Posts Tagged ‘Grassroots’

There Is Much We Can Do Together, But I Need Your Help

by John Laforet
posted on February 13th, 2010 at 08:00:50 am

I have been a candidate for a month now and the kind words and best wishes I’ve received from folks living in Ward 43 and around the City are genuinely humbling. People seem to believe voice like mine on Council would be a good thing, even if we don’t agree on everything.

Having a principled, honest, socially progressive, fiscally conservative, community oriented voice who is committed to enhancing opportunities for local communities to take a more active role in decision making would be a fundamentally good thing for the City and my community.

Our campaign is grassroots driven, and will need the financial support of those who believe in what we’re trying to achieve if we are to succeed. We have receptive voters, and a good team coming together, but need the tools to run the distance.

I will stand up for local democracy, support effective and efficient public transit, demand action on affordable housing and childcare, while seeking financial sustainability to budgeting. I bring the same passion and energy to these other municipal issues as I have to my principled opposition to Toronto Hydro’s ill-conceived proposal for my community and will demand results when elected.

I am committed to community building, citizen engagement and collaborative decision making. It’s our City and we need a voice at the table reflecting our views. Whether you live in Ward 43 or not, if you want to see active, responsive Councillors who listen to real people and not just the folks on the lobbyist registry, I’m your guy.

We have a good chance of winning here, but not without your help. I can’t do this alone or on your behalf without your active support. It just won’t work.

I’m asking you to consider making a contribution to my campaign if you believe in what we’re trying to achieve.

The City of Toronto has a generous rebate program that all donors regardless of where they live in Ontario are eligible for. A donation of $300 would cost you just $75 as the City rebates the first 75% of any donation between 25-300 with a sliding scale for larger amounts over that. For more information on the rebate program for specific dollar amounts please click here.

Don’t wait for others to step up, because they’re waiting for you to do the same.

Join us, take action and contribute to what can only be a success with your help.

Keep our message alive. Give us the tools to succeed. Click donate  on the right hand side of the screen to do what you can to help.

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Closed Door Caucus Decision? – An Affront to Democracy and the Grassroots

by John Laforet
posted on December 8th, 2008 at 01:03:19 am

UPDATE – This was originally posted at 12:03am on Monday December 8th 2008. I received another email with similar points and have included it’s text at the bottom. An original of that is available too. 

Caucus is a pretty unrepresentative body. Take a look at it. Geographically it does not represent Canada, demographically it’s even worse. While  I respect our 77 member team, they are not constitutionally empowered to make this decision and would be completely out of their minds to think the grassroots will not go nuts if their rights are taken away because the party wants a quick fix. Caucus support did not decide who won the last leadership race, and it will not this time. They cannot and must not try to force their decision on the rest of us. 

Below is an email I just received that was sent to a number of other Riding Presidents, Stephane Dion and some other senior party officials. It is an open email based on it’s distribution and therefore, I think sharing it is appropriate. An original is available.

It reads:

“Subject: Liberals should not act like Conservatives and Mr. Iggnatieff should not act like Harper

Mr. Dion,

 
I am writing my total disappointment on the acts of some of the Liberal executives and I am not sure if you are one of them.
This shutting the voice of liberal members, and it simply states members are not important.  They don’t have any say in the party.
 
Lets show some maturity and play a fair game.  I am sure Mr. Iggnatieff believes in his skills to face Honest Bob Rae who is only interested in chosing party leader the democrative way.
Demorative way is what we’re fighting for against the Conservatives, and now we have the same thing within the party?
This will turn thousands of liberal leading activists including a lot of Executives into Conservatives way if Liberal Caucus act the same as Conservatives which is ani-democrative way.
Harper closed doors of House of Commons and Liberal Caucus is closing the doors on riding executives, womens clubs, and liberal members.
A winner is only selected on competition and he/she would have the guts to face a competitor than try to make back door deals.
Already media and public talking about party getting weak, and now this process will tear party apart.
It will do tremendous amount of damage to the Liberal Party in it’s history.
 
Liberal Caucus should count the importance of its members and riding executives rather than just one person, Mr. Ignatiave
 
There should be open voting system for Liberal members, riding executives and clubs to have say and chose a leader in a democrative way, the right way for Canadian unlike the Conservatives way which is being considered closed door voting.
Please don’t make this error in the history of the Liberal Party.
OPEN VOTE BY MEMBERS.
Babu”
Bob Rae’s campaign also sent out an email tonight with the subject “Taking Away Your Vote In The Liberal Leadership Race?” – I’m sure you know where it is going. Rae calls on Liberals to email the Caucus Chair and the Party President to tell them that they only support an open process. President Doug Ferguson can be reached at dferguson@liberal.ca and the Caucus Chair Anthony Rota at Rotaa@parl.gc.ca. Email them your views on the importance of a democratic process for selecting our next leader. 
Also – I’m giving polldaddy.com a try and came up with a Liberal Leadership Survey. It is quick and easy and I’d really appreciate knowing what readers of liberal blogs think. 
Second Email Received at 12:15am on Monday December 8 2008:

“Liberal MPs should very carefully before they proceed with Iggnatieff’s CORONATION.  By having a vote in Caucus only and affirming him later will be seen as Hi-Jacking Democracy.  Taking away the right to elect by the grassgroots the leader is morally and ethically wrong.  It sends the wrong message to the Liberal Party faithfuls and Canadians.  It will signal that the Liberal Party under Michael Iggnatieff are willing to abandon Democratic Principals and seize power at any cost as Stephen Harper did.  This must not be allowed to happen!!!

If this action is taken Canadians will not be able to differentiate the Liberals from the Conservatives.

This action will also deny members of the Liberal Party participation in a very important exercise of choosing their Leader.

Mr. Iggnatieff’s CORONATION MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN.  Bob Rae and Michael  Iggnatieff must fight a fair and open election.

 

Riding presidents would have zero votes and only
one third of ridings in Ontario will have even a Caucus member vote. 

This means:

No votes for the aboriginal community.

No votes for students.

No votes for Womens’ Clubs.

1 vote for francophones.

1 vote in the Guelph-Windsor corridor.

1 vote for Northern Ontario.

This is anti-democratic, and does not represent the many voices and values of our party!”

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