Party Leadership Convention Report
Simcoe Grey was well represented at the recent NDP Leadership Convention, with 14 our members in attendance. Here are some of their comments:
Roland Gosselin (Thornbury): “The NDP party members are the most patient of any party I know. The quality of the candidates was astonishing. I liked the way the defeated candidates freed their supporters to vote the way they saw fit.”
Irene Bell (Wasaga Beach): “ Wow! The biggest and most exciting NDP event I have ever had the opportunity of attending. Everybody was there from left leaning Toronto city councillors to previous party leaders including Ed Broadbent. Can you imagine the buzz! But it’s not only the event itself. Just as important is the reconnecting with people you have known in the NDP in years gone by and learning what they are up to.”
David Matthews (Wasaga Beach): “The 2012 Leadership Convention was my first. I found it very exciting. The opportunity to meet and discuss politics with people from all across Canada was great. The number of young people was outstanding, and it shows that our party is attracting the youth of Canada. It came at a great time because it rejuvenated my batteries to fight even harder in the next campaign. It also made me feel even more proud to be a social democrat.”
Katy Austin (Elmvale): I was very impressed with the bilingualism of the whole event. Half the speeches were in French and the majority of the people on the floor seemed to understand what was being said. I really enjoyed meeting NDPers from all across Canada and especially the ones from Quebec. There was a real sense of collegiality and unity among us. Keep an eye on Nikki Ashton and Nathan Cullen; they will be playing key roles in the future of the party!”
George Glover (Wasaga Beach): “I struck by how bilingual the convention was. Every candidate for the leadership and every speaker spoke to some degree in both languages. That made me realize how vital it is for us to maintain our gains in Quebec. Fortunately, we now have a leader who speaks impeccable English and French. He is widely accepted in every part of Canada and he is our best hope of retaining Quebec. We have outstanding MPs from B.C. and Manitoba who can be crucial in winning seats in BC and the prairies. In Ontario we have Peggy Nash and Paul Dewar who will be valuable assets in our campaign efforts. It appears that Thomas Mulcair will try to maintain good relations with his opponents and hopefully will make full use of their abundant talents. I hope too that he will make use of Brian Topp. He has much to offer both inside and outside of Parliament.”
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