The success of our great party came from listening to the people of Canada, understanding their needs and desires and crafting policies and programs that made Canada an ever more exceptional place to call home. It came from hard work and intelligent strategy. Tens of thousands of Canadians who knocked on doors, hosted coffee parties, participated in conventions, handed out literature and so much more.
I am running for Vice President (English) because we have lost ground to our competitors in fighting for Canada. We have wasted too much time hoping that the next leader will be the charismatic figure who will magically bring us back to power. We are now scrambling to erase organizational and technological deficits. Our competitors have understood better than us how to add new processes and technologies, such as voter relationship management, enhanced reporting and targeted messaging to their larger set of political tools. In short, our competitors have exceeded us in our core skills – communicating with Canadians, building membership and raising funds.
I have traveled Canada, from Atlantic Canada to British Columbia and Ontario to Nunavut, meeting Canadians and Liberals, discussing our Party's future. People are excited about being Liberals and determined to make a difference. We have experienced the allure of the quick fix and seen how it always fails. People are working hard locally for their EDA and they are communicating their needs, desires and visions of how to rebuild at the national level.
I want to hear from you. Email me or call me – it is the job of every member of the executive to actively listen to your thoughts and ideas and to share their own. If there are any gatherings of Liberals in your area, please let me know. I will make every effort to attend! I hope that you are remaining active, will be attending your Riding's DSM and will come to the convention in January. Some of the great ideas I endorse include:
Build stronger local Riding Associations. The EDA should be at the core of their community, participating at local events and contributing to local newspapers. New members and experienced organizers must work together to expand membership and revenue, using tools such as the Victory fund.
Focus on fund-raising! We need three times as many donors as we now have to just catch up to our competitors. It is time for an elected National Fund-raising Chair, with a seat at the executive table. Teams of dedicated volunteer and professional staff must change the way we do fund-raising, maximizing local, provincial and national efforts. We must always be more than ready for the next election.
Update not just our technology but our business processes to make better use of limited resources. We have to make better use of great tools like Liberalist.
Utilize our resources more effectively, improving support and training to EDA's. The newly reinstated Liberal University website is a good start but more is needed.
Run competitive races to choose candidates. Candidates should be elected by their local EDA membership, not appointed (even if they seem to be stars).
Make the Council of Presidents an integral part of the policy and strategy review process, providing inputs to the National Board of Directors. It must be more than a place for the Party President to give direction.
Move forward proudly as Liberals. Our return will not be based on a haphazard alliance with some other party or on a Leader who can magically summons voters.
My Liberal roots run deep. I have vivid memories of campaigning with Pierre Trudeau in 1980. Trust me; there was no magic. There were just big efforts from thousands of dedicated Liberals. It was never a surprise to see the highest ranking of our party in a riding campaign office at midnight, putting signs on posts or stuffing envelopes. Since then I have served as Riding President, Deputy Chair of the Council of Presidents and Candidate. My commitment to the Party is long standing and I will be here through the good and the difficult.
8 comments:
Good Luck. You'll need it.
I noticed from your post you seem to be focussing on organization, fundraising and strategy rather than policy and campaign promises. This is probably wise.
There is a culture within the Liberal party where its leaders (both political and organizational) make deals or fight to determine major policy and leadership decisions.
Perhaps the best example and certainly not the only was Ignatieff's coronation. At least 7 others, some very passionate and capable dropped out of the leadership race to allow Ignatieff to be acclaimed.
What was promised? What was said?
I'd argue that the Liberal party is not a national one. In five consecutive election results Liberal numbers both in seats and popular vote have dropped.
The most striking failure is in western Canada. It should be clear that the only success has come from the names from a very small number of incumbents. The party got about 1/2 a million votes west of Ontario! 1/2 a million in Vancouver alone would have been a great result.
And this of course doesn't even deal with Quebec.
Finally, look at the events of yesterday. The Libs walked out on a vote for the AG. Today,just one day later,virtually no one cares.
Bilingualism has gone as far as it can go. It is a dead horse. I bring it up only as a reminder that the Libs are living in the past and are not well suited for debating the future of Canada.
Good luck James, your ideas are very interesting. Something has to change in this Country.
Thanks Anon -- you are right that I am focused on process -- that's because that's the role -- don't get me started on substantive issues!~!!!
To Anonymous: Western Canada,especially Alberta, will be a bigger challenge than climbing Mount Everest, in my opinion.
I grew up in Alberta; my family is still there and, even my progressive (as he describes himself) brother will never vote for the Liberal party because of NEP. (Funny though, how these people will criticize immigrants for carrying grudges for centuries in their home country). My conservative brother also will never vote Liberal even if the Liberals gave him everything he ever wanted from a political perspective. Why? Because their name is Liberal. And there's absolutely no rationalizing or discussing this matter with them (and others I know). It's the way it is.
I don't know if that's indicative of the general feeling but I suspect it is.
Good luck Mr. Morton. I wish you and the Liberal Party every success because we need it. Someone needs to come along behind the Conservative Party to clean up their mess. Again.
L.Lea
Anonymous said the NEP will insure Liberals never win in Alberta. Perhaps, but once Albertan's discover how Conservatives have raped and plundered the province and see half of them go to jail for that rape and theft...Liberals may very well win.
The best friend of Liberals is the worst enemy of Conservatives...time....
(as one Albertan to another)
All the best James. The Party is fortunate to have such quality running for its national executive.
We just had Sheila Copps here in Victoria who is running for Pres. of the Lib. Party. She had some great ideas put forth in order to get back former Libs. and obtain new Libs. I know she is a long time Lib and many Libs. may think she if of the old party, i.e. top down. Not from what I heard of her talk today. It was refreshing and inspiring.
We just had Sheila Copps here in Victoria who is running for Pres. of the Lib. Party. She had some great ideas put forth in order to get back former Libs. and obtain new Libs. I know she is a long time Lib and many Libs. may think she if of the old party, i.e. top down. Not from what I heard of her talk today. It was refreshing and inspiring.
Post a Comment