The Lambton Compass Charting a new course for Liberals in Sarnia-Lambton APRIL 2015 Message from the President MEMBERSHIP: Justin Trudeau's message of hope and hard work has inspired Canadians and attracted top-notch people vying for Liberal nominations right across the country. That is also true right here in Sarnia Lambton. Please do not forget to renew your membership, or invite others to join. To renew or become a member, simply go to https:// action.liberal.ca/en/membership and follow the instructions. Elizabeth Wood MacDonald and David McPhail each have an outstanding record of personal achievement and community service and we are going to have a very interesting nomination meeting. The date has not yet been set but you will want to encourage your family and friends to buy a Liberal membership at liberal.ca in order to participate in this exciting event. Memberships can still be purchased by mail. Contact Andrea Smythe (andreas@xcelco - 519-867-2882) and she will deliver a form to your home and arrange to send it to the Liberal Headquarters. Once a candidate is chosen we will need to hit the ground running by making phone calls and accompanying the candidate door to door to introduce himself / herself. All of this takes place well before an election campaign and WE NEED YOUR HELP! Don't worry about making phone calls - we will provide you with a script. If you can help with either of these tasks please contact: Eileen Viola ([email protected]—519-869-4268), Andrea Smythe ([email protected]—519-867-2882), or Mike Hurry ([email protected]—519-344-1064). Call or email us now and "Be Part of the Change!" Yours in Liberalism, Eileen Viola President SLFLA You will need to renew or purchase your membership to vote at the upcoming Candidate Nomination Meeting Once the meeting is called, it will be too late to purchase or renew your membership. Justin Trudeau is offering “Hope and Hard Work”. That is our slogan, and we hope you want to work with us to make a better Canada! CHECK US OUT ONLINE: Website: http://sarnia-lambton.liberal.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ SLFedLiberals Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ SLFedLiberals OUR NOMINATION CONTESTANTS Elizabeth Wood McDonald Elizabeth Wood McDonald is a graduate of UofT, and was a teacher of history and geography for 34 years, including as a volunteer in Kenya and in Australia, Scotland and Germany. In the last she was chosen to work for the Department of National Defence on secondment from the Lambton Board, teaching geography at Canadian Forces Base Lahr for five years. “I am running for the Liberal Candidacy because I have an interest and concern in Sarnia-Lambton’s and Canada’s progress, and I have a sincere desire to make a contribution to my community and my country. Additionally I feel my background and experience have given me the opportunity to compare national services in many countries, and that I can bring a new perspective and fresh ideas to the Liberal Caucus and the House of Commons, while being a strong well-informed advocate for the needs and desires of Sarnia-Lambton, both urban and rural. The stark changes in our city over the last 20 years, of petro-chemical hub to retirement community causing serious job losses, create a great challenge; but we know that a budding biochemical industry shows promise that should continue to be encouraged federally.” for election to, and then on, City Council, the construction of two high-rise condos on the west side of Front Street. She was successful, and as one county mayor has said, “saved the Sarnia Waterfront”. In doing so she kept her election promise. With City Council’s support she also initiated the beginning of blue-box recycling after researching its efforts in Guelph and other cities, and attending the industry’s conventions. Liz has a lifetime of community involvement in Sarnia-Lambton. As a teenager she volunteered at the Y as a swim instructor and lifeguard. She is committed to the well-being of the community having served on the boards of the Sarnia Community Foundation, Inter- national Symphony, Red Cross and Lambton Wildlife. She served two terms on Sarnia City Council as well as six years Currently she is chair of Central Forum, chair of the Church board of Central United Church and president of the Sarnia-Lambton Provinas a governor on Lambton College Board of Governors. cial Liberal Association." I am concerned at the direction our counConcern for her community and its priceless asset, the river and try is heading under Mr. Harper. its riverfront, led Ms. Wood McDonald to oppose, while running Our leader Justin Trudeau would work cooperatively with the provinces to bring back the promise of Canada to all groups in society, and he would give Canadians new leadership dedicated to strengthening the heart of the economy, the working class, who deserve a real and fair change at success and real job opportunities. "A passion for policy - to better our lives and our Canada". Visit: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Elizabethwoodmcdonald Website: www.elizabethmcdonald.net Twitter: http://twitter.com/ElizabethWood94 Email: [email protected] Phone: 519-542-6472 (evenings) OUR NOMINATION CONTESTANTS Dave McPhail Dave McPhail believes that Canada and Canadians have not been well served in recent years and that a major change in our National Leadership is necessary. He also understands group dynamics and informed intelligent participation from his many roles in the previous years leading to now. Dave is a life-long resident of Sarnia-Lambton. He is a respected former School Principal who has been an effective and proven leader on many different Sarnia-Lambton, Provincial, and Federal Boards, Commissions and Committees for most of his adult life. He was the Chair of the Committee that saved the Sarnia jail from closing in 2013, and currently is President of the Ontario Regional Advisory Council and Co-Chair of the National Advisory Council for Transport Canada. These groups make recommendations to the Federal Transport Minister regarding oil spill preparedness in Ontario and Canada. Dave is a former chair of the Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce, the Sarnia Parks Board, the Math Teachers Association of Ontario and the Ontario Elementary Principals Council. He wrote mathematics textbooks for grades 4 to 8 that were adopted Canada wide. As an author Dave had numerous speaking engagements from coast to coast in Canada and several into the USA. Currently he is a member of the RAIL (Rail Advocacy in Lambton) committee which is attempting to bring increased passenger rail service in and out of Sarnia. In his Principalships, Dave initiated many unique and innovative programs for students such as the very first Breakfast Program in the area and an Anti-Bullying Program collaboratively designed with parents before the days of school councils. He even provided a "night school" program so working parents could see their children in class and better understand what they were doing in school. Dave is passionate and committed to his community and the wider reach of Canada. His experiences have enabled him to work with various levels of government from the outside. He has been successful in leading changes that have made for a better community and a more fully developed tanker (Ship) safety program for Canada. His leadership has been recognized and appreciated by several groups at many levels. He was the recipient of the Gord Blake Innovation Award from the Ontario Marine Operators Association, received a Queens Golden Jubilee Gold Medal and Award, and was given an IODE Award for Outstanding Citizenship as a Volunteer. He was named to the Mayor's Honour list and was awarded a Peace Pipe by the Kettle and Stony Point First Nations Reserve when Principal in Forest, Ontario. Dave is married to his wife Sharon McPhail. They have shared an interest in boating, travelling and working together as a team on one of the text-book series written for McGraw Hill - Ryerson. Together they also brought a major educational conference to Sarnia which they co-chaired. Both understand the need for caring, strong, intelligent leadership and a true commitment to this riding and our country. McPhail believes that his experiences and collaborative style of leadership will serve him well in the Liberal Association's programs and policies being developed for a better Canada for all Canadians. His proven leadership at the local, provincial and national levels, have prepared Dave well for being a fresh voice without baggage from the past. Dave has demonstrated the ability to work well with a group and to help the members move towards a fully supported conclusion on difficult issues. Dave McPhail gets things done. Contact Information: Email: [email protected] Tel: 519-383-7580 Twitter: dave_mcphail Facebook: Dave McPhail TREASURER’S CORNER First of all, I would like to thank all of our loyal and generous Victory Fund donors who contribute monthly and our annual donors who give throughout the year and who respond to our year end drives. Our war chest that we need to fund our next election campaign continues to grow thanks to all of you. WELL DONE! THE BACK PAGE... REVITALIZING DEMOCRACY THROUGH REAL ENGAGEMENT ahead of our neighbour who sits at 20th. As you know, election campaigns are expensive to run. Signs must be purchased, office space rented, phones installed and advertising in the local media arranged. We are a peace loving and compassionate people, and we are recognized WE CANNOT BE COMPLACENT! In so many ways Canada is an absolutely remarkable country. We rank 8th amongst only 25 countries on the planet recognized as full democracies - well around the world as a model for fully functioning multi-culturalism. Our capacity for caring is recognized in the amazing degree to which we volunteer our time and donate our dollars for others. Yet, if you are like many Canadians you feel either discouraged, disenchanted, disempowered or disinterested in anything to do with politics, and perhaps have withdrawn completely. Rather than spending countless hours on where to point fingers or place blame for what might be demoralizing, or waiting endlessly for someone else to go first, let us together take up the personal challenge of initiating change through our own active participation. John Ralston Saul has noted that, "Democracy is the ONLY system capable of reflecting the humanist premise of equilibrium or balance. The key to its secret is the involvement of the citizen". It is genuinely possible for each of us to participate actively, especially when we feel the direct personal support of others around us in our own community. We do hope that you can anticipate the coming Federal election as an opportunity to say "YES" when you are asked to volunteer and share responsibility with others like yourself, in some dimension of the campaign. Engaged citizens can make democracy stronger and Canada better. Your every action can be gracious and inviting, and can consequently contribute not only to the possibility of an election win, but also to revitalization of democracy's health. There is no better and no more likely place for it to begin than with us. Bob Sutton For your information, this year the annual personal contribution limit has been increased by Elections Canada to $1500. This means that each of us can contribute up to $1500 to the Federal Liberal Party of Canada and up to another $1500 to our Association (SLFLA), this $1500 includes our candidate's campaign. We count on you to help us communicate our message of "Hope and Hard Work" and to promote the Liberal brand locally. Thanks again for your ongoing support and for helping us bring political change to Sarnia Lambton in the upcoming election this fall. IN THIS ELECTION YEAR, PLEASE KNOW THAT YOUR CONTRIBUTION IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT. SO GIVE EARLY! The election will come soon... Your Treasurer, Joe Viola [email protected] 519-869-4268 Victory Fund: https:// www.liberal.ca/files/2015/01/ Victory-Fund-EN-19012014.pdf Website: http://sarnia-lambton.liberal.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SLFedLiberals Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SLFedLiberals
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