Revisiting the Riding Association - We Must be Community Activists

Over the last week I have spoken to Liberals in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario. This afternoon I will be speaking to some Liberals over a drink in Montreal. consistent theme is that we must change the process by which we communicate to members. The idea that our members, and the public as a whole, only hear of us around elections has to end.

This will require a revisiting, at least for some, of what a Riding Association is. The days of meeting once a month in someone's basement, going through the same agenda as last month, maybe organizing a summer BBQ and a Year End Party are over. We have to have a vital and lively community presence throughout the year; we need to be at Easter Egg hunts and have columns in the local penny saver news. And that means we have to see our role as much broader than just helping whoever is the local candidate at the next election; we must see ourselves as community activists. (As an example, just one of many, there was a protest today in Oshawa about the Conservative crime bills - Liberals care about where the country is going in-between elections - we have to show that concern to Canadians as a whole).

The Executive Board's role has to be one of encouragement and support. Yesterday I heard some good ideas from Don Caverley who said Ridings ought to go into competition with each other to see who can, say, get the most members, have the most events, do the most community projects. And that friendly competition can be encouraged by modest prizes and recognition for the winning Ridings. BC is already working on this and it can go nation wide.

And note, good ideas from Commissions or PTAs (say a good idea from BC or Nova Scotia) can be brought across the country. That's one of the great thing about a federated structure; local experiments can be tried and if they work made national.