MP out-of-touch with Canadians
SalmonArm Observer Apr 25 2007 Editorial
Town Hall: Writer calling on voters to reject Colin Mayes in the next election.
As far as I am concerned, a federal election cannot come soon enough.
Why? Because Colin Mayes has got to go. Enough is enough.
Mayes’ recent comments concerning child care indicate: that he does not understand how public financing works in Canada, and that he has no understanding of the needs of parents in contemporary society.‑
As to my first comment, he said: “A farmer in Saskatchewan doesn’t have a child-care facility close by, so why should they be paying into a child care facility in Vancouver.”
This is so ludicrous that it literally makes your jaw drop. The whole point of public financing is that each of us pays for a wide variety of services so that such services are available for all when they need it.
I personally am not currently retired. Does that mean that I shouldn’t pay my share into the government pension plan so that such a service will be available when I and others retire?
Does this mean that when I was young and was never sick that I should not have paid into government Medicare so that those who were sick or elderly should not have had medical services available? Of course not.
We pay for each other, and that’s what we should do.
Clearly Mayes is utterly ignorant about public financing, and ought to be thrown out of office on this ground alone.‑As to my second point, he said: “If you make it (child care) less expensive, it’s an enticement to put children in the care of someone else... More parents will use it, so people won’t know how to parent anymore.”
How stupid! How insulting! In today’s economy two-parent families can rarely make ends meet without both parents having to work. Obviously one-parent families have no choice at all.
Quality, registered, publicly funded child care is a necessity, and it ought to be publicly funded. Parents don’t just toss their children into a day care to be rid of them, as Mayes so loathsomely implies. Nor does enrolling a child in day care imply that parents won’t know how to parent anymore.
Parenting is a complex process of love and guidance that goes on during every day and night for many, many years. One element of parenting is giving your child the gift of quality day care.
Mayes’ comments about parenting are so utterly moronic, and indeed cruel, that he does not deserve to represent the people of this riding for one more day.‑
Furthermore, Mayes has repeatedly implied that Medicare ought to be jettisoned in favor of private medicine. In the Observer article, Mayes indicates a person can go to a clinic in Alberta, and can access all the equipment and specialists before leaving.
Okay, Colin, why don’t you go to Alberta and stay there? Maybe they can rustle up a brain transplant for you.‑
Finally, coming on the heels of his recent e-mail comment that a racist rant aimed at First Nations was a “good joke,” we find Mayes publicly claiming that: “I don’t think the sexual abuse was as rampant as sometimes they make out.”
Really? Frankly, I am not prepared to accept this outrageous denial and further racist insult from a person like Colin Mayes.‑
If ever there was a Member of Parliament who deserved to be dumped it is Colin Mayes.‑‑
David Lethbridge
Saturday, April 28, 2007
MP out-of-touch with Canadians
Friday, April 20, 2007
MP Mayes if you build homeless shelters ->more homeless there will be ...
Way too much party line
Apr 18 2007 Salmon Arm Observer Editorial
Okanagan Shuswap MP Colin Mayes may have his heart in the right place, but his inability to allow reality to infiltrate his spouting of the party line leaves much to be desired. Mayes held a town hall meeting in Salmon Arm last week, where he reviewed his party’s accomplishments. While a survey included in Mayes’ parliamentary report mentions that 31 per cent of respondents said an MP should be an advocate and 30 per cent said he should be a listener, he is doing neither on several issues.
One of the most astounding examples of his ignoring of both reality and his constituents is his undying support of his party’s policies on child care. Despite the fact he has met with child-care providers and others who have explained to him that his government’s $100 per month for parents of children under six neither allows a parent to stay home nor makes it feasible to access reliable day care, he continues to tout it as a solution for parents.
The facts today are that in order to be able to afford groceries and a roof over their heads, both parents of most two-parent families must work. While Mayes might look with nostalgia at the good old days of the 1950s, when a father would work and a mother would stay home with the kids, those days are no longer economically feasible for most people. Only those parents with very high incomes, or those parents whose parents have very high incomes, can afford the luxury of staying home.
It’s also highly unlikely, as he says, that people will forget how to parent if affordable child-care centres proliferate. Right now, there’s a shortage of child care, with parents forced to book spaces while their children are still in utero. Parents aren’t looking for child care because they want to escape parenting duties, they’re looking for child care because they have to work to survive economically.
Knowing that a child has been well-cared for in a professional, caring setting is much more likely to provide a good parenting style than a parent going to work while worrying if the nine-year-old left in charge of his five-year-old sibling is coping all right. Or wondering if the neighbour the children have been shunted off to is really reliable.
Mayes made other statements that deny reality.
He said nuclear power is clean power. Tell that to the folks in Chernobyl or Three Mile Island. As most people are aware, nuclear waste is the gift that keeps on giving.
Mayes said the more homeless shelters you build, the more homeless people there will be. Right.
It would be refreshing to hear more about reality and less party line reflected in the speeches from Mr. Mayes and the rest of Mr. Harper’s foot soldiers. Otherwise the electorate is just going to adopt one of their traits – and quit listening.
Friday, April 6, 2007
Which one will replace Colin Mayes?
Liberal candidate: Buffy Baumbrough
NDP candidate: Alice Brown
or
Green Party selects candidate
By RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff Mar 28 2007
Huguette Beaudin-Allen isn’t wasting any time when it comes to spreading the Green message.
Beaudin-Allen was selected Green Party candidate for Okanagan-Shuswap over Aaron Vallejo Monday, and she is already making plans for the next federal election.
“We need a campaign manager, fundraising and a volunteer co-ordinator,” said the Lumby computer analyst and business consultant.
“We will also draft a campaign plan so once the election is called, we will know what we are doing.”
Beaudin-Allen is confident a strategy can be put together quickly because the Green Party now has an official riding association in Okanagan-Shuswap.
For Beaudin-Allen, a critical issue will be to get residents across the riding familiar with both her and the party.
“We need to get the message out there,” she said.
Among them is correcting the common view that the Green Party is only interested in the environment and is not interested in issues such as the economy and social programs.
But Beaudin-Allen says the party has extensive policies on a variety of issues, including co-existence between the environment and the economy.
“The economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment,” she said.
“If people think if they vote for the Greens they are voting for no more forestry, they won’t vote for it. But the Greens can increase both jobs and the quality of life.”
Beaudin-Allen is optimistic about the party’s chances in the next election, especially based on attendance at the nomination meeting.
“There were a lot of young people present. They were very interested and asking questions,” she said.
“A lot of young people feel like there’s no party out there for them and they want a change. They need to be aware of what the Greens can do for them. I want them to be part of the team.”
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Dion To Visit Vernon
to visit the liberal candidate who rates: COLD 
Dion To Visit Vernon
April 4 107.5kissFM News
The new leader of the federal Liberal party will be making a stop in Vernon this month.
The Okanagan Shuswap Liberal Association confirms Stephane Dion will be in Vernon Sunday April 15-th at noon but details about what he will be doing, and where, are still being determined.
The 51 year old former university professor has been the Liberal leader since December.
Dion's visit could be part of an election campaign as there continues to be speculation the Conservatives will call a spring election. (Pete McIntyre)
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
local wanna be liberal mp rates: COLD
Who's hot or not on Vernon council
Scott Neufeld EDITORIAL http://www.dailycourier.ca/ (source: via Vernon Blog) 3/28/2007
"Speaking of camera shy, Coun. Buffy Baumbrough stayed a little too quiet this week for someone with lofty political aspirations, earning her a cold rating. The newly-minted Liberal representative had little to add to the council meeting other than echoing points made by her colleagues. Odds are she’ll quickly learn to more vocally express her opinions once she’s thrown in the middle of a federal election race." (<--- if she can't speak up as a local council representative, can she cut it as an MP???)
Coun. Patrick Nicol lands on the hot list again for giving kudos to the Downtown Vernon Association’s security patrol program. Whether or not people agree with the DVA’s approach to the problems plaguing the downtown, this is one of the rare examples of citizens and businesses coming together to launch a significant project. Nicol was right to support it as a “classic citizen-driven initiative.”
After escaping our thermometer last meeting, Coun. Pat Cochrane comes back with a solid lukewarm rating for sitting on the fence over the DVA security issue. As with many other councillors, Cochrane took a wait and see approach to the issue saying that if the bylaw officers can do the job then the Commissionaires are unnecessary, but adding that if the bylaw officers falter the Commissionaires should step in.
Coun. Barry Beardsell jumps from cold to hot this week for yet another spirited criticism of Okanagan-Vernon MLA Tom Christensen. The latest outburst came after Christensen sent a reply to the city’s laundry list of provincial requests. Although the MLA appears to be working hard to find answers, there are so many big local projects being ignored by the province that the city cannot afford to stay silent.
Mayor Wayne Lippert is an all-too-frequent visitor of the coldest regions of this list and he finds himself in icy climes this week. Once again the mayor was too quiet as someone elected to lead this city. This is puzzling given that he tends to be more vocal in expressing his views at meetings of Greater Vernon Services or the regional district. Maybe the TV cameras have something to do with it.
Speaking of camera shy, Coun. Buffy Baumbrough stayed a little too quiet this week for someone with lofty political aspirations, earning her a cold rating. The newly-minted Liberal representative had little to add to the council meeting other than echoing points made by her colleagues. Odds are she’ll quickly learn to more vocally express her opinions once she’s thrown in the middle of a federal election race.
Coun. Juliette Cunningham finds herself on the hot list this week for suggesting that all of the parties come together before a decision is made about downtown private security. The DVA, police and the city have so far pushed a one-sided approach to the downtown’s drug, poverty and homelessness issues. The city should now encourage a wider variety of downtown groups to co-ordinate a broader approach to these issues.
Lastly, councillor/arena guru Jack Gilroy finds himself on the hot list for raising the issue of lack of ice in the city. In a city with aspirations to being Canada’s Hockeyville, it’s ironic that so many players, particularly adults, find it hard to find ice time here.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
emerson is coming to town ... i would suggest donate 25 toward the local food bank instead! more bang for your buck; towards a more worthy cause!
Upcoming Special luncheon with Minister Emerson
http://www.colinmayes.ca/EN/5261/52020
The Honorable David Emerson, Minister of International Trade, the Pacific Gateway and the 2010 Olympics will be speaking at a luncheon hosted by MP Colin Mayes on Saturday, April 14th, at the Prestige Inn, Salmon Arm from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm. Come and find out how the Pacific Gateway Initiative could impact BC and the Okanagan – Shuswap.
Tickets are $25 and can be reserved by calling 1-800-665-5040.
For information on upcoming Town Hall meetings with Colin Mayes, please click here.
come heckle / taunt colin mayes ...
Town Hall Meetings
http://www.colinmayes.ca/EN/town_hall_meetings/town_hall_meetings/
Your point of view matters!
Join the hundreds of other constituents who have attended one of Colin’s town hall meetings. The town hall meetings are informal and offer constituents the chance to gather and discuss with their MP the issues that are important to them.
Upcoming Town Hall Meetings
Sicamous Town Hall Meeting, Tuesday, April 3rd, 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm at the Red Barn Arts Centre
Armstrong Town Hall Meeting, Wednesday, April 4th, 6:30 – 8:30 pm at the Seniors Centre
Salmon Arm Town Hall Meeting, Tuesday, April 10th, 6:30 – 8:30 pm at the Salmon Arm Recreation Centre
Cherryville Town Hall Meeting, Saturday, May 26th, 12:00 – 2:00 pm at the Seniors Hall
For further information, please contact the office of Colin Mayes at 1-800-665-5040 or locally at (250) 260-5020.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
local student and farmer lost ....
courtesy of VernonBlog who always seems to ahead of the game with reporting local news and details:
Local Vernon Councillor to lead Liberals in next Federal Election !!!
~~~
now will someone else come forward other than Alice Brown to challenge the local NDP nomination?
Saturday, March 17, 2007
local liberal back in the race: who will it be the student, farmer or councillor ...
Liberal Race Back To Three
March 16 107.5kiss fmn Vernon
Scott Blurton says he's happy to be back in the race.
24 hours after the Okanagan Shuswap Liberal Association declared the university student was ineligible to run for the nomination, he's now been allowed back in.
Blurton says a committee ruled he couldn't be held responsible for his nomination papers not getting to Vernon on time, due to a problem with the mail system.
He's from Enderby but is currently attending university in Ottawa.
He mailed his papers prior to the March 10 deadline but they didn't arrive until Tuesday.
It means Blurton, Buffy Baumbrogh and Jake Ootes will contend for nomination Saturday in Vernon and Salmon Arm.
Baumbrough is a Vernon city councillor while Ootes is a farmer in Celista.
250 party members are eligible to vote. (Pete McIntyre)
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Mayes says he wants to keep his MP job ... i don't think so ...
Mayes hints at budget bucks
Scott Neufeld March 15, 2007 VernonDailyCourier.ca
He won’t reveal the details but Okanagan-Shuswap MP Colin Mayes said that constituents will be pleased at what’s in the federal government’s budget.
“I know there are some things on there but I can’t be specific,” he said. “We’re not going to be missed.”
The budget will be unveiled on Monday and Mayes hinted the North Okanagan and Shuswap would benefit specifically from federal funds. He said he couldn’t say if the money would be for local highways or some of the other areas where residents have been seeking federal funding.
In advance of the budget Mayes has kept busy holding town hall meetings in communities throughout the riding. He said it has been his first opportunity since winning his seat last January that he’s been able to tour the riding.
“I intended to have town hall meetings in the summer but I got sidetracked with the nomination meeting,” Mayes said. “I made a pledge that I will have a town hall meeting at least once a year.”
Mayes said he’s been encouraged by the public participation at the town hall meetings. He said the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
“People are quite positive about what the government is doing,” he said. “A lot of people say, ‘I didn’t know you were doing that, you should let more people know.’”
The Conservatives’ tough stance on crime has drawn the most positive feedback, Mayes said. Many people also approved of the government’s environmental platform while others wanted a childcare allowance given to parents, rather than see the money go to the province.
For the rest of this week Mayes will be in Toronto for what he said would be one of the largest political conventions in Canadian history. While there, he and other local party members would be trained with dozens of other Conservatives on how to run a riding association, how to be a finance manager and more. It may appear as if the Tories are preparing for an election but Mayes said the government won’t force one. He said he would rather delay an election to gain more on the job experience.
“Personally I would like to see it in another year,” he said. “I want to show the folks in this constituency what I can do.”
local liberal candidate now ineligible
Liberal Race Down to Two
107.5 KissFM / Vernon March 15
The race to represent the Liberals in the next federal election has lost one of its candidates.
Scott Blurton has been ruled ineligible after not submitting his nomination papers on time.
The Enderby resident who is currently attending the University of Ottawa, has mixed feelings aboutleaving the race.
'Its a little disappointing because I really wanted to stand for Mr.Dion and represent my constiuents and my home. But its been a good experience I've had the opportunity to meet lots of people and I've learned alot of lessons, I suppose, for next time such as don't trust Canada Post.'
Blurton says he sent his nomination papers using Priority Post but says they got lost in the system.
Vernon city councillor Buffy Baumbrogh and Celista farmer Jake Ootes will vye for the nomination Saturday in Vernon and Salmon Arm.
250 party members are eligible to vote.(Pete McIntyre)
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
local lakes infested with perch
Officials ponder lake closures
Salmon Arm OBSERVER STAFF Feb 28 2007
Illegal fish dumping: More drastic measures may be needed to protect natural ecosystem.
Provincial fisheries officials are considering taking more drastic measures, including the closure of some local lakes to fishing entirely, as part of a strategy to prevent the spread of invasive fish species like yellow perch.
Kelly Dahl, BC Conservation Officer, says a recent incident where perch were illegally introduced into the White Lake watershed has made the issue the number-one enforcement issue in the province.
Yellow perch are not a species native to local waters. If illegally introduced into local lakes, they can threaten the existence of native species like trout and salmon. This can result in both environmental and economic damage for the billion-dollar B.C. fishing industry.
Dahl says the situation is so grave that options being considered include closing popular fishing lakes like Gardom Lake, which are infested with perch, to fishing altogether, or banning perch outright, which means any angler caught with live or dead perch would be ticketed.
The other option, which is already under consideration and has been the subject of public meetings in the Shuswap, is the use of rotenone to kill off the species in a lake and re-introduce native species.
The problem is all the work of killing off the perch in a lake could be undone by one person flouting the law and dumping another bucket of perch into the water.
“We are at our wit’s end,” says Dahl. “We are on the razor’s edge and we still have the chance to stop the spread of perch, but unfortunately we need to look at extreme measures to do that.”
Steve Maricle, small lakes biologist with the Ministry of Environment, says the perch dumped into the White Lake channel likely came from Gardom Lake. He says the job of protecting native trout and salmon stocks is getting tougher as more anglers develop a liking for perch fishing.
“It’s not that these aren’t great fish, they are –‑in their own environment. And this is not it. The pros of having fun catching perch in our lakes doesn’t outweigh the cons –‑which is total ecosystem collapse,” says Maricle.
“It’s a tough wall to hold back. We just hope it is not too late.”
He says closing lakes would send a clear message to anglers and would allow for easier enforcement.
“We know there would be a huge outcry, but this would be a wake-up call about the seriousness of the situation.”
Maricle says a decision has not yet been made about lake closures in the Shuswap, as a formal order will have to come from Victoria; however, it could take place this season.
In the meantime, enforcement efforts have been stepped up around local lakes. Dahl says they are aware of a number of situations where live perch are being transported and he warns anglers that this action is illegal.
“Anyone caught transporting fish that are still alive will be issued a violation ticket.”
Monday, March 12, 2007
Okanagan-Shuswap - Green Party getting organized
Green Party gets prepared
Richard Rolke black press Mar 09 2007 SalmonArmObserver
The Green Party is preparing for the next federal election.
A riding association has been formed for Okanagan-Shuswap and a nomination meeting will be held this month.
“There’s a lot of anticipation about an upcoming election,” said David Jackson, an association director.
While the party has run candidates in previous elections, this is the first time the Greens have had a formal organization within the riding.
“It allows us to raise funds and to assist the candidate,” said Jackson. “We’re providing a local vehicle for people to get behind the party. People are looking for a focus and we’re trying to provide that.”
One of the party’s goals is to make the actual membership more reflective of the number of people who vote Green. Jackson couldn’t say how many members there are locally. With a federal election possible at any time, the Greens will hold a nomination meeting March 26 to select a candidate.
“We’re looking for a candidate right now,” said Jackson.“We have a few names and we’re also soliciting other names.”
The nomination meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Schubert Centre in Vernon. Both members and non-members are welcome to attend, but only those who have been party members for more than 60 days will be eligible to vote.
With a platform that ranges from the environment and the economy to housing and community services, Jackson is optimistic about the Greens’ chances locally.
He added that recent polls show the Greens tied with the NDP nationally.“We don’t have a history of financial stress which they create because of their social programs. But we have a very strong social platform.”
local liberal nomination meeting ...
Local Liberal Nominees Come Forward
107.5 Kiss FM Vernon March 12,2007
Okanagan Shuswap Liberals have set the date to select their candidate for the next federal election.
The nomination meeting and voting will be held Saturday March 17-th at the Salmon Arm library and the Prestige Inn in Vernon.
Three candidates have come forward: Vernon city councillor Buffy Baumbrogh, former MLA
Jake Ootes of Celista, and university student Scott Blurton of Enderby.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Colin Mayes, building a stronger and better canada ... clear your calander ... and it isn't april fools day!
Mayes on Canada
SalmonArmObserver March 7
The Salmon Arm Chamber of Commerce will be meeting at the Prestige Harbourfront Resort on Wednesday, March 14 at 11:45 a.m. for networking, with lunch at noon. At 12:30 p.m., guest speaker MP Colin Mayes will give a presentation on Building a stronger, safer and better Canada.
To attend, call 832-6247 as soon as possible.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
1 exec. left for Colin Mayes : Be Proud Harper!
More turmoil on local Conservative board
Scott Neufeld Mar 6/07 Vernon Daily Courier (viaVernonBlog)
Citing issues with a fellow board member, the president of the local Conservative association has resigned. Although Lori DeJong said that she wouldn’t comment on exactly what the board member did that led her to quit, she said the issue was significant. DeJong is the 17th board director on the 30 member board to step down since March 2006 including the vice-president and financial agent. “I (resigned) because of the actions of the secretary (Al Schalm),” DeJong said. “I still support the party but for now I won’t be on the executive.”
Salmon Arm resident Schalm, is now the last remaining executive member on the board. DeJong said she won’t rule out a return to the board in the future. “We’ll see what the future will do,” she said. “I would still like to be involved.” The party has also cancelled its last two meetings before its annual general meeting in April. There is disagreement, however, as to who stopped the meetings. DeJong said that she didn’t realize that the meetings, including one on Tuesday night, had been cancelled. However, Ethan Gorner, the party’s organizer for the B.C. Interior said they were called off after he spoke with DeJong.
With no more meetings until a new board is elected at the AGM, Gorner denied that the move has effectively dissolved the board. He said there is no pressing reason for the board to meet within the next month. “(National office) hasn’t taken over, there’s nothing to take over,” he said. “They wouldn’t dissolve the board, national office doesn’t have any power to dissolve the board.” Gorner will be chairing the AGM and said he is interested to see who will come forward to join the board. He said he’s hopeful that things will run more smoothly for the next edition of the board. “We’re hoping that people will start working well, work toward liking our guy again,” he said. “We’re hoping the old battles in the past are behind us.”
coming out of the woodwork, 3rd liberal seeks nomination in Okanagan Shuswap
Busy Liberal Ballot
March 7,2007 107.5 Kiss FM
There's now three candidates vying for the Liberal nomination in the Okanagan Shuswap riding.
Jake Ootes, who lives in the Shuswap community of Celista, is the latest to declare.
Ootes operates a farm but previously was an MLA and cabinet minister in Yellowknife from 1995 to 2003.
He says his concerns are the environment including Shuswap Lake, and funding cuts to women's programs and child care.
He joins Vernon city councillor Buffy Baumbrough and university student Scott Blurton in the race.
A date hasn't been set for the nomination meeting.
Meantime, the Green Party has set March 26-th for its nomination meeting at the Schubert Centre in Vernon. (7pm)
Its the first time the party has had a formal association in the Okanagan Shuswap riding. (Pete McIntyre)
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Okanagan-Shuswap, Blurton seeks liberal nomination
Okanagan-Shuswap, Blurton seeks liberal nomination
was brought to my attention:
Scott Blurton To Seek Liberal Nomination for Okanagan-Shuswap
(Enderby) – Scott Blurton announced today that he will seek the Liberal nomination in the federal riding of Okanagan-Shuswap.
"I would be honoured to stand as the Liberal candidate for the people of Okanagan-Shuswap and to serve their needs in our national government" said Blurton. "It would be a privilege to be a part of the Liberal Dream Team that will implement Stéphane Dion’s three pillar vision. Economic prosperity, social justice, and of course, environmental sustainability will create a more equitable and sustainable Canada. " Blurton, a master’s student in political science at the University of Ottawa, was born in Salmon Arm and raised in Enderby, British Columbia. Completing undergraduate degrees in computer engineering and political science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Blurton moved on to Ottawa to further pursue his studies and worked on Stéphane Dion’s successful leadership campaign.
The riding of Okanagan-Shuswap has been held by conservative candidates since 1993. The riding has not been held by a Liberal since 1974, a situation Mr. Blurton hopes to rectify. "Winning in Okanagan-Shuswap will require rebuilding a relationship of trust between the people and their elected representatives. To accomplish this goal, we must reach out and earn their faith, one hand at a time."
For more information visit www.scottblurton.blogspot.com. For media inquiries contact 1-613-565-0793
Okanagan Shuswap Federal NDP Nomination
Okanagan Shuswap Federal NDP Nomination
Alice Brown
Has declared her intention to run for the Okanagan Shuswap Federal NDP Nomination.
http://www.shuswapndp.ca/
Thursday, February 15, 2007
harper is all ready to go; with money to burn ... ...
but can he really muzzle 'all' of his candidates? is there another candidate for the Okanagan -Shuswap?
Tories prepped for March campaign
Party has airline, bus contracts in place, plan to play Harper's image as strong leader
BRIAN LAGHI Feb 15 Globe and Mail
OTTAWA — The Conservative Party's chief election strategist has laid out a detailed campaign blueprint for Tory insiders warning that the government expects to be fighting an election battle by March.
The plan would see the Tories exploit polling numbers that they say show Stephen Harper possesses substantially better leadership qualities than Liberal counterpart Stéphane Dion.
As articulated on Tuesday by Doug Finley to about 75 Conservative candidates, organizers and nomination hopefuls, the Tories are ready to run a highly centralized, quick-response campaign that includes a 1,600-square-metre war room.
They have also arranged for bus and air transportation and want nominations wrapped up by March 25 or 26, sources quote Mr. Finley as saying.
Mr. Finley, the national campaign chairman, made his remarks at a closed-door luncheon at Toronto's Albany Club.
Sources said he told listeners that the government has no intention of triggering an election, but that he expects to be planning for a vote soon after the budget, anticipated on March 20.
Election speculation has increased over the past week, given improving polling numbers for the Tories and a series of environmental announcements.
One Tory insider said Mr. Harper and Mr. Finley might be purposely talking up a possible vote to make it a self-fulfilling prophecy and wouldn't necessarily be upset that news of the speech leaked out. Although Mr. Harper might want to capitalize on an election, it would be very difficult for him to call one himself because he has already put forward a bill that would set the next election for 2009.
The insider noted that polls are still inconsistent and that the date of the election is essentially controlled by the opposition.
In his remarks, Mr. Finley said the cornerstone issue of the campaign would be the leadership qualities of Mr. Harper. Despite the dead heat in the polls, the surveys show that Mr. Harper is substantially ahead of Mr. Dion when it comes to perceptions of competence and trustworthiness.
“Leadership is an issue that they're going to be well aware of,” a source who was at the meeting said. Mr. Harper is seen as the party's biggest asset, Mr. Finley is quoted as saying.
The campaign would also be highly centralized in the sense that a newly expanded party headquarters would devote more time to ensuring that individual candidates don't make missteps, as happened in previous campaigns. At 1,600 square metres, the size of the new headquarters is equivalent to the largest Shoppers Drug Mart retail stores.
Sources said that within 60 minutes of a significant campaign event or remark, candidates would be told how they should respond. The new office is located outside Ottawa's downtown and is substantially larger than the previous election headquarters. The party also plans to identify which candidates might be provoked into making off-the-cuff or damaging remarks.
“They're going to enhance some of the elements within the [election war-room], like, for instance, the communications department, the seat-targeting process, etc.,” the attendee said.
The campaign would also make efforts to get its message out early and bypass the Ottawa press gallery, instead emphasizing a presence in local outlets. The party would also increase the use of e-mail. And the new headquarters has its own television studio, making it easier to do interviews with local news sources.
Mr. Finley also addressed the recent series of Tory ads criticizing Mr. Dion, saying that, although some critics believe they look like the work of amateurs, they are cost-effective and they work. The party would sooner spend money on repeat purchases than on glossy ads, he was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, yesterday, some Liberals were also speculating about an early election after their weekly caucus meeting, with some suggesting May 28 as a possible day.
With a report from Jane Taber
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Colin Mayes:local riding an utter joke!
Tories too ‘immature’ for teen?
Scott Neufeld / Daily Courier Vernon February 14, 2007
One of the youngest board directors in the history of the Conservative Party of Canada is stepping down because her colleagues are “immature.”
Ashlee Chartrand, 15, joined the board of the local Conservative association last year. But after less than a year as a director she said she is no longer interested in witnessing the squabbling among her fellow members.
“For the most part the people left on the board are ineffective, they set a bad example and that’s not something I want to be a part of,” she said. “I think they’re being immature, I don’t think they’re being open with constituents.” Chartrand said the final straw was when MP Colin Mayes questioned her commitment to the board.
“He actually at that meeting brought up the idea of removing me because he said I’d missed, like, four meetings or something but I’d actually only missed two,” she said. “That was not how I expected an MP to act.”
However, Mayes said he did not ask for Chartrand’s dismissal. He said that he asked if Chartrand wanted to remain on the board since she had missed a couple of meetings.
“I said that if we don’t have regular attendance by several of the board members then we need to phone them to ask whether they’re still interested,” Mayes said.
Although she had hoped to increase youth involvement in the party, Chartrand said she was accused of wrongdoing when she tried to sign up her friends.
Terri Jones, Mayes’ executive assistant, said she does not know of anyone accusing Chartrand of misconduct.
“No one said she couldn’t sign up other youth,” Jones said. “There is a process anybody has to follow when they sign up people, part of which is they’re not allowed to pay for people’s memberships.”
Despite her decision to leave, Chartrand said she is still excited about what the Conservatives are doing at a national level. She said she still hopes to work in Ottawa.
“I guess it has just given me more inspiration to get up there and change the kind of people working in government,” she said.
The departure of the youngest board member comes on the heels of two more departures from the Conservative board.
Financial agent Ray Ivey and vice-president Arnold Walter have left citing business and personal commitments.
Since March, 13 of the board’s 30 directors have resigned or been fired.
leadership .... Colin Mayes
Stand up to jokes that insult ethnic minorities
Salmon Arm Observer / Letters / Feb 09 2007
Jokes that insult ethnic minorities are no longer simply, “politically incorrect”, but completely unacceptable in any communication. An e-mail of the kind received by Mr. Mayes is an opportunity to challenge and correct ideas that insult and demean. I believe leadership means taking actions that stand up for and show high regard for all peoples in our communities. ‑‑
Janna Francis
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
protest targets MP Colin Mayes office ...
06 February 2007 CHBC
Protests were held Tuesday in the Okanagan and across the province. Parents and daycare providers picked up placards to protest federal and provincial governments they say are turning their backs on the needs of children and young families. One demonstration at the office of a local MP turned into a heated debate.
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