Reflections on the Young Liberals Western Caucus

It's been a busy 24 hours that took me to Birsay, SK to the Young Liberals' Western caucus at Diefenbaker Lake. After a 2.5 hour drive through incredible prairie landscapes, I was greeted by a gorgeous waterfront and a fantastic group of young liberals, many of whom had driven for 20 hours to be there. As the day went on, it was great to hear lots of new policy ideas, a sense of passion for Canada and a real desire for change. I was honoured to be asked to speak after dinner and I couldn't have been more touched and inspired by the reception I received. To see so many Young Liberals passionate about making a difference and willing to commit to hard work to build a
better Canada was nothing short of awesome.

In my comments, I spoke about the importance of new ideas, of not just attacking but also inspiring, of giving people a sense of purpose - and I challenged our Young Liberals to lead the charge in coming up with policy ideas that would leave an indelible mark on Canada 15, 20, 50 years from now. What I'm most excited about is that I'm convinced that we can meet that challenge - and that Young Liberals like those gathered this weekend will lead the charge.

Anyone that thinks the Liberal Party doesn't have an incredible future ahead clearly hasn't met any of these Young Canadians that inspired me so profoundly this weekend.

Reflections on the 27th anniversary of the Air India bombing

Photo: Steve Bosch, Vancouver Sun

Today marks a solemn day in Canada’s history – the 27^th anniversary of the terrorist bombing of Air India Flight 182.  This Canadian tragedy – planned on Canadian soil, against Canadians – took the life of 329 victims on board the aircraft, and two baggage handlers at Narita Airport in a second, related bombing.  The loss, grief and pain felt by the victims’ families is unimaginable, and as Canadians, it is important for us to remember this tragedy, not just because of the horrific loss of life, but because of the sad history that followed the bombing that would bring down the aircraft of the shores of Bantry, in Ireland.

Nothing can be done, or said to replace those that have passed.  But the lessons that needed to be learnt must be learned, and in many cases, steps have been taken to ensure that such a tragedy will never happen again. 

This event changed lives for many – the families of the victims, the Irish citizens who helped with the recovery missions following the crash, the investigators, the prosecutors – everyone who has come into contact with any aspect of this tragedy cannot help but be touched forever by that event.

I had the privilege and honour of getting to know many of the victims’ families in 2005, when I was asked to become the Director of the Review of the Bombing of Air India flight 182, and Senior Advisor to the Hon. Bob Rae, who had been appointed by the Martin Government to write a report on the lessons that needed to be learnt by our law enforcement agencies, and by the government at large.  Working with Bob, my team was also charged with working with the victims’ families to build appropriate, meaningful memorials to the victims in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and in Bantry, Ireland.  It became more than a job – it became a responsibility that I would cherish because, in some small way, it was an opportunity to help right a historic wrong – that this tragedy would never again be forgotten as the largest terrorist attack against Canadians.  For this I will always be grateful to the families for letting me work with them, and to Bob Rae, for being a wonderful mentor in the art of reconciliation and of being unrelenting in the pursuit of the truth.

Photo: Darryl Dyck, The Canadian Press

The lessons that I learned came from the varying emotions and opinions that the victims’ families, the prosecutors, and the investigators all shared.  Regret, frustration, sadness, disbelief, forgiveness, and eventually, calmness and a renewed sense that this must never happen again – to anyone – all of these came to the surface during our months of working together.  I will never forget what one woman said to me when we discussed putting the victims’ names on the memorial in Vancouver:  “I never saw my daughter again - I never touched her face, or her hair.  We never got her body back.  But when I see her name on the memorial, I will be able to touch her, to say goodbye”.

These are stories that are often lost in the political rhetoric around inquires, or reports.  For me, the stories of each of the victims – captured in a beautiful book given to me by the victims’ families, is what should motivate us to act.  One of those lives lost could have been the researcher that cured cancer, a Nobel laureate, a prime minister, an astronaut.

So as we built the memorials, and completed the review, we kept this with us in our hearts and minds, and in the process, tried to make things a little bit easier for the victims’ families. 

Each memorial is in a beautiful setting, and shares a simple poem, which is cast on the original Air India memorial in Bantry:

Time flies
Suns rise and shadows fall
Let it pass by
Love reigns forever over all

So if you have a moment, go down to the Air India memorial – near the red fire engine in Stanley Park, Vancouver – and remember those lives that never had the chance to see their fullest potential, reflect on those left behind whose lives will never be the same, and thank the victims’ families for never allowing us to forget what happened, so that it may never happen again.

The year in politics for a North Van Liberal

By Sean Kolenko, North Shore Outlook

Former North Vancouver federal Liberal candidate Taleeb Noormohamed is a bit of a road warrior. Earlier this week, he was busy working in New York City with stops to make in Chicago and Toronto before finally heading back to the West Coast. 

If he’s an Air Miles man, an on-the-house departure is surely on the horizon.

Noormohamed’s latest jaunt has been in support of the Clinton Global Initiative, a group created in 2005 by former American president Bill Clinton to tackle challenges such as poverty, education and the environment.

To date, hundreds of participants — including Nobel Prize winners, heads of state, journalists and philanthropists — have taken part in various CGI events.

For those that have followed his, albeit brief, political career, it likely comes as no surprise that Noormohamed’s involved with the progressive organization.

But the 35-year-old is far from just a creature of the high-profile public-policy arena. Noormohamed’s just as comfortable talking shop in the sparsely decorated, coffee-and-cookie catered meeting rooms of North Vancouver hotels.

“When I ran I made a commitment that the issues important to Canadians and to North Vancouverites are top of mind,” says Noormohamed, explaining his work ethic. “Having an open dialogue is very important. It’s critical to create spaces for people — likeminded people with similar concerns — to talk about public policy.”

Noormohamed’s latest local talk, held by the North Vancouver Liberal Riding Association two weeks ago, was a reflection on the first year of the Conservative’s majority government. Donning an appropriately coloured red golf shirt, Noormohamed prefaced his remarks with an apology: he had too much to say.

Click here for the full article.

Our 'voice' in Ottawa is deaf

I wanted to pass along this great letter from a North Vancouver mum to the North Shore News. Please share it with others.

Dear Editor:

I am writing today to express my disappointment in the recent absolute lack of response from our elected member of Parliament, Andrew Saxton.

Mr. Saxton was elected by the members of our community to be our voice in Ottawa and to represent our community. I expect that this means all the members of our community, not just those that can be found on a society page or with a cheque book at election time.

I am the parent of two young Canadians. They have been raised as true Canadians and they are proud of their heritage, their culture and their community. At various stages in their young adult life, they have questioned decisions that have an effect on their lives. As a family we can discuss them, but if you want to know more or you want to be a catalyst for change with something you believe in, where do you go?

As a Canadian I know the answer is clear, you have an elected official who acts as your member of Parliament. This person is elected by the majority to act as a liaison between this community and Ottawa. We should be able to ask a question and receive a response. The official can choose to provide context or advocate for it, but key to this is at minimum, acknowledge it. You do not need to agree with what is being said, but the role as a representative includes communication with your constituents.

I have two children ages 21 and 19. Each of them have had questions about political matters and have written to their member of Parliament on at least five occasions. Neither have ever received a response of any kind. Both of my children have travelled to Ottawa with a wonderful program for young people that included meeting your MP in the Houses of Parliament. Neither were met by our representative and each was forced to have their pictures taken with a "borrowed MP."

More recently, my daughter wrote to her MP and others to express her dismay in the cancellation of funding for the Katimavik program in the last budget cuts. Her letter was respectful and well crafted. She has received numerous responses from across the country including from Minister of Finance James Flaherty, and Minister of Heritage James Moore. The glaring omission from this list of responses was from our own representative, Mr. Saxton.

I was concerned about this lack of a response because it speaks to the core of who we are as Canadians. If you cannot communicate your feelings to your elected official, what have we come to? I wrote my own letter imploring Mr. Saxton to please respond to the concerns that my daughter had expressed. My own communication has been ignored and it has been well over three weeks.

Mr. Saxton, you do not have to agree with what was being expressed, but you do owe your constituents a response. Your disregard for communicating with the people you represent has lost me as a supporter. You have done a great disservice to your role in Canadian politics and I welcome the representative who is standing in the wings ready to take your place. It can't be soon enough if you ask me.

Alison Andresen North Vancouver

Click here for the full article

North Vancouver MP Andrew Saxton leads effort to shutdown F-35 debate

Today, the Harper Government moved to shut down House of Commons hearings into the auditor general’s scathing report on the $25-billion F-35 stealth fighter jet project. I was outraged and disappointed to see North Vancouver's Conservative MP Andrew Saxton leading the charge, so I wrote a letter and sent it to editors of local newspapers.

To the Editor:

The Harper Conservative Government’s move to shut down Parliamentary committee hearings into the F-35 procurement is an affront to democracy and transparency, and demonstrates a continued contempt of Parliament.  We should be particularly outraged and disappointed to see North Vancouver MP Andrew Saxton leading the charge to suppress the facts related to the purchase of the F-35.

It is now clear the Conservatives used two sets of numbers: an internal-use only amount showing the real cost of the F-35, while sharing a much lower number with Canadian taxpayers.  Both the Parliamentary Budget Officer and the Auditor General have confirmed this.

This government must realize that Canadians have a right to the truth.  If there is nothing to hide, then Andrew Saxton and Stephen Harper should have no problem whatsoever allowing Committee hearings to proceed.

Instead, by subverting parliament, this government has cast a cloud over the entire F-35 procurement process, and has made a mockery of our democracy.

Our brave men and women in uniform are fighting around the world to promote and preserve freedom and democracy; how ironic that a government that demands transparency and accountability from foreign governments refuses to be held to the same standard here in Canada.

Taleeb Noormohamed
Past Liberal Candidate, North Vancouver

Click here for the article in The Vancouver Sun.