and the Environment

** Why are we asking for bus tickets?
Very recently 9 Ottawa families lost their homes in a fire. Along with losing their homes and their belongings, one family lost their youngest child and have 6 remaining children to care for. Penny Collenette and her team held a drive this past Sunday and we saw amazing support from everyone in the community.

We found out that these families are also in need of help with their transportation costs. So we are asking everyone to bring with them Octranspo bus tickets which we will be giving to the Carlington Community Centre to give to the families.
A bit of History about Mike's Place:

Mike's Place was named in 1973 in honour of Lester B Pearson. Pearson, whose nickname was "Mike", was Chancellor of Carleton University until his death in 1972. His connection with Carleton followed a distinguished career in the public service and politics. He served as Prime Minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968 and is remembered for the introduction of Canada's Maple Leaf flag, among many other achievements. He was also the winner of the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize for the creation of the UN peacekeeping force to ease the Suez Crisis in 1956. An official photo portrait hangs in the pub to this day.

Hopefully we can have a good turnout, all Ottawa area Young Liberals should come!

Penny Collenette's Community Conversation

This last Thursday, I went to a rather remarkable event right on Carleton's campus. It was one of Penny Collenette's community conversations, with the focus being on Canada's role in aiding foriegn development, and strategies for bettering the future of Canadian aid recieving nations, with a focus on Africa in particular.


The panelists were a good mix of youth activism and experience, and all had differing, but important things to say about developmental aid. Jenna Hoyt, the founder of the Little Voice Foundation, told her stories of being in Ethiopia, and the need to provide long-term housing and support for children on the streets, by joining forces with local communities in developing countries in order to create sustainable projects that are run by the people for the people. Nick Moyer gave an overview of the contemporary history behind current CIDA projects, the successess and failures of them, as well as other international development models which Canada can learn from. Shamin Mohamed Jr, the founder of the Children’s AIDS Health Program, is only 19, in addition to making me motivated for being the same age as myself and doing so much more for the world, gave his personal accounts of his travels to places as diverse as India and South Africa, and the need for foriegn aid projects there to work with, and respect local culture and local sensibilities in order for aid projects to have an effective long term benefit.

Glen Pearson, the Liberal MP for London North Centre, told his remarkable stories of flying into Darfur illegally to try and help the people, his efforts in freeing slaves, the burecratic struggles of getting aid to a region, and his devotion to a cause he believes in. It was extremely profound stuff. I wish I could have brought someone who was a cynical non-voter, who believes that politics is all crooks and deals, and sat him down in front of Mr. Pearson and his passion.

Penny herself commented on how despite some disagreements in the fine details of administering foriegn aid, that we are past an era where developed nations can simply throw money at a developing nation, and that more microeconomic, hands on aid is needed in order for the developing nations to build a solid base for independent growth. Penny fielded a question from yours personally on how to get the private sector more involved with development projects, and smoothly handled it, talking about the need for contact with individuals within companies, as well as the power of good and bad publicity.

Overall, it was a very interesting evening and discussion, and it gave the next MP for Ottawa Centre a good opportunity to communicate her views on developmental aid (which will play a big part of the Liberal platform) with some hands on experts in the field.

A closer look at Brian "Undertaker" McGarry

McGarry shown with climate change denier John Baird and failed defense minister Gordon O'Conner.

Brian "Undertaker" McGarry, is the Conservative candidate for Ottawa Centre. He is apparently a "Red Tory", as described by the yahoo's at the Free Dominion board, and I believe he endorsed the openly gay Alex Munter for mayor of Ottawa in the last municipal election. Now Ottawa Centre does tend to be a left leaning riding, so running a Red Tory makes some sense (Keith Fountain, the previous Conservative candidate, was vocally pro-gay marriage).

But what about McGarry's actual experience and positions? Well, he runs a funeral service (thus the name undertaker), and once sued a rival company over an ad he found offensive, was on the Regional Council, is the Montfort Hospital Foundation (which you may remember as the francophone hospital the Mike Harris government hated) he flip flopped on running for mayor because he didn't want to split the right-wing vote, and most interestingly, took part in a Rural Council of Ottawa-Carleton rally at city hall.

The Rural Council is linked to the radical, anti-urban, Randy Hillier-led Lanark Landowners Association. As well, it openly links to sites like Free Dominion, which features an anti-Human Rights Commission splash ad. When McGarry spoke at a city hall rally, he also shared the stage with Tony Walker, an anti-environmental legislation activist, Gerry Kamenz, for Ontario Federation of Agriculture, who delivered a vicious attack on urban Ottawa (of which Ottawa Centre is, and for the record, the OFA opposes animal rights legislation, humane societies, the gun registry, and increasing minimum wage), the radical Rural Revolution (which has at times used near-separatist rhetoric) figure Jack MacLaren, and Bob Broomfield, who compared urban officials to "the KGB or the Gestapo".

So who is the real undertaker? An urbane, pro gay marriage Red Tory, or a rural radical not fit to deal with complex urban issues facing Ottawa Centre? As Ottawa Centre is a two horse race between NDP MP Paul Dewar (or Paul Didn't, as he is called to in circles critical of his lack of interest in real Ottawa Centre issues other than issuing constant press releases in an effort to gain headlines) and the strong and credible Penny Collenette for the Liberals, urban Conservatives should reject the two faced Undertaker, and help Penny move Ottawa Centre forward.

NDP, Conservative, and Liberal views towards Ottawa

http://ottsun.canoe.ca/News/Columnists/Sherring_Susan/2008/01/19/4781792.html

This article gives a good idea of why the Liberals are the best party for Ottawa, both provincially and federally. My current MP, NDP'er Paul Dewar, sticks his head into city business, disrespecting jurisdictional boundaries in crude attempts to win political support and build his profile in a swing riding as he faces a very strong challenge in Penny Collenette.

Dewar...has got into the habit of firing off news releases in matters where his role as a federal representative has no place.

Of course, being a Dipper, Dewar probably believes the federal government should be involved everywhere.

If Dewar cared so much...where was he during the city's budget deliberations late last year when he could have actually made a difference in lobbying council?

Because this would require actual effort and taking a stand for progressive policy for the people of Ottawa, such as how the NDP propped up the Conservatives on the environment issue with the Clean Air Act, as opposed to Penny Collenette's work on the environment (http://www.pennycollenette.ca/_pdf/OttawaCitizen_Waterqualityistickingtimebomb.pdf)

"It looks like he's just jumping on a bandwagon," Coun. Rainer Bloess said, adding there's a difference between speaking out as a citizen and "political grandstanding for the sake of publicity."

A Dipper putting grandstanding and rhetoric ahead of actual hands on policy responsibility? Shocking I tell you.

Dewar's interference can be seen as a a companion to Pierre Poilievre, who as a Conservative MP has a negative reflex reaction to any political body making decisions which aren't triple checked by Ian Brodie.

Coun. Steve Desroches:
"We really don't need these 11th-hour antics,"
(Conservative MPP) MacLeod and Poilievre "should stay out of city business."

Coun. Peter Hume:
"Why is the city being criticized for adhering to provincial and federal regulations?"

Coun. Jan Harder:
"Writes off Poilievre's silliness as immaturity."

On the other hand, former Ottawa mayor and current provincial Liberal minister Jim Watson helps Ottawa keep moving forward by acting "Only when it affects the relationship between city and province. His professionalism should be studied and copied."

Ottawa Centre

So Yasir Naqvi managed to hold on to Ottawa Centre from the NDP, who had this as one of their top targets. What does this mean for the riding federally?

The NDP does own the seat federally, with Paul Dewar being the incumbent. His victory over arch-Martinite Richard Mahoney in 2006 was somewhat of a surprise, as it was thought that Mahoney (who had he been elected would have most certainly been given a high level cabinet post) had only lost to the NDP in 2004 because former leader and living legend Ed Broadbent was the candidate. Let's examine the both the 2000 and 2004 Federal results:

2000:

Liberal
Mac Harb
22,710

New Democrat
Heather-Jane Robertson
13,515

Canadian Alliance
David Brown
10,163

Progressive Conservative
Beverly Mitchell
7,501

Green
Chris Bradshaw
1,529

In 2000, an election which saw Chretien at the height of his power, the Liberals easily held the seat. In 2004:

New Democrat
Ed Broadbent
25,734
41.05%

Liberal
Richard Mahoney
19,478
31.07%


Conservative
Mike Murphy
11,933
19.03


Green
David Chernushenko
4,730
7.54%

A massive surge for the NDP, a drop for the Liberals, and the growth of the Greens are all notable here. Now, making allowances for the drop the Liberals saw overall in this election, and the star candidate make the NDP victory less surprising in retrospect. By 2006 however, the Liberals wanted the seat, and given that Broadbent was not running for re-election, Mahoney was figured by many to have a much easier go. The results though, didn't pan out:

2006:

NDP
Paul Dewar
24,611
36.9%

Liberal
MAHONEY, Richard
19,468
29.2%

Conservative
FOUNTAIN, Keith
15,105
22.7%

Green
CHERNUSHENKO, David
6,765
10.2%

Another NDP victory, although both the NDP and the Liberals appear to have lost some overall percentage to the rising Greens and Conservatives. Something to remember though, the rough breakdown of the votes was 35%-30%-20%-10%.

Lets examine the provincial scene. The incumbent Liberal, Richard Patten, had been around forever, and left in a bit of a huff, (although he still played an active role supporting Yasir's campaign) leaving the riding fairly open. In step 4 youngsters in Yasir Naqvi, Will Murray, Trina Morissette and Greg Laxton to try and win the divided riding, although only Yasir and Will had an actual chance, save for a massive PC lifting. For context, here are the 2003 provincial results:


Liberal
Richard Patten
22,295
45.1


New Democrat
Jeff Atkinson
11,362
23.0


Progressive Conservative
Joe Varner
11,217
22.7


Green
Chris Bradshaw
3,821
7.7


So Richard has a fairly safe seat, and the NDP and PC's battle it out for second. Oddly enough, a glance at the provincial results show that although the PC's never won the seat, they were extremely competitive, coming in under 10% behind in every election from 1967-1981, and after that, finishing well behind the eventual winner, with the exception of 1999, coming in 6% behind.

Now, in between the last provincial election and the 2007 one, the NDP had won the riding fairly convincingly twice, and seen the long-time incumbent MPP leave. Ottawa Centre was probably amongst the top 5 targets for the NDP in this election, and a must win seat if they had wished to hold the balance of power in a minority situation. They focused lots of resources on the seat, with federal MP Paul Dewar showing his face frequently, and numerous visits by Howard Hampton. The Liberals ran a tough campaign, wanting to show the NDP that they didn't own the riding yet. The results are as follows:



Liberal
Yasir Naqvi
18,239
35.0


New Democrat
Will Murray
16,074
30.8


Progressive Conservative
Trina Morissette
10,410
20.0

Green
Greg Laxton
6,438
12.3

So what do we see? My first reaction was that the share of votes for each parties position was nearly the exact same as the previous federal election, with the winner taking 35%, the runner up 30%, (with the actual winner and loser being reversed) and the Conservative and Green votes remaining similar, at 20-ish% and 10-ish percent. Now of course, federal and provincial dynamics are different, but I can draw similarities between Yasir and Paul's victory. Both saw victory despite a decline in overall vote share, both were running to take over from high profile incumbents, and both faced tough fights. Overall, the fact that we were able to run a more effective campaign is what kept the riding Liberal. Will Murray had a potential pool of 40% of the voters who went NDP only 3 years ago, and was only able to get 30%, while Yasir and his team were able to raise the Liberal vote from below 30% to a victory. The victory was certainly a morale raiser, and should help the team manage to get Penny Collenette a very good shot at knocking off Paul Dewar, who didn't seem to help Will Murray much.

Tim Peterson's lack of leadership on faith-based schools

While Ottawa Centre Progressive Conservative candidate Trina Morissette is far from my favourite person (both politically, and personally, the first time I met her at a Carleton Campus Conservative meeting I was attending because several of my friends are involved she lectured my ear off for about 5 minutes after she found out I was a Liberal) at least she has taken a stance on the John Tory destroying issue of the campaign, faith based funding. Trina has always been a firm supporter of the plan, and pledged to vote in favour of it if elected and the Conservatives form government. Now as the Conservatives are going to be in opposition benches for awhile now, and Trina herself has/had zero chance of winning her left-leaning riding, it may just be her attempt to gain favour with party insiders, or at the very least, appear to take a stand. Now while Trina's stance is obviously wrong, I do give her credit for taking a stance.

Tim Peterson, the current pseudo-incumbent in Mississauga South, fails in this regard. As the only PC candidate currently in office, Peterson is the standard bearer for John Tory in this city. And yet while other PC candidates such as Mississauga East-Cooksville candidate Zoran Churchin, who has come out loudly against the plan, as has Nina Tangri, the Mississauga-Streetsville candidate, and Mississauga-Erindale candidate David Brown who seems moderately in favour of the plan, Peterson has refused to take a clear stand on the issue, which given his flip flopping, floor crossing ways is not a surprise.

In the Mississauga News:

"Tim Peterson, the Mississauga South candidate and only PC incumbent in Mississauga, also said he'd wait for the legislation and vote based on the will of his constituents. "Certainly my community leans against it, but I want to talk to them and see what the options are and what the legislation is," Peterson said. He added, "There's also quite a strong feeling that came out that everybody was surprised by, that there should be no funding for any faith-based schools, including the Catholics. We have to look at that as a possibility, too."

I find it supremely ironic that Tim is discussing following the will of his constituents, because his track record on that is hardly stellar. So basically, although you've known the content of the platform since you joined the party, you've had months to talk to policy advisers, community leaders, and the people of Mississauga South, you are still "undecided", and will basically vote as the polls see fit. Also apparently getting rid of Catholic schools are going to be part of the Progressive Conservative plan, according to Mr. Peterson.

The official press release is no better:

" John Tory is a principled Leader who listens to people. He has heard the message from people that there are different views across Ontario about his plan to bring faith-based schools into the public education system. As a result, John Tory confirmed today that he would ensure a free vote at Queen’s Park on this issue, demonstrating that he is listening to the concerns that were raised. I will consult with you, the people of Mississauga South by telephone, fax, Internet and mail to ensure your views are heard and I will vote according to your views. As you know, I feel passionately about representing your concerns. Over the last four years, Dalton McGuinty and his government have failed to address the many problems that confront you. I welcome the opportunity to continue working for you. I ask for your support and vote on October 10th. "

Yes, because principled leaders change the central campaign plank mid-election. Apparently Howard Hampton will wake up tomorrow and realize he better start campaigning in favour of the MPP pay rise (although given 2 of the NDP members didn't attend the vote on the raise because they privately agreed with it, maybe this isn't such a long shot).

So basically, if you vote for Tim, according to this release, you are voting for a candidate who hasn't made up his mind, is indecisive, and needs more time to come up with an about-face answer. That is not leadership, and that is not what Mississauga South needs.

The meaning of signs

I've always been interested in the ways people visually identfy themselves politically. This has brought me to an interest in pins and buttons obviously, but also posters and signs. Having been in a number of different ridings over the course of the election, the differences and similarities between the parties and candidates is very interesting.

Liberals

Charles Sousa-Mississauga South, Yasir Naqvi-Ottawa Centre

Most Liberals don't stray very far from the template, as seen above. Strikes a nice balance between the central party and the candidates individual name, and the candidates personal website. The only candidates who I've noticed have different signs are Ministers like Jim Watson, who I included in the collage above. Jim has had that "re-elect a good MPP" since forever, and was allowed to grandfather it in. Dalton also has a few different designs, seen here: although he also has plenty of "standard" designs.

I'm assuming Ministers have more choice in choosing a custom sign vs. a standard sign, such as Kathleen Wynne's standard bags:

compared to George Smitherman's "last name only" signs

The template is designed to show both party solidarity, and highlight the individual, which is a good reflection of the Liberal team values.

Progressive Conservatives

Tim Peterson-Mississauga South, Trina Morissette-Ottawa Centre

Now here is a good example of how psychology can effect a candidate and his or her sign choices. Tim Peterson, the floor crosser, has a sign that has little Conservative blue in it, and has that stupid by-line "Your John Tory Candidate" as well as a link to the "leadership matters" campaign website. For Tim at the start of the campaign, this would have made sense. First, avoid using partisan colours as much as possible. In the period in which he was an Independent, Tim largely stuck to a neutral yellow and grey template in his literature, his MPP website, and in this official photo.

So using a white sign to try and give something of a non-partisan image makes sense. As does the ignoring of everything Tim Peterson related but the actual name on the sign. "John Tory candidate" is because Tim's entire platform is John Tory, and was thought up in the pre-flip flop days when Conservative candidates thought Tory would lead them into to promised land with his leadership on faith-based funding, instead of electoral oblivion. Same goes for the "leadership matters" webpage. For those of you who still doubt the slavish devoution Tim has for all things John Tory, look at this banner outside his campaign office.

You can't really get a proper scope of size from that photo, but this thing is HUGE. With Peterson headed for defeat at the hands of Mr. Sousa, perhaps he will ponder what could have been had his attendtence record not been so poor, and his floor crossing not so unpopularly recieved.

Trina is a whole different story. Unlike the psedo-incumbant Tim, Trina would never have won her seat, even in a best case scenario, considering Ottawa Centre is a Liberal-NDP battleground. But her sign is all Conservative blue, has her own personal website listed, and none of that "John Tory for insert every riding in province" bull here. She also has the riding listed, which is something that is becoming increasingly rare on political signs.

It is important to note that both Trina and Tim's signs have the PC logo cramed in as small as legally possible, probably to avoid voters connecting the candidates to the Harris days. Shocking, how voters have a tendancy to hold parties responsible for what they did in government.

New Democratic Party

Ken Cole-Mississauga South, Will Murray-Ottawa Centre

I couldn't actually find any online pictures of Ken and Will's signs, but since they both use the same template as shown in the collage, it is not a huge loss. The NDP, more so even than the Liberals, are very focused on consistancy in signs. The only difference in any signs I've seen personally or could find online is that Lynn Hamilton in Ottawa West uses a someone darker shade of orange, and Ric Dagenais in Ottawa Vanier uses a different template, white background with black text and orange and green highlights, which I couldn't find pictures of. Oh, and Ric and Will both have the bi-lingual aspect on the signs, with NDP alongside NPD.

That Ken and Will would use the same design is interesting. The NDP design as is seems to focus much more on the candidate, with the NDP (or NPD) logo cramed into the green highlight. Ken in Mississauga South faces an unwinnable fight, as the NDP has struggled, particularly in the last few decades, to even put in a respectable showing, usually finishing with below 10%. Ken might be better served with the current signs, as the NDP brand is not particularly strong here, and he does have some name exposure from being the perpetual NDP candidate, having run in the last few provincial elections and one recentish federal election for the Dippers.

Will Murray however, is locked in a tight battle with the Liberals, in a seat the NDP already have federally. Given Murray's profile (like all the major candidates, to be frank) is somewhat low, I would have figured Murray would strongly rely on the NDP brand name to help him out in an area that has elected NDP'ers both federally and provincially before. Both signs also fail to mention the individual website, and provide a link to the party one, although the green shadow used on the white text makes it very hard to read the smaller print of the website adress from any sort of reasonable difference. Lynn Hamilton's slightly darker shade of orange makes the website somewhat easier to see.

Greens

David Johnson-Mississauga South, Greg Laxton-Ottawa Centre

Couldn't find any pictures of David's signs, but they are the same template as Greg's. The Green signs are a classic example of placing brand first. The last name of the candidate is large enough to get you to remember it, but the main emphasis is on the colour green, and the word "green" (dunno why they like lowercase so much). This makes sense considering the Green brand rather than the individual candidates are more likely to pick up voters. The Greens further shun individuality by giving the party website, as opposed to the candidate website, and interestingly, follow the PC's in placing the election slogan ("Real Issues. Real Answers") on the signs.