Voting in Canada – or lack thereof!

I read a comment that said our vote is our weapon.  So why aren’t more people using that weapon, a weapon that is free (our ancestors already having fought for our right to vote), and takes only a few minutes to wield, instead of letting others speak for them?  To say, “my vote doesn’t matter”, is only an excuse not to vote.

Some of the non-voter turnout is due to a lack of engagement by the community, in the community – people are more transient than years ago.  Residing in an area for only 2-4 years, they don’t get to know who their representatives are, or who is running, what the issues are, etc.  Others just aren’t engaged in community matters: they don't feel anyone is listening, so they don't reach out.

I was elected to VP Membership for Halton Federal Liberal Association on December 8, 2011: my goal is to increase membership in the riding.  Liberals have less than three years to get better organized at the grass roots level, to “engage” the community, create better reasons to “wield those weapons”.

We need to create a dynamic organization, one that lets people know their voices are being heard and that their voices really matter.  I would be interested in people’s constructive ideas and suggestions about rebuilding membership.

Halton Federal Liberal Association

The HFLA elections to the board are coming up this week - Dec 8.  I'm running for the position of V.P. Membership.

There are a lot of Liberals out there but they're not engaged.  Not surprising given the lack of direction within the party.  We must engage people at the grass roots level - really listen, give them a reason to believe that what they have to say is important.  And that feeling must be funneled up throughout the entire organization.

If you are a Liberal member as of 5pm, December 1, please come out to the Annual General Meeting.
DATE OF MEETING: Thursday, December 8, 2011
STARTING TIME: 7:00 PM
ADDRESS: Fogolars Country Club
2026 Lower Base Line Milton, ON L6M 4E8

Controversy over tax credit for employers of immigrants

Mr Hudak has decried this as an unfair affirmative action program for “foreign workers”. If McGuinty is pandering to the immigrant vote, who is Hudak pandering to in using the term "foreign workers'?   Mr Hudak’s unbecoming and divisive statements are xenophobic to say the least, and unworthy of a real leader.  

We’re talking about well-educated people, these immigrants who came to Canada; full of professional ambitions and who, in a great many cases, have had to settle for menial work, if any, and a mundane existence.  

In pursuing their careers, they found the doors to full employment in their fields slammed shut once they arrived in Canada: their English isn’t good enough, they don’t have Canadian work experience, etc.  As a member of the board of the Halton Multicultural Council, I’ve heard a great many of their stories.  

Immigrants who have been in Canada five years or less are more than twice as likely to be unemployed than their Canadian-born counterparts. But recent immigrants with master’s degrees or higher are more than five times as likely not to have jobs.  And, recent immigrants are more likely to be harder hit by a recession.  

A board of trade report last year estimated the province loses billions in potential GDP thanks to underutilized skills. 

The Conference Board of Canada is on record as saying that immigration is necessary for Canada’s future economic growth, and that recognizing foreign learning and credentials would add $3.4 to $5.0 billion to the Canadian economy every year . 

John Tory, former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and former honorary chair of Career Bridge has said that small and medium sized businesses would benefit from the human assets that immigrants bring and the immense contribution they would make to their growth and success (Jermy, Diane. “The business case for hiring skilled immigrants”. Globe and Mail. September 25, 2009).

The Conservatives propose a modest training program for new Canadians, providing a small tax credit for language training worth up to $400 per employee.   There are already many hundreds of these courses available throughout the province.  But the resistance to hiring goes beyond language.

Until we start “turning off the tap” (reducing immigration), or finding a way to ensure immigrants have Canadian validation before they arrive in Canada, Mr McGuinty’s employment tax incentive program will help.  

It is clear that there is some discrimination among employers in hiring. At least McGuinty is addressing problem.

I will contest Halton Federal Liberal Nomination

After a great deal of consultation, I have decided to contest the nomination for the Halton Federal Liberal riding.  

Going for the nomination was so far off my radar, I had to take a step back when people began asking me to run after Deborah Gillis stepped aside.  After consultation with many people I trust and respect, I said yes.  It is a huge step but I feel it is the right one. 

What I bring to the job:

• Communications has always been my strong point and will always be a priority.  I’ve had many notes of thanks for the communications I employed over my seven years as a Milton councillor 
• I have been very involved in the community for many years, so I understand the needs of the community.
• I am a hard worker
• I research all sides of an issue because I don’t feel anybody has a lock on all the good ideas.

It's a fact that many people don’t care for the party leader, however, the credibility of the party would be irreparably damaged if the party was to endure yet another leadership change this soon. It’s time for grass roots Liberals to stand up and be counted, to pull the party together, to draw strength from one another.  

I hope to have community support for my nomination, a process which has three steps:

1. Getting the green light as a viable candidate - filling in a 35-page nomination package, which includes getting the signatures of 30 members in good standing, and obtaining police and credit checks. 
2. In concert with the first step: selling Liberal memberships ($10).  The more memberships sold, the more viable the candidate. It’s a matter of getting 20 people to sell 10 memberships, and those people selling 10 memberships, and so on.  Rather like a pyramid, really.
3. The 3^rd step is getting as many of those same people to attend the riding nomination meeting when it’s called – expected to be sooner, rather than later.  

It's purely a numbers game.  I hope to have the support of the community.