We're painting the town blue this Canada Day

The colour scheme for July 1 festivities on Parliament Hill this year sure is interesting.





It would appear that the stage and media booth are both blue. Maybe it's always been like this... or maybe not.

It's now been one week of working on the Hill, and it's been a good one.

But life in Ottawa actually got started the week before when I arrived
in town to settle in. Whether it was a garden party at Stornaway or a
going-away party for MPs Gerald Keddy and Peter Mackay (with lobster
hats for all), I could already detect an auspicious air of festivity
and productivity. I've got a good feeling about our Liberal Party...

The work week began with my introduction to the team at Senator
Hervieux-Payette's office (for whom I am so fortunate to work). It's a
dynamic and inspired team (but maybe everyone was just excited that
we'd reached the end of the Senate's session :) . I have several
projects that I've already begun with more to come. It's a great
feeling to know that you: 1) love the work you do; and 2) know that
it's making a difference for many people. I'm one lucky duck.

The highlight of the week would have to be playing baseball with Ken
Dryden and friends. Yes, you read correctly, baseball not hockey.
After the House's final sitting, a couple staffer friends (the always
sporting Richard Zussman and Mary-Rose Brown) and I were playing whiffle ball on the lawn of the Hill when House of Commons/hockey legend Ken Dryden
showed up to hit a few balls. Maybe it was the accumulated tension from a tumultuous Conservative-led 39th session that accounted for Mr.Dryden's need to vent because he put some serious mustard into those swings. Those whiffle balls never saw it coming...

Ian Anderson
Ottawa via Montreal

Chronicles of a Summer Student

My summer has been unbelievable so far. I’ve learned all kinds of skills by working with (I may be bias) the best boss ever, Hon. Dominic Leblanc. However, it’s not just the skills that I’m learning that has made this summer awesome, it’s the great experiences I have been having with the other summer students that have made this an awesome summer. The summer students have been having a great time working hard and learning tons. It’s not all work and no play though. After work we often get the opportunity to go to awesome events.
On Wednesday, All of the summer students attended a rally at Foundation with special guest, our leader, Stephane Dion. His speech was inspirational and really got us all pumped for the rest of the summer. Behind him was a team of almost 40 Members of Parliament who also seemed inspired by what our leader had to say. Mr. Dion joked that the conservatives don’t really want to be in power and that we must do them a favour by voting them out in the next election. The crowd seemed to agree as his joke received a thunderous applause.

elyse

Life in the Past Lane

It's sure to make you lose your mind.

http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

Hilarious Cartoons

Great Stuff.. have a laugh

accordnoless.ca is launched

Check this out. Don't mess with NS!

Accord, No Less

Keddy and Mackay sold out Nova Scotia, Young Liberals charge

For Immediate Release
June 11, 2007

HALIFAX, NS - The Young Liberals are targeting Gerald “Unsteady” Keddy and Peter “Disarray” Mackay for their betrayal of the Atlantic Accord, following their anti-Nova Scotia budget vote.

The youth's aggressive public awareness campaign, titled "accord, no less," includes a facebook campaign, buttons, an online petition (http://www.petitiononline.com/nsaccord/petition.html) and a website in development.

“We have eleven MPs in Ottawa and yet only nine of them stood up for this province," said Nova Scotia Young Liberal President and Bridgewater native Colin Hebb. "Keddy and Mackay have a lot of explaining to do."

It has been estimated that the loss of the Accord could mean up to a billion dollars less for the province, leaving many Nova Scotians to question the allegiances of Keddy and Mackay.

“Our province is not rich and the loss of a billion dollars in potential revenue means less money to improve access for all to post-secondary education, less money to help make Nova Scotia a more attractive place to live and work, less money for our future,” said NSYL VP Federal and Sydney native Jenna McGrath.

The “accord, no less” campaign will roll-out over the next week and will provide opportunity for Nova Scotians to rally and put pressure on the two Conservative MPs that continue to support the government’s betrayal.

“It’s about accountability,” says Hebb, “if they want to choose their party membership over their constituents, then they will have to answer for that. We refuse to stand idly by and see our province treated with such disrespect.”

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For more information contact:
Colin Hebb
(902) 476 1307
colin.hebb@gmail.com

Scientific studies show clever political ads do exist

In the wake of the less-than-stellar Connie ads, the Young Liberals of Canada have launched their own e-advertising campaign. It's witty, something one doesn't often see on tv or in politics. Bonne travail JLC!

Mo info...

May 30, 2007
For Immediate Release

Young Liberals launch ad campaign
’Sure Cons have money, but we’ve got creativity and Facebook’ developer says

Ottawa -- The Young Liberals of Canada have launched a multi-series English advertising campaign targeted specifically to the internet.

Following a Liberal Party member’s concept suggestion to the Liberal Party website, Youth National Director Scott Pickup spearheaded the idea’s implementation. The Young Liberals wanted to try something outside the mainstream.

“Look, it’s no secret the Conservatives are a wealthy party who can afford all kinds of fancy marketing executives and focus groups,” admits Pickup, “but within the Liberal family we’ve got talent, we’ve got dedication, and we’ve got a clear vision for Canada of which we’re proud.”

The three parody ads will be promoted through a multi-pronged approach that utilizes youngliberal.ca, Facebook, youtube.com, instant-messenger programs, and bloggers. This cohesive online campaign provides an opportunity for members and supporters to disseminate and share their messages quickly and affordably.

“The internet isn’t a magical playground in a computer,” says Youth Campaign Director and Online Campaign Co-chair Denise Brunsdon. “This is another layer of social interaction, and a far cheaper method of communication than t.v. and radio.”

“Our commission has always worked on a shoestring budget. I’m constantly impressed by what a few smart Liberals can accomplish when we put their heads together,” agreed Young Liberal President Cory Pike.

The ads can be viewed online at www.youngliberals.ca

A French ad campaign will be released prior to autumn recruitment.

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For further information, contact:

Cory Pike, Young Liberals of Canada President
613-314-3600
cpike@liberal.ca


Le 30 Mai 2007
Pour diffusion immédiate

Les jeunes libéraux lancent leur campagne publicitaire
« Oui, les Conservateurs disposent de grands moyens financiers, mais, de notre côté, nous avons la créativité et Facebook ! », dit le concepteur.

Les Jeunes Libéraux du Canada (JLC) ont lancé une campagne publicitaire comprenant trois volets anglophones et principalement destinée aux utilisateurs d’internet.

Suite à l’élaboration d’un concept par l’un de nos membres, le Directeur National des JLC, Scott Pickup, a pris la tête l’opération visant à réaliser le projet. Les jeunes libéraux souhaitaient réaliser des publicités innovatrices qui tranchent avec ce que l’on voit habituellement.

Monsieur Pickup affirme : « Écoutez, nous savons tous que les Conservateurs ont beaucoup de moyens et qu’ils sont donc en mesure de s’offrir de multiples ressources comme de grandes agences de marketing et autres. Cependant, au sein de la famille libérale, nous pouvons compter sur le talent, le dévouement, de même que sur une vision claire du Canada dont nous sommes tous très fiers. »

Les trois publicités seront diffusées de plusieurs façons, incluant le site www.ylc-jlc.ca, Facebook, Youtube, des logiciels de messagerie instantanée, de même que plusieurs blogues. Une telle campagne simultanée permettra à nos membres et partisans de diffuser leur messages rapidement, et ce, en minimisant les coûts.

« L’internet, ce n’est pas un vulgaire terrain de jeux», dit quant à elle Denise Brunsdon, Directrice de la campagne pour les Jeunes et Co-présidente de la Campagne internet. « Pour nous, il s’agit d’un pilier dans les interactions sociales qui a aussi l’avantage, pour cette campagne publicitaire, d’être une méthode de communication beaucoup moins dispendieuse que la télévision ou la radio. »

« Notre commission a toujours dû fonctionner avec un petit budget. Malgré tout, je suis constamment épaté de la qualité du travail effectué par quelques libéraux lorsque tous contribuent ensemble », ajoute de son côté Cory Pike, Président des Jeunes Libéraux du Canada.

Les publicités peuvent être visionnées à l’adresse www.ylc-jlc.ca. Une toute nouvelle campagne publicitaire en français sera disponible avant la campagne de recrutement automnale.

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Pour de plus amples informations :

Cory Pike
Président des Jeunes Libéraux du Canada
613-314-3600
cpike@liberal.ca

Gordon O’Connor has become our Donald Rumsfeld and like Rumsfeld the time he has come for him to go

Gordon O’Connor has become our Donald Rumsfeld and like Rumsfeld the time he has come for him to go

by Letlotlo Coco Lefoka

The debacle this week by the Harper government of the allegations that prisoners handed over by the Canadian military to Afghan forces were possibly subjected to torture, abuse and executions could have a detrimental effect on Canada’s noble enterprise in Afghanistan by eroding support for the mission here at home. The serious allegations raised this week have revealed to Canadians that the Harper government is shockingly prepared to ignore, deny and misrepresent the truth rather then take responsibility and take action where Canada’s international honour is at stake. The bungling this weak could be mocked as being amateurish if only it wasn’t about a matter of life and death. Gordon O’Connor bears the brunt of the blame.

The Harper government first denied the existence of a report produced by Canadian diplomats in Afghanistan where the issue of “Extrajudicial executions, disappearances, torture and detention without trial are all too common," is raised. We now know that the Harper government was misrepresenting those facts when it informed the Globe and Mail that "no such report on human-rights performance in other countries exists". The document does exist. Mr. O’Connor told Canadians that the Red Cross was monitoring the condition of detainees transferred to Afghan authorities. He later had to apologize to the House of Commons when the Red Cross contracted his statements. Mr. O’Connor told Canadians that Canada had an agreement where we would have access to Afghan detainees and yet the Chief of Defence Staff and the Foreign Affairs Minister were not aware of any such agreement. Mr O’Connor has still to produce the agreement.

Mr. Harper’s statements have also contradicted Mr. O’Connor’s. Thursday Mr. Harper informed us that Afghan authorities “actually agreed they will formalize that agreement”. The Minister of Defence tells us the ink on the paperwork is dry, the Prime Minister tells the papers haven’t been signed, let alone been typed up, while the Public Safety Minister is making claims that we have always had access to detainees, claims which are contradicted by the Afghan Ambassador to Canada. The Harper government has gone back and forth, upside down and around so many times this week you’d think they were the East German Olympic gymnastics team.

Our men and women in uniform who serve this country do so with valour and honour. The Canadian military since the days of Vimy Ridge has been the allegory of what makes this country great. We are a humble and generous nation, courageous and guided by noble convictions committed to the peace, order, good government and the betterment of all humanity. A nation that is at times prepared to pay the ultimate sacrifice to share these principles with others where they are denied, our troops in Afghanistan are living breathing proof of this. That Mr. O’Connor, who must be commended for having served in our military has repeatedly failed to have any grasp of this mission, is a slap in the face to everything we have been accomplishing in Afghanistan.

To put it bluntly Gordon O’Connor’s incompetence as Defence Minister is so disgraceful it would not be unkind to declare that he is Canada’s Donald Rumsfeld, incompetent, detached, self-contradicting and a disgrace. The only thing missing is a Rumsfeldian like declaration in Question Period to the effect that “freedom is untidy”. Mr. Harper pretending that Mr. O’Connor is worthy of any credence is a farce. Whether Mr. O’Connor does the honourable thing and resigns or Mr. Harper lives up to the responsibilities of his office and fires him one thing is certain Mr. O’Connor like Rumsfeld should go.

Letlotlo Coco Lefoka is a Liberal Activist who served two terms as the President of the Young Liberals of Canada in British Columbia

Young Liberals in Thunder Bay Welcome Dion

What a great sign of support for the ridings of Thunder Bay-Rainy River and Thunder Bay- Superior North when Liberal Leader Dion came to grace us with Liberal vision at Fort William Historical Park to a crowd of 140 over the lunch hour.

Dion spoke of the transition that Thunder Bay and region will be experiencing over the next many years as we move from a resource based economy to a knowledge based economy that must be supported federally. He also spoke of how Prime Minister Harper has been neglecting FedNor because regional strength is not apart of the conservative vision.

What is also important to note is that Dion made sure to take his message out to the outlying region by going out to Dryden. Many leaders tend to forget that there are Canadians out in the region, yet, Dion headed straight into the west of the region. Sign, of course, of a true 308 riding strategy and not resting on the laurels of traditional support.

Vince Riccio