CONVENTION WEEK

Hey folks, Mark your convention correspondent here. Finally after weeks of months of preparation and planning, running about and doing the most tedious of odd jobs, finally the big event is here!! I’m not as lucky as some who get to live, eat, breathe and sleep (or not) the convention. Nonetheless, there is still some serious and important business that we've got to attend to. Normally, photocopying, formatting, and generally doing whatever you are told to do is not that big a deal. But add that special sense of urgency that has come with this week, and we're making those copies double time.

One of the great perks of this week is that, all of a sudden, Montreal is flooded with people who are active and enthusiastic about politics, Dion, and the other candidates. Of course we welcome all of these people to Montreal, however, we naturally reserve an especially hearty bonjour for all our fellow Dion supporters. Si vous êtes avec nous, les Dionistas, et vous n`êtes pas montréalais, bienvenue!!!

It's very interesting to talk convention and hear the view from BC, the Maritimes, and Ontario. I would really like to meet someone from the North this week though!!! In my opinion, this is where we find the real value of having a convention.

Plus the convention means a good chance to practice our realpolitik. Stuffing envelopes for delegates, for instance, is particularly enriching. One sheet, two sheets, three sheets, four; button stickers, let's do some more! So it's not quite 99 bottles of beer, but it gets us through the day. But we do get the satisfaction of knowing that delegates, in particular the Dion youth, are going to have a great time in Montreal. And maybe we'll tag along... because all work and no play makes politics a dull game, doesn't it?

So...HAPPY CONVENTION...and if you see someone running to a photocopier, you'll know who it is. And stay tuned for more updates to come.

- Mark

Convention Blog, a Dion intern

Being a Dion Intern

My name is Mark and I'm a Dionista and a youth campaign intern. I’m a second year student at McGill University and a long time Liberal. Despite being interested in politics for a long time, getting into Dion’s corner has been my first real experience in the political ring. And I think our man Stephane is going to walk away with the belt.

When I signed up, I was pretty ignorant to the amount of work that goes into a campaign. But then my second weekend with the team was Super Weekend. Some practically lived at the Dion office before and over the weekend. There was pizza, and it rocked. Since then, its become really clear that the Dion team is quite remarkable. From my perspective, they, rather, we, are one good reason why Dion is going to win this weekend. We rock.

Anyways, its been a good experience being an intern. I've been asked to get groceries, write up random text for this and that, put man on the moon, all the glamorous stuff you see in movies, yeah, we do all that. In between making phone calls and pulling things together for convention, we get to hypothesize the outcome of all our hard work and limitless benevolence and devotion for the Dion cause. There seems to be a general consensus that he is going to win. Go figure!

Working for Dion gives you some serious celebrity status around these parts. I’d say its implied in being an intern for a candidate that you have got to spread the good word, and I’m finding that lots of people know what the scoop with Dion is already. Every now and again you get someone who says, “Who? Celine?” but they are really easy to straighten out. Most of the time, its more like, “That’s cool, he rocks.” So naturally I tell them that, no Dion doesn’t rock. He rocks hard. Then I make sure that they are thoroughly convinced, and tell them to spread the word. If you're one of those who I haven't reached yet, then do some digging: read a paper, listen to the radio or watch the news. Chances are that we've passed on the Dion bug and it is working its way towards you. Don't run, don't hide, we're everywhere.

- Mark

Une bonne lettre...

(dans le devoir, gazette, et star)

La politique symbolique au Canada

Le mot nation englobant plusieurs sens – sociologique, ethnique, étatique – on peut très bien dire que les « Québécois » forment une nation dans un Canada uni. J’appuierai donc la résolution déposée à la Chambre des communes qui fait évidemment référence au sens sociologique du mot nation. Une résolution qui dirait que le « Québec » forme une nation au sein du Canada devrait préciser qu’il s’agit bien du sens sociologique. La résolution proposée à l’aile québécoise de mon parti ne le précisait pas et je ne pouvais donc pas l’appuyer.

Et voici quelques autres résolutions que mon parti ou la Chambre des communes pourraient très bien voter :

« Les Canadiens-Français forment une nation au sein du Canada. »

« Les Acadiens forment une nation au sein du Canada. »

« Les Premières nations formant autant de nations, de même que les
Métis et les Inuits, il y a plusieurs nations au Canada et dans la
province de Québec. »


Et maintenant la résolution suivante : « Le Canada forme une seule et même nation ayant son siège aux Nations unies. »

Je crois surtout qu’il faut cesser d’investir tant d’espoir, ou inversement, de craintes dans ce genre d’exercice sémantique. Il faut apprendre à mieux gérer la politique symbolique au Canada. Une façon de nous y aider serait de convenir ensemble que rien ne justifie la sécession au Canada.

Il appartient aux chefs indépendantistes de démontrer que cette affirmation est fausse. À eux de trouver les raisons graves qui justifieraient de faire une chose aussi radicale que de transformer des concitoyens en étranger dans un pays démocratique.

Et à nous de travailler dans l’unité pour toujours améliorer davantage cette superbe réalisation humaine qu’est le Canada.

Stéphane Dion est député de Saint-Laurent-Cartierville et candidat à la direction du Parti libéral du Canada.
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Symbolic politics in Canada

The word nation having different meanings - sociological, ethnic, statehood - one can say that “Quebecers” form a nation within a united Canada. I will therefore support the motion introduced in the House of Commons which obviously refers to the sociological sense of the word nation. A resolution which would say that “Quebec” forms a nation within Canada should specify that it refers to the sociological definition of the word. The resolution put forward at the convention of the Quebec wing of my party did not specify this and thus I did not support it.

Here are a few other resolutions that my party or the House of Commons could adopt:

“French Canadians form a nation within Canada.”

“Acadians form a nation within Canada.”

“First Nations peoples being nations, as are the Métis and the Inuit,
there are many nations in Canada and in the province of Quebec.”

And now the following resolution: “Canada is one nation with its own seat at the United Nations.”

Above all, I believe that we must stop being so hopeful, or fearful, of this type of semantic exercise. We must learn to better manage symbolic politics in Canada. We could help ourselves by all agreeing that nothing justifies secession in Canada.

It is up to the separatists leaders to demonstrate that this statement is false. It is up to them to identify the serious reasons which would justify such a radical gesture in a democratic country: transforming fellow citizens into foreigners.

And it is up to us to work in unity and continually improve the superb human achievement that is Canada.

Stéphane Dion is Member of Parliament for Saint-Laurent-Cartierville and candidate for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Everybody Loves Dion

Hey Everyone,

Colin Hebb here...

One week ago today, Stephane Dion arrived in Nova Scotia for a three day tour of our great little province. We were very excited for his arrival and he certainly did not disappoint.

From a great morning with Liberals in Scott Brison's riding on Saturday through to an eventful half day with Sydney-Victoria MP, Mark Eyking, the NS Dion tour was a BIG success from beginning to end.

I was lucky enough to have accompanied Stephane on his tour and was amazed by the positive response from every part of the province. I was also very impressed by the overwhelming number of people that walked up to Stephane in the street and told him they would certainly vote Liberal if he were the leader. I felt like I was walking with a celebrity who had just scored the biggest blockbuster of his career. As we went along, one thing became very clear to me... "Everybody Loves Dion".

I had the opportunity to speak with many delegates here in NS who would likely need a second choice after the first ballot. Each and every person I spoke with indicated that Stephane was certainly a major part of their consideration and in many, many cases... the one.

I am so proud that I will mark my ballot "Stephane Dion" for the leader of this party next weekend. I can honestly say that at no point during this long, long race have I regretted the decision I made back in April. In fact, everytime I hear Stephane speak or read his detailed vision of the future, I become even more convinced that no one deserves to win this more than Stephane Dion. He is the quintessential Liberal and we need him to take back the reigns of power.

He's the one.

That's all from Halifax.. see you in Montreal,

Colin Hebb

PS: Below are some comments that were made by non-members that stopped by to hear Stephane speak... very inspiring:

"Though I have always been a conscientious voter, I have never been inspired enough by anyone to work for their election, but I feel all fired up by Stephane and so much want him to win the nomination and be Canada's P.M. We desperately need someone with his vision and integrity."

"We were both really impressed by Stephane. He seems bright, thoughtful, a good listener, has both vision and a sense of how to achieve it... I hope that he can win the leadership race and then that the Liberals can defeat Harper."

The Finale of "Four-eyed and Fantastic"

And here we are at the last part of our series. We feel like we've learned a lot in this exercise. We learned that Roberta Bondar must have perfect eye-sight. Damn did we want to be able to profile her. Amazing! So yes, we must thus admit that some great leaders don't wear glasses. But let's ignore that and move on to those that do...

Dr. Seuss

Every child's favorite author, Dr. Seuss- "who thought politics were only a bother, and now I can't go any farther..."

You get the picture – he is of course known for his children's stories with surprising depth. Although unknown to many at the time of its publication, "If I ran the Circus", a story where young McGurkus cleans out an empty lot and runs a magnificent circus that everyone enjoys, is in fact a grade 3 interpretation of how successful Dion is going to be. Except there are elephants. We still can't believe the campaign vetoed elephants.

Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin, also known as "Silence Dogood" to those history buffs amongsts us (or anyone who watched the EPIC film "National Treasure" starring the one and only Nicholas Cage! Holy crap, does Nicholas Cage wear glasses...) was a fairly stellar guy. Pro-democracy, pro-feminism, anti-slavery, he is best known for his work to harness the power of electricity. Oh yeah, and he was also President of the United States for a while. Oh yeah, and he also created bifocals! Booyakasha! So considering this accomplished man wore glasses which he created himself, we feel more than justified putting him on the list.

And finally, we move onto the last person in our series, and the man of the hour:

STÉPHANE DION

Where to start, where to start... um, national unity? Environmental sustainability? Ethics and accountability? Experience? Respect on the international stage? Gender parity in politics? Youth engagement in politics? Knocking doors with us Liberals during the last three elections? There's too many reasons, so we'll let you decide which is the best.

- Denise and Mark

ps- we're sorry to report that Nicholas Cage, while wearing a lot of sunglasses doesn't seem to sport them of any other type. Damn. We're still including some AMAZING quotes from some AMAZING movies, though.

Nicholas Cage as Cyrus Grissom: Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. I have the only gun on board. Welcome to Con Air.
Nicholas Cage as Dr. Goodspeed: I'm a chemical SUPERfreak actually, but, I still need a gun.

Part II of our series: Behind the Lenses

FDR

And of course there is Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who overcame mediocre eyesight and paralysis to become one of the most well regarded American presidents of all time. Very much a liberal president, his New Deal attempted to create equality for minorities, subsidies for farmers, and social assistance for the poor. He is commonly known as FDR, which really means For the Dion Revolution ;-)

John Lennon

And how about the admired musician, John Lennon? He was the founder and leader of the biggest band in history, (The Beatles of course) and his political activism and philosophical outlook will never be forgotten. While Lennon could never expect Dion to sport the granny glasses, he did once sing that “if you want to start a revolution.... you’d best listen to Stephane....allllright,” and also, “it's been a hard day's night, of climate change negotiation, but now we're feelin' alright, let Dion lead the nation...yeah.” At this point, a mad blogger shout-outs to Beatles Blog for Dion, who rocked the blog community earlier this campaign with much groundbreaking work forming links between awesome bands and awesome leadership candidates.


Louise Arbour

Another glasses-donner that rocks our socks is Chief Justice Arbour. Internationally reknown for her work as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour has had and continues to have an amazing impact on Canadian society. These glasses have spent many an hour review important cases the world over.

Clark Kent

Clark Kent, played by Christopher Reeves- who was an incredible man in his own right- is often credited as being nothing more than the alter-ego for Superman. We here at EchoDion, however, feel that Kent was a hero in his own right. Journalism is the pursuit of perfect information and transparency in a community. It is the backbone of democracy. Kent worked hard whatever the hell that newspaper was called, and for what he lacked in predictability as the result of his whole bird/plane sidejob he more than made up for in passion and eyewear.

While we won't see Stephane being confused with either Kent or Superman, he's already overcome political kryptonite more than once. And he he's got X-Ray vision. Muah muah muah...

Getting bored of this series yet? We aren't! More to come tomorrow =)
- Denise and Mark

Demographics over Ideas? Give credit where credit due

Richard from Manitoba here,

Many a discussion out there in the blogosphere is trying to relate each candidate's qualities to potential electability. I'm glad people are keeping the next election in mind when talking Leadership considering we aren't electing the president of our own pointless social club. Thus far, bloggers and a few pundits have been focusing exclusively on inherent qualities (language and location specifically) as if these were the sole determining factors in an election; there is so much cynicism built into this view. No one can deny that demographics of a leader matter to people; people look for ways to personalize and relate to a leader to the "world" they see and live in. Yet, you can apply the economist model to voting: people are looking to maximize their benefit to their lives. And, I still believe some people are genuinely interested in the common good in this country.

We fail the second two motivations unless we start discussing ideas and visions as vote-moving instruments. Does Stephane's French accent, or Kennedy's hard French, or Dryden's charisma matter to the every day lives of Canadians? no, surely not. Accents don't pay bills or taxes, educate children, bust crime, or clean up the toxic site next to the playground. Governments and politicians exist to make the everyday lives of citizens more manageable, to take advantage of the common good; ideas and programs accomplish this. Put any candidate's personality foibles against two fewer hours spent waiting in an emergency room, or a cheaper bill at the pharmacy, or news of carbon emission reductions; the tangible benefits matter so much more.

If Stephen Harper, cowboy-hatted, leather vest-wearing man of the west can pick up seats in Quebec by promising to fix the fiscal imbalance, then any person with a relevant idea can win anywhere. Even the Liberals have an opportunity in the West with support for the wheat board and ethanol production.

Debating electability without discussing the candidate's planks and their regional impacts is a half hearted and fully arrogant nod to Canadian voters. We dismiss this reality at our own peril. This issue isn't necessarily about any particular candidate, its just a reminder that ideas matter. It just can't be helped that Stephane is a man of ideas.

Great Leaders with Glasses

Today we start a special series here at Dionlineyouth.blogspot chronicling the amazing leadership that occurs when you combine integrity, courage, brilliance and glasses. Today's installment:


Gandhi


The most influential of the lot is Mahatma. Gandhi mobilized huge numbers of people(millions and millions) and lead them forward through a period of great uncertainty. Not only that, he did it with principle and dignity. If Gandhi was around today, we believe he would be down with the Three Pillars approach. Interestingly, both have been dominatant figures in debates on national unity.



Nellie McClung

And who is this stately lady? None other than Nellie McClung. She played a pivotal role in the battle for women’s suffrage in Canada. She saw straight through the rhetoric of the day and with a group of fellow strong women, fought the system and won their right to participate in the democratic process as equals. We're sure Dion’s plan to achieve gender parity in the party and parliament would be easy on these eyes.



Vince Vaughn


Swingers. Old School. Wedding Crashers. Dodgeball. Anchor Man. Starsky and Hutch. That movie with the Rock where he pretended to be a gangsta. Amazing. Just like Dion, he has an absolutely un-toppable resume. The comparison stops there, though. Which is probably for the best.

Our series on awesome-people-who-wear-glasses continues tomorrow with an influential musician, world leader, and superhero. Suggestions always welcome. Especially for the next series we're trying to put together tentatively titled, "Great Leaders who name their pets after United Nations Accords."

- Mark and Denise

Holy great column, Batman

As I scan through my daily LRB newsclippings, some emails stand out more than others. Like the coverage of a confused David Emerson who showed up at the GG's after losing the election and still accidentally got put into cabinet. Or reporting of when PM stood up in the House of Commons to defend the Aboriginal Accord. Or the comment piece below.

Fave line is when he describes SD as

"one who is ready to tear down the walls of cynicism that engulf politics."

Tearing down the walls of cynicism that engulf politics is so hot right now.

- Denise

Don't count out Stéphane Dion

Lawrence Martin, Globe and Mail, November 2, 2006

Stéphane Dion was underrated and he still is and he is likely to remain so all the way up until the election of the new Liberal leader on Dec. 2.

The Montreal academic arrived in Ottawa 10 years ago and quickly rendered the word charisma obsolete. He had the look of a stick of chalk, an altar boy among the bishops, intrinsically mundane.

He became unity minister. With rapier thrusts that repelled separatist blackmail, he earned intellectual credibility. He helped set new rules for secession and became, with John Manley, one of Jean Chrétien's most prized ministers. Paul Martin left him out of cabinet, but he was soon back in by popular demand.

In Ottawa, Mr. Dion gained a reputation. Many will tell you this is the most sincere, completely unpretentious politician they have ever met. They found a purity and directness to his way of thinking and acting that was unique. He didn't the play the game.

But, despite his progress, when they rolled out the candidates for the Liberal leadership, the Dion name drew yawns. It was all the more curious because, when he describes himself as the most qualified candidate in the field, he cannot be faulted for exaggeration.

Mr. Dion has more federal cabinet experience than all the other candidates combined. He has none of the baggage of a Bob Rae or a Michael Ignatieff. His slate, despite being in the cabinet so long, is clean. He is the candidate who best bridges the bitter Martin/Chrétien divide in the Liberal Party. On the major issues of the day, global warming and national unity, he has served as minister in each portfolio.

But the focus turned to others in the race, some who had spent a history outside the Grit family. Knifing his way through steak and mushrooms in an Ottawa restaurant, Mr. Dion points out, without bitterness, how many in the media wrote him off because he was too dull. "You wrote that I'm boring. In fact, I am not."

In fact, aside from his occasionally fractured English, it was about the only fault we could pin on him. No gravitas. But he's been working on it. "You will be surprised," he says, "at how much I am able to inspire people."

He sits in fourth place in a race many see as now tilting toward Mr. Rae. But Mr. Dion is moving. His integrity is selling well in private sessions with delegates. He is profiting as well from the stumbling performances of other candidates, particularly that of Mr. Ignatieff.

Gerard Kennedy was causing some concern in the Dion camp. Many thought he might enter the by-election in London, Ont., thereby vaulting his stature above that of provincial politician. With a victory, he would have had precious momentum for the convention. But no dice. Mr. Kennedy looked success in the face, turned and walked away.

The real plus for Mr. Dion, however, is the ace card about which few are talking. Candidates such as Mr. Kennedy, Scott Brison, Ken Dryden and others are going to be more inclined to support Mr. Dion than others because, if they can't win the leadership themselves, they'd much prefer a candidate from Quebec to do so. A Dion victory would mean it would be an anglophone's turn next time. By supporting Mr. Dion, they look to their own futures. It is especially true in the case of Mr. Kennedy, who had dinner with Mr. Dion recently.

At the convention, Mr. Dion has to dispel remaining doubts that he would be a dud as a campaigner by delivering a howitzer of a speech. With that, with eventual support for a Kennedy bloc, he could well pull an upset -- one that would spell significant change.

Mr. Rae, who is tied to the Chrétien engine of the party, has his strengths, as do the others. But anyone looking for someone to shake up the politics of this country would look first to Mr. Dion. He is different, a breed part.

In the United States, they're hoping to see the entry of a great truth teller, Senator Barack Obama, in the 2008 presidential race. In Canada, we already have one -- one who is ready to tear down the walls of cynicism that engulf politics if the Liberals open the door to him.

Some are part of the problem, others the solution

Ok, enough is enough. I’ve already gone on one politically charged rant in the past 24 hours but Norman Spector and this little Conservative sexist movement that’s developing recently definitely necessitates another. Days after the “honorable” Peter MacKay refers to Belinda Stronach as a dog, Norman Spector kindly informs us that she is, more specifically, a female dog—I believe the exact phrasing was “she’s a bitch.” This coming from the former Chief of Staff of Brian Mulroney and well-known Conservative pundit is, in one word, astonishing. For those that haven’t seen the full statement:

“I think she's a bitch. It's as simple as that. And I think that 90 percent of men would probably say she's a bitch… She is a bitch.” (Norman Spector, Oct. 31, 2006)

Anyone wondering why women are grossly underrepresented in politics need look no further than the Conservative government right now. To the Conservatives, a woman who’s bold enough to have her own opinion and cross the floor is a “dog” and a “bitch.”

If Canada seeks to correct the gender imbalance in parliament we need a Prime Minister with a clear plan to encourage women into politics like Stéphane. In fact, Stéphane has a ten-point plan dedicated entirely to this cause. The full text in English can be found here ou vous pouvez le trouver en français ici. Among many other things, Stéphane has committed to ensure at least one third of the candidates in the next election are female, to create a committee as assurance that we have the best women to run as Liberals across the country, and to guarantee gender parity in appointments to the Senate and to the boards of Crown Corporations. To quote LPCBC President and Dionista Jamie Elmhirst, “I feel like I've been time warped back to the 1950's, but maybe that's just the natural effect of having a Conservative government in power in Ottawa.”

-Trev

Leadership Convention vs. Leadership Danceoff: You Be the Judge

As everyone knows, the greatest thing about finally moving out from home and being a first year university student is the tendency of your parents to call you almost constantly. In fact, I was confronted by such a phone call the other day and coerced into explaining to my parents the process by which the Liberal Party elects its leader.

Needless to say, explaining Form 6’s, DSM’s and convention was exhilarating. Those 17 hours of my life did, however, make me realize how much simpler the whole process would be if instead of all this bureaucracy, everything was decided via dance-off.

Do you remember the TV show “Dance 360?” I’ll summarize: one person throws down their best moves in the center of a large crowd (can you say delegates?). Then, another person jumps in. The climax is certainly the head-to-head round, where the two people “dance battle.” The winner is decided by applause.

Picture this and try to tell me with a straight face it’s not the most brilliant idea you’ve ever read: Ignatieff sporting the shopping cart (a personal fave) and Dion laying down the always popular cowboy. Or Kennedy rocking the fisherman and Rae keeping it classy with the chicken dance. If not efficient, it would at least be funny.

- Trevor

T- 44, 640 minutes until convention

With only a month left until registration opens I'm starting to have these disturbing thoughts. Thoughts about what to do on Sunday, December 3. And Monday December 4, and on and on and on. Regardless of outcome, I wonder what hindsight will teach me in the immediate post-convention future, but also what memories I will keep with me for the rest of my life. At only 22 years old, I might see a good many Leaderships in my day. What will make this one special?

I think Carrie's touching post is certainly an indication.

By far one of the best things about the last 6 months on the Dion campaign has been the random and casual moments where someone I know reveals themselves to be a fellow "Dionista" without me ever having known.

The amazing professor who asked me who I was supporting and responded, "Of course Dion. Me too."

Or my campus-job boss who I've known for five years and never talked politics once that said, "Oh you're involved in the Leadership? Who are you supporting? Because Stephane Dion is the one I want to win."

Or the former hill staffer friend who I thought had all but left politics that sent me an email out of the blue reading, "Following the race. Hear you're involved with Dion. He's gotta win, so don't screw up."

Along with the knowing nods from my friends in other parties and the thumbs up from strangers on the metro who see me sporting my Stephane Dion button, these are some of the best moments on the campaign.

- Denise

Where does your candidate stand on the issue of rap music?

I’m tired of all these hard-hitting blog interviews. It’s high time we stopped asking candidates about their opinions and ideas in favour of the goofy, the mundane, and the completely random.

So with that, I present to you my blog interview with the Hon. Stéphane Dion. Thanks to Young Liberals from all the camps for submitting such great questions.

DB: Hi Stéphane, I’m going to ask you some questions that Young Libs have always wanted to know, but have never had the chance to ask you. Answer as much or as little as you want.

SD: Okay

DB: What is your favourite food?

SD: Fresh trout that I have caught myself

DB: What is your favourite season of the year?

SD: Winter, because I like cross-country skiing.

DB: What is the last movie you watched?

SD: 8 Below.

DB: Do you have any guilty pleasures?

SD: Too many to consider

DB: Would you prefer to be really hot and step into a cold room, or really cold and step into a hot room?

SD: Be cold and go into a warm room because a warm room, especially if it’s a fire, is more natural. When it’s air conditioning it’s always a bit artificial.

DB: When you were 8 years old, what did you want to be when you grew up?

SD: I wanted to be a courier de bois. What is the translation for this? It’s someone who worked in the fur trade a long time ago…

DB: Uh… good question. I don’t know what it is in English either….

SD: Maybe there’s no translation. Just put courier de bois.

DB: Okay.

[Editor’s note: there isn’t in fact a good translation as “trapper” is a little big more vague, but feel free to check out wikipedia for a full and even possibly accurate description http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyageurs.]

DB: I notice you have a lot of art in your house. Do you have any favourite artists or paintings.

SD: Well since I am colour blind it’s difficult to have a strong preference.

DB: Really, you’re colour-blind?

SD: Yes.

DB: Can I write that?

SD: Yes.

DB: Cool.

SD: And I would probably say Rembrandt, because it’s the daily life of people.

DB: Do you have a favourite type of music or favourite artist or favourite song?

SD: Yes. La Norma of Bellini

[Proceeds to spell it for me because I’m totally uncultured]

DB: What do you think of rap music?

SD: They speak too fast.

DB Even in French rap?

SD: Yes. It’s not a matter of language.

DB: Yeah, that’s fair. What is the most influential book you’ve ever read? Er, that’s kind of tough. What’s one of the most influential you’ve read?

SD: Democracy in America, from Toqueville.

DB: Have you ever failed a class?

SD: Yes

DB: Holy crap, really?

SD: I had difficulties adapting myself to Cegep.

[for those not familiar with Cegep, it’s pretty much like OAC or pre-college.]

DB: If you could have dinner with any 5 people, dead or alive, who would they be?

SD: This is a very tough one

[pauses for a second]

I would go with the 5 Jewish thinkers who gave strong contributions to humanity

Moses, who said that everything is law
Jesus, who said that everything is love
Marx, who said that everything is struggle
Freud, who said that everything is sex
And Einstein, who said, “you know, all this is very relative.”

DB: That’s awesome. Wow. Okay, how did you and your wife meet?

SD: At a party. Sorry to not be more original.

[Jeanne (his daughter) and I giggle a little bit]

DB: Okay, last question. If you win the leadership will it be the happiest moment of your political career?

[pauses for a long time]

SD: It’s very likely so.

Campaign Dress Code

People often think that if you work in politics you must dress really nicely all the time. I am pleased to report this is not the case. I've managed to spend almost this entire leadership campaign wearing sweatpants/pajama pants/pajama shorts/or some variation of what can only be described as "inactive wear." Many people might think this was made easier by the fact that our campaign rented a house in Ottawa instead of an office, and so I spent a good amount of time sleeping in the campaign office; however, I've managed to sport inactive wear in great cities across this country. Members of the youth team in Victoria, Toronto, Halifax...they've all seen me in inaction. Even SD, who got to see me in my Sunday best for a round of blog interviews yesterday, is cool that I work in sweatpants with stains on them (not shown in picture, but they're there) and an old rugby shirt that my dad gave me after he would no longer wear it in public. It's highly possibly he gave it to me so I stop wearing my "Vancouver Triathlon 1989" t-shirt.

And I just want to say that I'm proud to be on a campaign where I'm judged by my opinions and the content of my character rather than my appearance.

Also, I also took a few minutes to do a hard-hitting blog interview with Stephane which I will be posting shortly, so stay tuned :-)

-Denise

Bridging Liberal past with a Liberal future

Richard from Manitoba here,

Stephane came off feistier than Kyoto in a dog park on Sunday, a performance that gathered many impressed "hmm" moments at the inter-camp debate gathering I attended. Dion stood up for the Liberal record against two party newcomers, and I think its important that every Liberal remember that renewal is different than rebuilding.

The 13-year dynasty of our party was not an accident, nor just a product of the "big red machine" in singing campaign mode. In 1993, Liberals had a purpose: to bring Canada to a point of fiscal balance, in anticipation of a day where Canada could afford to implement any policy or program it needed to address social and economic ills. Purpose drove policy, policy drove visible change, and visible change kept us in office. The finest campaigners of Power Corp would not have been able to market a government that appeared to do nothing when the country was in need of fiscal reform. Consider this: Liberals were able to survive the backlash of having to cut social spending (and indeed all kinds of spending), a chorus that could have easily sung the fat lady tune for our party; but no...our purpose was in synch with that of Canadians, and we succeeded.

Stephane, and all Liberals, should be proud of that, because it was an achievement that all Canadians sacrificed for. Our loss came not from that imminent backlash against program cuts: it came when we lost purpose.

The latter Chretien years and fully the Martin years were defined moreso by conditions and actions thrust upon us by popular demand. Chretien's defining 2003 refusal on Iraq was a neccessary reaction to the unilateral action of the U.S: didn't create the mission, we simply said no. Same sex marriage was moved first by nearly every provincial court, even the Supreme Court of Canada, before it was decided. Martin was there to watch the vote.

Overall, there was a vacuum left when we had slayed the deficit. Chalk it up to whatever reason you may, we did not switch modes from fiscal savers to social restorers as the vision initially entailed. At the end, we were managers more than leaders, so busy coping with the day-to-day funcion of governing that we forgot why we were doing it.

Stephane's work on the environment came at the tail end of this. Its clear to see that Stephane always saw the environment as his purpose, but it is equally clear that purpose was not generally embraced by the whole government, nor the whole party. For whatever didn't get done we cannot blame only one of us. The Liberal party gets things done when we all buy into a common and focused purpose, and the environment wasnt it.

Stephane is trying to make the envrionment that Liberal purpose, equal to that of fiscal management back in 1993. Its important that Liberals see our need for such a common purpose. No other leadership candidate has stepped up with such a focus on a grand enough issue. The Liberal Party has proven it can get accomplish amazing feats if it has a purpose...environmental sustainability need be that new purpose, and Stephane need be the leader who can express and act on that purpose: our ability to once again realize this party's potential depends wholly on it.

Dion Rocked the Debate!

I just wanted to say that DION absolutely rocked yesterday's debate. I think that Don Newman confirmed what I have thought about Stephane all along... he is such an outstanding individual and would make such a great leader for the Liberal Party (and Prime Minister for Canada, of course) that the only thing Mr. Newman could think of criticizing him for is his "accent francais!" In a country where we celebrate cultural, religious and linguistic diversity, I am surprised to see that so much attention is focused on such a trivial attribute.

Yes, the ability to communicate in French and English is a requisite, in my opinion, to successful leadership of this country. A great leader, however, is not determined by his or her capacity to communicate flawlessly in Canada's two official languages. Rather, it is determined by the candidates aptitude, compassion, honesty, integrity, adaptability and a proven record of success. No other canidadate more closely fits the mold than Dion. Dion proved that yesterday.

Best 3 DION quotes of the debate:
“I’m proud to be a Liberal, and for me it did not take a leadership race for me to say so.”

“I think it's very important to choose a leader who has some credentials regarding fiscal discipline. I was there when the tough decisions had to be made, and I'm very proud of that.”

“I have always been clear and consistent in my words and actions, and I have never had to apologize for any of them.”

I am proud to be Canadian, I am proud to be a Liberal and I am proud to be a Dionista!

-Kaley (AB)

Dog Lovers for Dion Days Looking for Dollars!

Nothing makes for a lovely afternoon blogpost like some excessive illiteration and a grassroots fundraising campaign. So drumroll please...

Hello Fellow Dion Supporters,

Sunday is the last official debate, and the it's the home stretch! Whether your issue is national unity, the environment, beating Stephen Harper in the next election, owning a cute husky dog, Dion's the man for you.

So be the change you wish to see and donate to Equipe Dion. $10, $20, $50, $100, any amount will help. And in case you're still not sure, check out these happy faces and tell me you don't want to be a part of this ;-)

-Denise

so i'm getting writer's block thinking of a title!

i'm in a meeting this afternoon with one of my professors, trying somehow to get advice and direction for my future -- you know, one of those meetings... and the question of the day comes up -- do i take my LSATs at mcgill in december (at convention) or do i wait until february and get denied entrance to law school because my application won't be completed until too late? ahh.. ... sometimes i wonder about the liberal party! super weekend AND convention on lsat days!

anyways... so this naturally leads to the topic of leadership and i tell her i'm supporting stephane dion. she puts her hands to her face, shakes her head and says... oh, i'm so happy -- in her cute polish accent. he's the only logical choice for the party, she says. i was watching super weekend results very closely, she says.... oh boy, i say, relieved as i hand her my law school referee forms (in a pre-addressed fed-ex envelope) and walk out the door... i thought she was conservative?

debate sunday in TO anyone?

the beautiful appeal of stephane dion

i am so happy that my undying support is directed at stephane dion. i have received so much praise from friends in other camps for backing such a strong, experienced, and inspiring candidate. i love how everyone can concede that stephane is really the most qualified and suiting candidate to fill the position of leader. driving back from home at the end of this thanksgiving weekend, two friends and i argued over the candidates in the leadership race. each one admitted that dion is the only top-four candidtae without baggage that would prove to be divisive to the liberal party. i guess people really do believe in a united party, a united canada. J'ADORE DION!

Why I'm thankful for being a Dionista

Richard from Manitoba here.

On this thanksgiving weekend (shout out to the Aboriginal people that "gave" [read had stolen] all this land we live on) I'd like to tell everyone why I'm thankful for being a Dionista:

10. The relief of enviro-guilt (you know, the kind that you get every time you see a smoke stack, or when the tumbleweeds of McDonalds wrappers go rolling by)

9. Knowing that Trudeau federalism is still alive in someone.

8. A charming accent (!) that everyone should adore.

7. Bountiful dog food for Kyoto.

6. Kyoto. (Ya, ya, the vote. We all know that you don't send your campaign manager going door to door during an election. The best thing Stephane could do for Kyoto is to keep on campaigning so he can finish what he could only start with the late (too late), great Project Green.)

5. The elderly lady I drove an hour to pick up to vote for Dion on Super Weekend. I hope I'm graceful and intelligent when I'm old (kind of hard, seeing as I'm neither as of now)

4. The "Liberal on Board" window sticker in the back of my Civic hatchback (keep it small, SUV haters)

3. The fact that the two-year countdown to Bush-free day is going to start soon!

2. Being able to get along with anyone else's leadership camps (I haven't seen a Stop Dion website thus far)

and finally, the #1 reason being a Dionista is so gangsta....

Going to the FRENCH pubs in Montreal with our man!

A New Contest: Where's Waldo (er, Colin)

Following on the heels of the last photo contest, here's another one! Remember how great it was to read those "Where's Waldo" books as a child? Scouring the page for that goofy little face staring back at you? Well look hard at this photo and see if you can find our own youth campaign's Waldo, Colin....

Photo Contest Winner!

The official winner of our informal "Best Balloon Arch at a Dion Event" Competition is clearly, clearly, clearly North Vancouver. Congratulations!

SuperWeekend Diary: Day 3

Denise's Day 2 Stats recap (ticker soon to be available):

Hours awake so far: 17
Emails received: 252
Times I was so happy I almost cried: 2
Times I was so stressed I almost threw up: 0
Number of pizza slices I ate: 1
Number of people in campaign office who dissed my music selection: 0
Number of drinks I've had since polls closed (a new ticker feature): 9

So here we are on Sunday night. Hooray, we made it! Not to get too sappy, since politics is "rough-and-tumble," but let me say that I had a lot of good experiences this weekend with a lot of wonderful and respectful people from all camps.

Have a good sleep everyone. We deserve it :-)

Denise

Dion Rocks Nova Scotia Student Clubs

Hey all,

Score one for the Dionista youth team! After all is said and done, Dion took 7 of the 16 student club spots in Nova Scotia. Brison placed second with 6 and Iggy third with 3.


Here's the breakdown for anyone who is interested:

Saint Mary's

Dion 3
Brison 1

St. FX

Dion 2
Brison 1
Iggy 1

Dalhousie

Iggy 2
Dion 1
Brison 1

Acadia

Brison 3
Dion 1

The Bluenose Dionistas are comin to Montreal with a bang!! Watch Out!

Colin Hebb

SuperWeekend Diary: Day 2

My friends used to think that my involvement in politics was cool. I think it's safe to say that is now no longer the case. Maybe it's the third day in sweatpants (which by the way, I've always thought looked more "athletic" than "pathetic"). Maybe it's the lack of eating/bathing/being physically coordinated. All I know is they've all taken to asking, "So....how did today go?" with the head tilt. Yup, the head tilt.

Denise's Day 2 Stats recap (ticker soon to be available):

Hours awake so far: 20
Emails received: 379
Times I was so happy I almost cried: 1, but it lasted a good 10 min of near-weep, so let's call it 2
Times I was so stressed I almost threw up: 0!
Number of pizza slices I ate: 0!
Number of people in campaign office who dissed my music selection: 2

So generally, regardless of what my friends think, I feel I'm making SuperWeekend progress. Because of that, I've decided to reward myself with a movie. And not just any movie, I'm currently watching "The Peacemaker" starring Nicole Kidman and George Clooney. As someone who saw it three times in the movie theatre, I'm constantly shocked by people's lack of familiarity with it. Russian spies stealing nuclear weapon to deliver to Chechens rebels, straight-laced White House staffer Nicole Kidman growing attracted to bad-boy Colonel George Clooney, and a sweet car scene that sees a Mercedes outmaneuvering three BMWs. You be the judge of what's least realistic.

SuperWeekend Diary: Day 1

There's nothing quite like hopping back and forth between the political life and the student one, I've just got to say. One minute you're phone-banking or scrutineering in high-intensity, direct competition and then the next you're helping carry the inebriated to their bed and participating in conversations that start, "So I think it's pretty clear she's got to go with McDreamy, no? I mean, seriously, look at what his wife did to him? He deserves Meredith."

All that aside, a general recap of Day 1:

Hours awake so far: 17
Emails received: 431
Times I was so happy I almost cried: 2
Times I was so stressed I almost threw up: 3
Number of pizza slices I ate: 3
Number of people in campaign office who dissed my music selection: 1

And now I suppose I should try to get some sleep. And by "sleep," I clearly mean lie awake waiting for a time that is socially acceptable to arise and start work for Day 2. I'm going with 7 am.

- Denise

It's a Bird, It's a Plane. No, it's SUPER WEEKEND!

Is it strange and a little sad that I'm way more excited about Super Weekend than I was for my 19th birthday? Probably, but when I went to bed last night, I was like a five year old on Christmas Eve. When I think back to when I came on board this campaign, five months ago, I don't think I could have imagined this situation. Stéphane himself said it best - we started out as a small network, but now we are a nationwide movement.

So, I woke up at 4:45 today, in order to catch my flight back to Calgary. I love BC, but I can do so much more work here. If the flight back was any indication, Equipe Dion is in for a good weekend. I got the emergency exit row (the one with lots of legroom - I'm a tall guy) and headed home to the land of White Stetsons and Cowboy Boots. People don't really think of Alberta as a bastion of Liberalism, but the Liberals we have are dedicated and sharp.

So there are butterflies - there always are before a big day. But it's different from the last federal election. This time, my team has played a good game. We've worked hard, and it's about to pay off. When I joined, Stéphane was the token candidate from Quebec. The obligatory also ran that people tolerated. But look at us now. Youth, across this country, have been working hard during this campaign, and it's about to pay off. So, I feel that I have the right to be a little (crazily) excited. This weekend is going to be good. Just watch us.

-Matthew Naylor, Alberta Logistics Chair

Super Weekend =)

Cette actuelle course a la chefferie est un bienfait benifique pour le Parti liberal du canada. Et il est finalement temps que ses membres participent activement a ce processus.

J' ai choisi de travailler avec M. Dion ansin que son equipe parce qu' il a une claire vision pour l' avenir de de tous les canadiens et canadiennes. Il nous faut un chef d' experience, rassembleur, passionne et surtout qui est capable de faire face a ce Gouvernement minoritaire de M. Harper.

C' est ma premiere course et elle est tres excitante a certains points. Pour un jeune qui evolue dans un parti politique, c' est la meilleure ecole qui puisse exister!

Bon Super Week end tout le monde!!!
- Melissa (Co-Presidente Jeune National)

Oh, internet, how you can warm my heart

Anybody who reads my fuddle-duddling will know that I'm all about

this following post. It rocks my socks and hopefully, when I'm on day two with no sleep this "Super" weekend it will keep me phone-banking until my fingers are bruised. Luckily, my thumbs have been in intensive black-berry training for two years now and I can rely on them when the rest of my digits can no longer punch in any more keypad digits. Hahaha, biology pun. Zing!

-Denise

Sept. 26/06 Stephane Dion

Last Changed on: 27 September 2006 (Original post date: 27 September 2006) posted by Steve Paikin

I had never met Stephane Dion before tonight's interview, and I must confess, I wondered why so many pundits were giving this guy such laudatory notices. I had only ever seen him on television, and then again, in short sound bites. Now, having met him, I can see what much of the fuss is about. I always knew he was solid on policy. I wondered about whether his English was strong enough to attract voters in English Canada. I also wondered whether a former Quebec intellectual and academic had the requisite people skills for the job.

If the reaction in our studio today was any indication, the answer is, yes he does have it. Dion entered our studio today and did something almost no politician ever does: he shook hands with all the members of our studio crew. I have interviewed hundreds of politicians in that studio over the past 12 years, and I can count on one hand the number of them that
bothered to introduce themselves to the cameramen and/or other technicians. So right away, the crew was positively disposed to him.

You can judge the interview for yourself, but what impressed me was how quick he was on his feet (or, I guess more accurately, on his seat). His English did seem more than satisfactory to the task. He was charming and amusing in ways I had never seen him before. He also demonstrated an enthusiasm and passion for the job, and all of it on five hours sleep a night.

Dion not only submitted to an interview off the top of the program, but also joined four other analysts in a discussion about where the Liberal Party of Canada is today. I know plenty of politicians who might have begged off tangling with their critics on television on the eve of the most important delegate selection vote of their political careers. But he didn't. I suspect hs overall performance only enhanced his stature with our viewers tonight.

A campaign haiku...

Delegate choosing

Weekend approaching quickly

Need more coffee, please.

Kyoto's Story

It seems like today all politcal blogs are centered around either reguritating empty policy or blasting opposing candidates with senseless negativity. Some blogs, however, defy this norm. Some blogs, like James Bowie's (whose blog originally posted this story) and Echo CanaDION, refuse to turn politics into a game of slander and try to keep a lighthearted attitude. In the spirit of this, we bring you an update from Stéphane Dion himself about his dog Kyoto.

After the electoral defeat, we (my wife, my daughter and I) were extremely disappointed by the loss, and to boost our spirits, decided to make one of our dreams come true: to get a dog.

Concerned about what the new government would do about climate change, we decided to choose a dog from the North, a Siberian Husky, and to call him Kyoto. He was born on January 15th, 2006.

At the time we thought that since I was no longer a minister, I would be spending more time in my home riding and would be able to help take care of the dog. But I have since decided to enter the leadership race and it is now Kyoto who is taking care of me, more than the opposite!


-Stéphane Dion

Memoirs of a Campaign Intern

Amidst the political chaos of a Liberal leadership race, its easy to forget that there are, in fact, a great deal of people behind every candidate. The most glamorous of all positions is, obviously, the unpaid campaign intern/university student, and I thought that perhaps the voting public would appreciate a glance into what exactly an average day is like for us here on the Dion campaign.

So I usually wake up around 4am, hit the gym. Stéphane expects his interns to be in peak physical condition so at any time we can retrieve coffee for the office in awe-inspiring speed. Tricep strength is key for sure. Around 7 I'll head over to the campus for a class or two; unfortunately the whole university student deal implies occasional school work. Usually its hard to get a seat on account of the paparazzi. They see a Dion intern coming kilometers off, and I'm often confronted with a barrage of questions like “is it true you're simultaneously dating both Jessica Alba and Heidi Klum?” Don't worry ladies, I'm not. I mean, I was, but it just wasn't working out and I had to break it off. I was just too recognized when we went out.

For lunch I'll usually have some sort of high profile meeting with various political figureheads, I certainly never, ever eat lunch in a cafeteria with a textbook propped over my lunch. Never. I'll probably another class or two in the afternoon, if I'm in the mood. My evenings usually consist in me pouring over political textbooks, writing pages and pages of groundbreaking Liberal policy, and generally working myself cross-eyed. It's pretty sweet.

Hopefully I've shed some light upon the life of an intern: in all seriousness it's really a lot of fun and really great experience. - T.B.

Nice work, BC/ Bon travail C-B!

LIBERAL PARTY candidates in British Columbia support Stéphane Dion for Leader

-Number of Past and Current Candidates declared for Stéphane Dion is now 10; Most of Any Leadership Candidates

Vancouver, BC (September 15, 2006) – The number of past and current Liberal Party of Canada candidates who have publicly declared their support for Stéphane Dion in British Columbia now totals 10, the highest for any leadership candidate in the race to become Party Leader. Past and current candidates are automatic delegates to the upcoming Leadership Convention, and are a leading indicator of support within the general membership for particular leadership contestants.

Support for Stéphane Dion from past and current candidates comes from all regions of the province. From Prince George Peace River, to Victoria, to Kootenay Columbia, and the Lower Mainland, past and current candidates are declaring that Stéphane Dion is the best choice to become the next Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.

“No other candidate for the leadership of the Liberal Party shows as much promise as Stéphane Dion”, said David Mulroney, Past Candidate from Victoria. Keith Henry, who ran for the Liberal Party in the 2006 Election in the riding of Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows – Mission echoes Mulroney’s sentiments. “His commitment to British Columbia, and our entire nation, is why I’m supporting Stéphane”, said Henry.

Joyce Murray, Co-chair for the Stéphane Dion campaign in B.C. and past candidate in New Westminster-Coquitlam notes that “support for Stéphane extends not only geographically, but demographically as well. He has support from male and female candidates, from the youngest candidates in the province, and from former municipal and provincial politicians who ran under the Liberal Party banner in British Columbia.”

Bill Cunningham, who ran for the Liberal Party in Burnaby Douglas in both the 2004 and 2006 elections, says Dion’s record of service in cabinet and in the Liberal Party, his contribution to national unity, and his Three-Pillar approach to policy continue to draw in new supporters. “Team Dion continues to grow in British Columbia, and having nearly 1/3 of past and current candidates in B.C. publicly declaring their support for Stéphane is extremely encouraging for the campaign”, Cunningham said.

– 30 –

Current British Columbia Past and Current Candidates Endorsing Stéphane Dion:

1) Nathan Bauder – Prince George Peace River
2) Jhim Burwell – Kootenay Columbia
3) Bill Cunningham – Burnaby Douglas
4) Keith Henry – Pitt Meadows Maple Ridge Mission
5) David Mulroney – Victoria
6) Joyce Murray – New Westminster Coquitlam
7) David Perry – Okanagan Coquihalla
8) Gordon Stamp-Vincent – Skeena Bulkley Valley
9) Simon Yu – Prince George Peace River
10) Wendy Yuan – Vancouver Kingsway



LES CANDIDATS DU PARTI LIBÉRAL EN COLOMBIE-BRITANNIQUE APPUIENT STÉPHANE DION COMME CHEF

- Dix anciens candidats et candidats actuels appuient présentement Stéphane Dion : Le total le plus élevé parmi tous les candidats à l’investiture

Vancouver, Colombie-Britannique (le 15 septembre 2006) – Le nombre d’anciens candidats et de candidats actuels du Parti libéral du Canada en Colombie-Britannique qui ont déclaré publiquement leur appui pour Stéphane Dion s’élève présentement à 10, soit le total le plus élevé parmi tous les candidats à l’investiture. Les anciens candidats et les candidats actuels ont une position assurée à titre de délégué au Congrès d’investiture. De plus, ils représentent très souvent l’opinion des membres du parti concernant l’appui d’un candidat particulier.

L’appui que reçoit Stéphane Dion d’anciens candidats et de candidats actuels provient de tous les coins de la province. Qu’ils viennent de Prince George Peace River, Victoria, Kootenay Columbia ou de la vallée du bas Fraser, les anciens candidats et candidats actuels déclarent que Stéphane Dion représente le meilleur choix comme prochain chef du Parti libéral du Canada.

« Aucun autre candidat à l’investiture n’est aussi prometteur que Stéphane Dion », affirme David Mulroney, ancien candidat dans Victoria. Keith Henry, qui s’est porté candidat pour le Parti libéral aux élections de 2006 dans la circonscription de Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows – Mission est du même avis que M. Mulroney. « J’appuie Stéphane en raison de son dévouement à la Colombie-Britannique et à notre pays », a-t-il dit.

Joyce Murray, coprésidente de la campagne de Stéphane Dion en Colombie-Britannique et ancienne candidate dans New Westminster-Coquitlam ajoute que « l’appui pour Stéphane va au-delà de la géographie et de la démographie. Il est appuyé par les candidats et candidates de la province, par les jeunes candidats ainsi que par les anciens politiciens municipaux et provinciaux libéraux qui se sont portés candidats en Colombie-Britannique ».

Bill Cunningham, qui s’est porté candidat pour le Parti libéral dans Burnaby Douglas aux élections de 2004 et 2006 affirme que Stéphane continue d’attirer de nouveaux partisans en raison de ses antécédents au Cabinet et au Parti libéral, de sa contribution à l’unité nationale et de son approche à trois piliers. « L’équipe Dion connaît une croissance importante en Colombie-Britannique et l’appui public pour Stéphane de près d’un tiers des anciens candidats et candidats courants en Colombie-Britannique est très encourageant pour la campagne », a-t-il conclu.

– 30 –


Anciens candidats et candidats actuels qui appuient présentement Stéphane Dion :

1) Nathan Bauder – Prince George Peace River
2) Jhim Burwell – Kootenay Columbia
3) Bill Cunningham – Burnaby Douglas
4) Keith Henry – Pitt Meadows Maple Ridge Mission
5) David Mulroney – Victoria
6) Joyce Murray – New Westminster Coquitlam
7) David Perry – Okanagan Coquihalla
8) Gordon Stamp-Vincent – Skeena Bulkley Valley
9) Simon Yu – Prince George Peace River
10) Wendy Yuan – Vancouver Kingsway

Big News in NB

The Dion campaign in New Brunswick received a huge boost today, as MP Charles Hubbard (L - Miramichi), officially announced his support of Stéphane for the Liberal leadership. Charles is a strong advocate in the Liberal caucus for regional development and support for our rural communities, which is, of course, a big issue here in NB; his support, along with that of former Minister Claudette Bradshaw and Senator John Bryden demonstrates the strength of Stéphane's appeal within the province. The text of the press release:

-----
MP Charles Hubbard announces support for Stéphane Dion for Liberal Leadership

Charles Hubbard, Miramichi Member of Parliament officially announced today his support for Stéphane Dion to become the next leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. He encourages all the delegates to carefully assess the experience, contributions, and successes that each of the candidates bring to the convention in November.

Stéphane has made a significant contribution to our Liberal party and to Canadians. A strong federalist, he joined the Liberal government at a very difficult time for all Quebecers and proceeded to work with all provincial governments to successfully develop the Clarity Act. Experienced in government and strongly committed to the environment, his experiences and publications on sustainability, social justice and the economy portray a strong commitment to work for the success of our nation.

“As an Atlantic Canadian with strong rural roots, I am extremely comfortable with endorsing Stéphane. He has lived and worked in our region and believes that the presence of our government must be reflected in all regions of the country and that federal government jobs must be open to all Canadians”, stated Hubbard. “In the weeks ahead I will assist the ‘Stéphane Dion for Leader’ campaign across Atlantic and rural Canada”.

-----

Charles Hubbard, député de Miramichi. a annoncé aujourd’hui qu’il appuierait Stéphane Dion comme prochain chef du Parti libéral du Canada. Il demande aux délégués d’examiner soigneusement l’expérience, l’apport et les réalisations de chacun des candidats au congrès de novembre prochain.

Stéphane a beaucoup contribué à l’essor du parti libéral et aux Canadiens en général. Fier fédéraliste, il s’est joint au gouvernement libéral à un moment difficile pour les Québécois; néanmoins, il a su travailler avec les gouvernements provinciaux pour rédiger la Loi sur la clarté. Il possède une solide expérience au sein du gouvernement et a démontré son engagement envers l’environnement. Ses compétences et ses écrits sur la durabilité, la justice sociale et l’économie témoignent de sa grande volonté de travailler à la réussite du Canada.

« En tant que Canadien de l’Atlantique, région dont les racines rurales sont profondes, j’ai entièrement confiance en Stéphane. Il a vécu et travaillé dans notre région. Il croit que notre gouvernement doit être représenté dans tous les coins du pays et que les emplois au sein de la fonction publique fédéral doivent être offerts à tous les Canadiens, a déclaré monsieur Hubbard. Au cours des prochaines semaines, j’appuierai la campagne de Stéphane Dion comme chef dans les provinces de l’Atlantique et dans les régions rurales du Canada. »
-----

- Joel

an SD endorsement of sorts -- tales from a former self-confessed leadership shopper

"you'll make up your mind when it is painfully clear to you where you should go. not before. that's just you"

simply stated, it took me one hell of a long time to finally get involved on this campaign. and that comment from a friend of mine pretty much summed it up. i've often been told that i am too idealistic for my own good. and, perhaps in this game, i am. but frankly, i don't really care.

i chose stephane dion because i get excited to hear him speak. i like his policies. i like his unwavering support for what he believes in. i love his commitment, dedication, and service to this country. he's the cutest man in the world, and, he reminds me of my dad... my favorite among many other reasons of course....(not to mention that i believe he'd be ready to start the job tomorrow if he had to).

and...i got denise to wash dishes at a dinner party.
wait. isn't that (you know, the whole, successfully "training denise to be domestic") reason enough?

so... here i am... quite happy to be spreading the dionista love.

delia greco
ON youth co-chair

The Little Youth Team That Could

Ever get someone telling you that you aren't going to a leadership convention unless you support their candidate... of course you have. That's how my leadership campaign began way back in April as I was trying to decide who I was going to support.

Long story short... I chose who I thought should be leader instead who I was told to support, defied the elite and now I'm here.

Where is here? Well, here is with a strong group of youth (and some "old" youth) trying to push the Stephane Dion message in Nova Scotia. After my decision, it was not hard to find others who were feeling the same reservations about the establishment candidates and a team began to come together.

Of course, how successful this team actually was will be demonstrated on the last weekend of this month, but I just want to take a moment and say that in Nova Scotia (and probably elsewhere, I guess)... youth rock!

How often do the under 25's get a chance to actually be placed in positions where they are making tough campaign decisions and organizing beyond their normal experience. While we have had a few blips, for the most part, youth have risen up and done the job, just as well (if not better in a few cases) than some adult members may have done.

I'm not advocating a youth takeover of the party in any form, but I think that those in certain ridings who strongly believe that youth belong in the grunt section, not the "thinking" team, need to wake up and start paying attention to what is going on.

Youth bring new ideas, new energy and a fresh new perspective. The world is changing and therefore, so must campaigns. There are still ridings out there who believe putting their candidate's information on the internet is a waste of time and money... Ask a youth where the first place they go to get candidate info is..

In Nova Scotia, we are proving that youth can do it too. Let's just hope certain people take notice.

- Colin Hebb

Big Leadership News in the small town of Rosalind, AB

It's no Lethbridge, but Rosalind got some big ups yesterday when LPCA President Adam Campbell endorsed Stéphane Dion for Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, joining Liberal Party of Canada (British Columbia) President Jamie Elmhirst and Saskatchewan Liberal Party Leader David Karwacki, who also both recently endorsed Dion.

Fun factoid about Rosalind: they have bentonite exploration there. As many of you may know, bentonite is the stuff they put in commercial milkshakes to make them thick. If you've ever been curious as to why a McDo' milkshake can be poured onto the pavement in the hot sun for several hours and doesn't quite seem to melt, bentonite is your answer. Mmmmm...chemicals!

Other prominent Alberta Liberals also supporting Stéphane Dion include Calgary Mountain View MLA Dr. David Swann, eight current riding association presidents, me, my mom, and my dad. I can't believe we didn't put my parents on the part of the release listing "prominent" supporters...

- Denise

Équipe Dion- forum d’investiture à Québec

Welcome/Bienvenue

Welcome to the Dion Campaign's Youth blog. We'll be giving you day-by-day play-by-play of the campaign and other rhyming activities. We will also be discussing ideas, policies, our perceptions of the race in general, as well as casually alluding to the occasional inside joke. Unless of course the joke is too embarrassing not to share with the entire blogosphere, in which case we will be carefully explaining what exactly on the campaign was so funny and who it makes look the dumbest...

So here we are. Blogging. Yup. Bloggin' up a storm...

Is it just me or is blogging kind of like going to a museum? It seems like such a neat and useful exercise until you actually start "doing it" and then you're just sort of left silently twiddling your thumbs, attempting to guise the fact you're intellectually intimidated, and with nothing of any substance floating around in your brain.

That's when I like to turn to the person next to me and say, "Hmmmm... you know, this work strikes me as significantly more tortured than his/her other pieces." And then I slowly back away.

And here I am, now, slowly backing away...

- Denise Brunsdon, National Director of the Youth Campaign and Sub-Director of Awesome References to Rick Springfield