Messages

Spring - a new season

2012-04-03T04:00:00Z

Cherry Blossoms in Vancouver

It’s been a busy couple of months for the Liberal Party – and we are continuing to regain the trust and support of our fellow Canadians as they look to us for new ideas and to hold the Harper Government to account.

I had the honour and privilege of Co-Chairing our National Biennial Convention in Ottawa in January, where a record number of Liberals gathered to debate policy, make fundamental changes to how our party is governed, and above all else, to show Canadians that the Liberal Party is the only united, progressive, fiscally responsible choice to lead our country. It was a remarkable weekend: in my opening comments I was asked what my hopes for the convention were, and there were two thoughts that came to mind – the first was that we come out of the convention united in our desire to build a forward looking party with bold new ideas and a sense of purpose, and the second that we begin a new Liberal movement that would spread across Canada, person by person, community by community, city by city, until the positive, inspiring message of the Liberal party could be heard by all.

When we set upon the stage for our final moments at the convention, I looked out onto the thousands that had braved icy roads, cold weather, long flights and long nights. And I saw smiles, I felt a sense of hope, a sense of determination, and a commitment to work together across differences to build a better Canada. And as I stood beside the other Co-Chairs, Mauril Belanger, Noushig Eloyan, and Randy Boisonnault, each of us agreed that our party is strong and that we really are starting something new.

Coming out of that euphoria, we have renewed strength in pushing our message outward, and North Vancouver Liberals have been at the forefront of the fight against the Harper Conservative agenda on Canada. Joyce Murray and I joined OpenMedia.ca at a forum at UBC on bill C-10, the Vic Toews sponsored legislation that would force internet providers to provide law enforcement and government agencies access to the email accounts and internet records of ordinary Canadians without a warrant. For a government that refused to share Gun Registry records with the provinces on grounds of privacy, it’s a curious and suspect move to allow law enforcement to snoop what we write and which sites we visit without the need for a warrant.

Similarly, over the last few weeks, we have been shocked by the abuse of democracy that is the Robo-calling scandal. Even Prime Minster Harper’s own former Chief of Staff, Ian Brodie admits that “something has gone on, on a scale I’ve never seen before”. A number of incidents have been brought to our attention in North Vancouver, and we are encouraging anyone who received a misleading call to alert elections Canada immediately. These types of voter suppression tactics are an affront on democracy and I have called for a full Public Inquiry into the these incidents so that Canadians will know the truth – and so that the perpetrators can be held to account. If the allegations are true, then political operatives will have committed crimes that must be punished to the fullest extent of the law. It will be a fine opportunity for Stephen Harper to put his new prisons to good use.

I encourage you to challenge, at every turn, government polices that are reshaping our country for the worse – the new Crime bill, the new Immigration legislation, bill C-10 – the opportunities are limitless. Find an issue you believe in, and hold this government to account. This is truly a team effort, so talk to you friends and neighbors about these issues and make them aware of what’s going on in Parliament.

We also have much to look forward to as we begin spring, and as many across North Vancouver celebrate the holiday of Norouz. Norouz marks the beginning of the New Year for the Persian and Ismaili communities, and we extend a heartfelt Norouz Mubarak to all. This holiday marks a time of renewal and rebirth, and just as the Liberal party renews itself and welcomes new members and supporters, it is a time for us to reflect on the contributions that we can all make to our community and to our Country as we celebrate the arrival of spring. We will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms later this spring, and this should be a catalyst for us to reach out to our friends and share with them the Liberal vision for Canada that emanates from the Charter.

What a weekend!

2012-01-18T18:30:00Z

What a wonderful weekend! The Liberal Party wrapped up an incredibly successful Biennial Convention in Ottawa, and we return home energised, excited and resolved in our desire to rebuild the Party and inspire Canadians. We made bold decisions about governance, how we choose our leader, the policies we will put forward - and above all else, we opened ourselves up for all Canadians who see themselves as Liberals but who don't want to join a political party. We elected a new national Executive Board who are ready to work hard in making the organization of the party better able to do what it needs to do as we modernise our fundraising techniques, our contact with Canadians, and how we prepare for elections.

Personally, as a Co-Chair, it was an honour to share the stage with our Leader, Bob Rae, Michael Ignatieff, John Turner, Paul Martin, and so many other Liberals and Canadians who are leading the way in all walks of life. From Don Tapscott to Munir Sheikh, delegates were inspired and enlightened by a whole new range of ideas and thoughts. And Canadians watched - we had 30,000 hits on our website, we were seen by thousands across Canada debating ideas, reform amendments to our Constitution, selecting a new president, and being inspired to go out and to promote Liberal Ideals. Canadians saw a united party emerge, a dynamic party ready to welcome all, and to think outside the box.

I hoped we would start a movement at this convention, and we have. If you follow the media, or Twitter (#LPC12, #Ott12, #LPC, #CdnPoli), or talk to people on the street, Liberals are back in business - and we are ready to defend Canada against the narrow minded agenda of the Conservatives. For those who went, I hope you will share your experiences with others that were back home - and for those who did not attend, you were thought of - and we will welcome your ideas and thoughts as we make our party stronger.

Ottawa 2012

2012-01-12T05:54:26Z

Today and tomorrow, many of us will begin our journey east to Ottawa for the 2012 Liberal Party of Canada Biennial Convention. As one of the Co-Chairs of the Convention, I am inspired to see so many delegates from British Columbia coming to the Convention to share their ideas, their hopes, and their vision for our party - and for Canada. This convention will be a once in a lifetime opportunity to make our party stronger - and to reaffirm our role as the party of hope for Canadians - and as the only party that is passionate about a Canada that believes in a strong economy, strong social programs, a commitment to sustainability, and a dynamic and responsible role in international affairs.

For those of you attending, as you prepare for the Convention, please refer to our website at convention.liberal.ca to ensure you have all the information you need about Ottawa, the convention program, as well as other valuable information.

I look forward to a wonderful convention in Ottawa - I know you will be a strong and dynamic voice BC - and that you will advocate for the Liberal values that have been the foundation for a caring, prosperous, pluralistic and hopeful Canada for decades.

My best,
Taleeb

#LPC12 #Ott12

Congrats to Successful Civic Election Candidates

2011-11-22T03:00:00Z

The North Vancouver Federal Liberal Riding Association would like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to all successful candidates in the 2011 municipal elections. Congratulations to re-elected mayors Richard Walton and Darrell Mussato, and we are pleased to see past Liberal MP, Don Bell garner strong support from the local electorate as a new councillor for the City of North Vancouver. Congratulations also to Pam Bookham, Guy Heywood and Roger Bassam, who were re-elected to their seats at their respective CNV and DNV councils as well as Susan Skinner, Barry Forward and Cindi Gerlach who were elected to the North Vancouver School Board. We thank all candidates for their interest and commitments to our community, and we look forward to three years of progress and dialogue on how to make North Vancouver the best place to live and do business.

Biennial Convention

2011-11-14T00:30:00Z

As many of you know, the Liberal Party of Canada will be hosting its Biennial Convention in Ottawa from January 13 - 15, 2012. This convention will be a turning point for our party - a chance for us to make vital changes to the party's structure and policy-building machinery that will enable the Liberal Party of Canada to form Canada's next government. Equally important, it will allow us to come together as Liberals from across Canada to discuss the Canada that we want - a Canada that is suffering at the hands of Stephen Harper's ideologically driven agenda. This is an opportunity for us to set and define the agenda for the coming years, and make sure that we are on the right path to holding this government accountable for its actions, while taking the time to listen to Canadians, and building an inspirational vision for our country.

If you're concerned about our party and about ensuring a progressive, visionary future for Canada, then come to Ottawa for the convention, and help be part of the change we seek.

For more information on the Biennial Convention, please click here.

If you would like to attend the convention as a voting delegate, please click here to send your notice of intent.

Fall - A New Season

2011-11-03T02:00:00Z

Fall is underway and a lot has happened over the last few weeks. We lost Judy Brown, one of our long time Liberals and a truly wonderful woman, last month. She was a real stalwart, a true advocate for so many, and had a smile for everyone. We will all miss her - and we offer our condolences to her family. To those of us that attended, Judy's memorial service was a reminder of the importance of sticking together and fighting for what we believe in.

A couple of weeks ago, the longawaited Shipbuilding contracts were awarded, and North Vancouver’s Seaspan was one of the successful proponents. This will mean incredible new opportunities for and investments in our community – and it was great to see the process run by professionals, without political interference.

With the new season, a new session of the House of Commons begins. This is the first session we are seeing under the Majority Rule of Stephen Harper’s Conservatives, and our caucus - led by our Leader, Bob Rae - is working hard to keep a sharp focus on the Conservative’s regressive, narrow minded agenda.

This task was given a boost a couple of weeks ago, when the Supreme Court of Canada, unanimously rejected the Harper Conservatives’ plan to shut down the Insite Clinic in Vancouver. What is remarkable about this ruling from Canada’s highest court is that it reminds us of the importance of making public policy decisions based on evidence and data – and not just based on narrow ideology. Insite’s safe injection and counseling services have been heralded around the globe as a well developed strategy that has helped to reduce harm amongst vulnerable populations in our community – while providing much needed savings to our health care system. MP Andrew Saxton, and the rest of Harper’s Conservatives, didn’t agree with the evidence, and wasted millions of your tax dollars challenging Insite in the courts, only to be reminded by the courts that Canadians believe what is right and what works is critically important in making public policy.

Unfortunately, the Harper agenda continues to erode the Canada we believe in, here at home and abroad. The Conservative Law and Order agenda focuses on spending billions we don’t have on building prisons, instead of supporting local police forces, or being tough on the conditions that give rise to crime in our communities. Punishment must fit the crime, but we must also make sure we are doing what we can to prevent crime before it happens. Several American states, like Texas, which spent billions on new prisons are now coming to the same conclusion Canada came to long ago – that incarceration doesn’t stop crime and it isn’t a deterrent. It’s a strategy that just wastes money and valuable resources at a time when they could be better spent elsewhere. But Andrew Saxton and Stephen Harper just ignore the proof.

Abroad, the Conservatives have abandoned our role as an honest broker focused on what Canada is good at – building consensus and capacity, supporting education and health care. Instead they have decided on a plan that promotes a much more antagonistic, militaristic approach to world affairs. In the Middle East, Canada no longer supports a balanced approach. In Africa, we’re all but absent, and Harper’s decision to base foreign aid on conservative ideology has meant we are no longer taken seriously in the International Development community.

This is not the Canada we believe in, and you need to speak up. Encourage your neighbors and families to write, tweet, and talk – express your views on Harper’s policy agenda. If we do not work to bring attention to the many alarming changes this Conservative Government is making to Canada, before too long, we won’t even recognize the Canada we love. So please get involved, and make your voice heard.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and seeing you at our LPCBC Convention in Victoria from November 4-6, or at our North Vancouver Riding Association meeting and holiday gathering on November 26.