WHY I ENDORSE GERARD KENNEDY

In selecting Gerard Kennedy, I read every speech and article available before hand of all the candidates. I chose Gerard not because all the other candidates are lacking, but because intrinsically Gerard Kennedy is the best candidate to be leader of the Liberal Party.

First Gerard Kennedy has the ideas that are genuinely Liberal and will redefine and renew the Liberal Party. Social issues such as education and female equality are all major considerations for Gerard. His ideas for the economy are far reaching and introduce a new Liberal value of enterprise. It is connecting a result-based style of governing that differentiates Gerard from all others. If a strategy is not working, it has to be re-evaluated. Gerard has illustrated this in reaction to the worsening problems in Afghanistan.

Kennedy has proposed that unless NATO changes it's mandate, to be more effective, Canada will pull out of Afghanistan. This policy is bold and innovative. Where others deal in complacency Gerard is constantly striving for the best results. NASA's motto is aptly suited to Gerard's style of governing: "Good Enough is the enemy of Better;" this relates that people are complacent with average outcomes, because those are easy. Better involves hard work and change to find the method best suited. That's why Afghanistan in the current situation must be changed. These numbers of Canadian casualties are not acceptable. There is a better way, and that is Gerard Kennedy.

A major factor underemphasized in this Leadership race is where the candidates are from. Gerard Kennedy is the most western candidate, being from the Pas Manitoba. As Leader he would be the first Liberal Leader west of Ontario. As CBC reported last night, with BC and Alberta having a higher population combined then Quebec, thus they will get more seats in the near future; the West will play more of an important role in the years to come. The Liberal Party must change with the times, it must elect Gerard Kennedy as Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Who Would Stephane Dion Go To?

In a recent article in the Montreal Gazette, Philip Authier speculates where Dion would go if he was going to support another candidate. When asked directly about similarities with possible candidates to support, Stephane Dion responded, "I'd say they are all excellent seconds...I'm doing my campaign. I am concentrating on the things I have to do. It's too soon to evaluate this."

Everyone is trying to find out who will be the next candidate to drop out. In comparing other candidates speeches before they drop out, this statement by Dion is by far the closest to indicate dropping out relatively soon. The phrase "too soon to evaluate this," leads one to consider the Dion isn't thinking of supporting anyone at the moment but will be soon.

In the article, Philip states "Dion would only say Ignatieff seems more interested in environmental issues - one of Dion's three campaign pillars - while Rae seems interested in intergovernmental affairs." My addition is that IF Dion ever drops out, he would go to either Michael Ignatieff or Gerard Kennedy. The question is how much of an emphasis does Dion put on environment in relation to his other pillar, social justice?

A PREJUDICED POLL

Today I was phoned by a polling service about the Liberal Leadership Race. The poll had questions such as "Which Candidate Do You Want As Leader?"

However, through the cold electronic voice, which happens to be female, it lists the choices of candidates. The machine-like voice utters "Scott Brison, Stephane Dion, Michael Ignatieff, and Bob Rae." That's it, out of 8 candidates the poll only gives you four options.

I want to know who is responsible for this poll? Is it the Polling service? Or was it one of the campaigns? I think it is odd that this happened so soon after the investigation into Dion's, Brison's, and Dryden's use of confidential membership information began. Are they related?

Also did some campaign give out my information? And if so which one?

So many questions.

A DIFFERENT, CARING CANDIDATE

I was surprised when I read Kennedy's website this morning. It wished me a happy new year. I was first checking how long I slept then I read further. Kennedy and his wife were wishing everyone a happy Rosh Hushanah. Wow.

In the middle of a leadership campaign Kennedy has his priorities straight. The leadership, the liberal party, the elections, what it's all about is the people. Gerard knows this or he doesn't have to, it could be ingrained or inherent in him. To be so caring I think it's the later. Not only that but he truly made it personal by including his wife, or she included him :).

This type of action, of merely saying happy new year, this shows or exemplifies whats needed of a leader and a PM; that is the insight that no one ethnic grup, race, or any individual body makes up Canada. It's not just christians, as Conservatives would want, but many religions all playing important parts in our indentity.

Gerard Kennedy will always have my support, not just in some race, but he has shown me what I want in any leader, and that's thoughtfulness.

KENNEDY, THE CONSERVATIVE-KILLER (NOT LITERALLY)

So I still don't understand everything about Bob Rae, but anyway... the leadership race has been feeling like it's been going on forever and really I had lost focus on what this is all about, then I get this email from the Kennedy campaign, I get all campaign emails for your reference, and this email, through it's information on Kennedy reminded me it's about picking the best leader to beat the conservatives. The article can be found here. The article illustrates that Kennedy is the best to beat Harper.

Kennedy is from the West, forgetting Hedy Fry, and I see that you have, he is the only other candidate from the west. If elected he'd be the first Leader outside of the Ontario/Quebec sphere. This is huge to me, and I know to my more conservative riding.

I know I could use it to bash Conservatives over the head with it. "My candidate is more western then yours!"

Well here's the article:

Kennedy wants to reinvent Grits; Leadership hopeful says party needs a shakeup

Ellwood Shreve
Local News - Friday, September 22, 2006 @ 09:00

The federal Liberal Party of Canada needs to renew itself and Gerard Kennedy believes he's far enough removed from the old party to do it.

The Liberal leadership hopeful met with local supporters in Chatham Thursday to give his vision of a renewed national party.

Kennedy, a former Ontario cabinet minister, spoke about adopting a different style of government with a focus on enterprise.

He said enterprise is the opposite of complacency, which he believes the former Liberal government fell into after governing for 13 years.

"We've kind of taken Canada for granted," Kennedy said.

Showing enterprise "means having the best place to start and grow a business," he said.

That entails challenging the private sector, not-for-profit sector and civil service "to get the results that we're looking for," he added.

Kennedy is concerned some Liberals are advocating for the old ways. "That's why I'm here," Kennedy said.

"The Liberal party must change quickly in order to be competitive with Mr. (Stephen) Harper," he said. "It needs somebody slightly from the outside who doesn't carry the baggage of being part of the old recent Liberal government.

"And somebody with a track record of doing things in a Liberal way," he added.

Kennedy believes it's time the Liberals began to focus on rural and northern Canadians, noting the party seems to have got caught up in mainly urban areas.

Mary Ellen Crow, of Dover, not only asked Kennedy what he'll do for agriculture, but demanded he put it writing "that the Liberals are going to do something for the farmers."

Kennedy said he's working on agriculture proposal where the government "puts our dollars up front in a way that can be predictable" for those who make an investment in farming.

He supports both food security and food nutrition policies which are done in a "way that are beneficial to farmers."

Kennedy received public support from current Liberal politician Pat Hoy, MPP for Chatham-Kent Essex, and Jerry Pickard, retired MP for Chatham-Kent Essex.

Hoy praised Kennedy for his work to protect rural schools as former Ontario education minister.

"I know he'll work hard at whatever level of government he is in," Hoy said.

Pickard likes Kennedy's view of including both urban and rural Canadians.

He's confident Kennedy "can come up with a plan that's workable for all of Canada."

I DON'T GET BOB RAE

I look at the blogs this morning, at The Northern Liberal and Liberal Outsider and I find Bob Rae contributed to the NDP during the last election.

I don't get it. Why would Bob Rae do it. I read the comments section of some blogs and I thought maybe he was just giving to a friend, but then a blog has the Globe article, this one, and in it, Ms.Mathyssen, a NDP candidate Rae contributed to admitted Rae wanted the NDP to get more seats, and in her case at the expense of the Liberals.

Can Someone explain Bob Rae to me?

GREAT WORDS, GREAT MAN: GERARD KENNEDY

CLICK HERE FOR GERARD KENNEDY'S GREAT CLOSING REMARKS AT THE LEADERSHIP DEBATE AT UBC IN VANCOUVER

When Gerard Kennedy came to my riding, after hearing him speak I knew he was the right candidate for the Liberal Party, the right candidate for Canada. This was not because I had only met him, I met him last. I privately talked with all the candidates, it was only Gerard who answered my questions unprovoked and in public.

I realize everyone has their own choice of the Liberal Party they want. I want a Liberal Party that is Liberal, that brings government to action in order to grant Canadians the equality and institutions they require.

At UBC, during the debates, Gerard Kennedy embodied the very perception I have of him; he is the caring, personal, and open politician the Liberal Party needs. He is warm where other candidates are strictly business. Gerard Kennedy will bring the Liberal Party and the Canadian Government back to relating to the people and not maintaining a separate sphere of business.

CLICK HERE FOR GERARD KENNEDY'S GREAT CLOSING REMARKS AT THE LEADERSHIP DEBATE AT UBC IN VANCOUVER

TORONTO STAR: IGNATIEFF IS "RIGHT"

On Rex Murphy's "Cross Country Checkup" today, the topic was "What's your view of Canada's mission in Afghanistan?" One guest on the show was political columnist for the Toronto Star, James Travers.

When asked about the divided Liberal Party's stance towards Afghanistan, Travers admitted that Ignatieff if elected Leader of the Liberal Party would bring the Party to the right.

I wonder what the Ignatieff campaign thinks about their candidate or how do they defend the image of their candidate when non-Liberals see Ignatieff as being 'Right'? If non-Liberal political observers see Ignatieff as right, is it a wonder if the Canadian voting public does as well? And what will that result in, when for the last few years the NDP have been gaining ground from more right leaning Liberal policies?

For those of you who would like to heat Rex Murphy's broadcast and Travers statement go to:
http://www.cbc.ca/checkup/archives.html