Live, Love and Liberalism

This was sent to the Martha Hall Findlay Big Red Bus Team in early October..I thought it capsulized my thoughts well...any comments would be appreciated...

Live, Love and Learn !!!

I gotta tell you I love this campaign ..spirit ..energy ...and a life changing cause that will impact our country and way of thinking for generations to come ...all by joining the Big Red Bus....If I have not had the pleasure of meeting ANY of you .....I hope to meet YOU ALL in December ...

I enjoy helping support a person of Martha's integrity and conviction and I am helping her organize Northwestern Ontario and Manitoba. You may have seen by the results of the 27 delegates we had none in the 17 riding which I helped organize on Martha's behalf were elected ..my mother actually lost on coin toss in Thunder Bay Rainy River organizer...although this is a major set back for my organizational resume as I have been doing this for quite some time and put hundreds of hours of time and energy into the organization and have working knowledge on what works and what does not .....I also comprehend why we lost the way we did in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario and want to fight EVEN STRONGER to have Martha's Big Red Bus on the stage and heard in December '06 ......

My walk with Martha ...I first became aware of Martha in the 2004 Election when she came up just short of the Conservative (later turned Liberal) Belinda ..I thought ..from afar ....that this gal has substance and "pizzazz" and we need her fighting the Liberal cause in Parliament ...I then watched as the seasoned Liberal strategists and organizers with their "heads up there collective asses" proceed to treat her like "a child with a balloon" nice novel new idea , looks great and nice to smile at .............HELLO ....Martha whom has been involved in our country and way of thinking throughout her lifetime ...as a parent ...as a coach ... as a small business owner ...as a volunteer ...as a thinker with Couchiching Institute ...as an athlete with our National Ski team ..all this over a period of decades ...you want accountability and a vetting process try helping parents with children learning to ski ...or consumers find a niche market item ..she attained success at every level ........................new kid on the block ..give me strength..

anyways I watched and listened as she accepted her plight that the establishment of the party has tried to and is trying to predetermine as old school influence shapers became scared and worried about the unknown commodity - the free thinker ...they ALL want - more than anything - the stability for themselves and they ALL fear that this free thinker may get some strength and really change our party and THEIR PLAYPEN ..I watched some more as MP's and new Liberal thinkers (Post Martin and Post Chrétien) say good, fluffy things about the new spirit in the party BUT give no support ...I went initially to Maurizio Bevilacqua because I felt he had worked hard, been left in oblivion as well and whom I felt represented the Canadian Dream of coming up intergenerational into the decision making bodies of our society but alas my faith in him was forever tarnished with his sell out - for power to the Rae camp...I was going to just sit back and watch all this go down and say "I tried and failed"..... then epiphany hit ....I let my idealism and spirit be forged and say "NO!" I am going to help change it !!!! I called Martha and asked her some pointed and personal questions, chatted and talked about the future then I told Mr. Dryden, Mr. Ignatieef and Mr Kennedy all of whom had phoned me that I would not be supporting them and that I would be supporting Martha .....I gotta to tell you lots of silence on the other end of the phones but to Mr. Dryden and Mr Ignatieff's credit they wished me well (Mr Kennedy said I was making a mistake - I hung up)

This campaign is about Martha and her battle cry for change and renewal but to give you a small window into why I am a supporter of Martha Hall Findlay - I have been involved in politics since I was Student Council President at the age of 16, ran myself and lost by 300 votes to Howard Hampton, organized campaigns, Chaired AGM's, presided over ridings associations, organized marches of protest and of support, lobbied Conservative and New Democrat Governments, presented Memorandums to Cabinet on behalf of Ministers and 3 decades later I am involved because I want to help my community and country grow , I want to help support a refreshing spirit and a person of honesty and integrity .. Martha has ALL that PLUS a inherited strong and pure energy, a strength of conviction which could bend steel, an intelligence that makes people stand up and say "wow" and a passion to change our world ...my world .....BUT the thing I most admire about her is her cleansing approach to politics she wants help and knows she needs to bring in allies in her cause but WILL not "make a deals with the devil" to achieve the "good end with the wrong means" this is not only reasonable in the Post Gomery Canadian Body Politic ......but represents what every Liberal should respect and admire - strength of conviction for not only herself but for those coming after her and with her .....admittedly I am fearful for her and her aspirations ....actually most fearful for her as her "battle cry" although worthy is lofty (to say the least) but I will do anything I can to support her and carry her message of change and renewal...


Before I go I gotta to share with you my most inspiring moment with Martha it was at the Winnipeg Free Press Editorial Board and its 5 members are peppering absolutely interrogating Martha like she is the bank robbery with all the money and has it hidden for no one to find ...question after blessed question on private health care this ..new change why ...health problems since the act came in ...no stone left unturned 2 hours later I am absolutely sweating thinking about the headlines the next day and feel I have forever let Martha down by not stepping in to stop the "blood letting"...anyways after it is all said and done the Legislative Reporter whom I have known for years and know can be anti-Liberal at times comes up to me and says in a hushed quiet voice "Great bus when we going to have beer on it?" ......Here is me expecting "Can we get her written policy for this or can we have that in writing" but no he wants to meet and chat and be a part of something bigger and better than what we have ..Martha Hall Findlay and her Big Red Bus ...I lost about 4 pounds of water sweating and just about had a heart attack of relief when he asked that but what a great moment to be alive and a part of our campaign ....I guess I will have to wait until the General Election to bring the reporter on board for a cold clear Molson Canadian !!!:)


thanks for the chance to share my thoughts on Martha and her Big Red Bus and looking forward with great anticipation in seeing each and every one of you in December !!!!