Michael Ignatieff gave a great short speech today to more than two thousand candidates and campaign workers. I know he’s an unknown quantity to many, and he’s not yet caught fire with the media. But today’s talk came from an inspirational leader and a proud Canadian. It was wonderful for us all to hear. He’s going to cut through the chaff and noise of the Conservative attack. I think we can win Okanagan-Coquihalla with a strong and imaginative local campaign, but much of our success will of course depend on the national campaign. Michael convinced me today that we Liberals will do well nationally, thank you, very well.
His words resonated because he talked about familiar things:
• Pride in Canada
• A compassionate nation with equality and fairness at the centre of our politics
• Decent, respectful, principled politics
• Saying no to jets, jails, and corporate tax cuts
• Not adding tax burdens to families or working people
• Leading international action on climate change
• Re-engaging Canadians in politics – reaching out to progressive Conservatives with messages of hope, and of true fiscal conservatism
• Engaging young people in taking care of their future
• Emphasizing education, early learning and child care
• Taking this election as an opportunity to fight for the Canada we love
Hearing Michael speak today reminded me how much I believe in the fundamentally Canadian values of compassion and equity, of civil debate and compromise. I think those values resonate in all of us. We’re longing for a way to feel proud of our country’s government again.
Our nomination meeting in Okanagan-Coquihalla is on Monday, March 28th. if I am chosen as the candidate, I will work through the campaign to reach young people and old people, business people, environmentalists, people of the First Nations, new voters and old Liberals who have gone to ground in the face of the Conservative onslaught. Now’s our time to give them a reason to come out and a chance to vote for something they can believe in. And we will speak from the heart to the progressive conservatives who’ve had their party taken over and to the disaffected local Conservatives who have a new understanding of abuse of process, to the Greens, and to NDPers. Making our government better is our common cause. Voting Liberal is the way to make it happen.
It’s not often that any of us gets a chance to be part of making a big shift in the objectives of government, a big shift in the way government gets done, and big shift in our personal representation in Ottawa. But that’s what’s happening right now. Our votes have never been so important.
With gratitude,
John
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