11.27.2012 11:03 AM

Beaches East York LPC news: lots happenin’!

Calgary Centre notwithstanding, it’s a good time to be a Grit. I truly feel that all the signs that are pointing toward a revitalization of the Liberal brand (and values), both nationally and here in Ontario. Sometimes, though, change starts right in your own backyard. Mine, for example.

For those of you lucky enough to live in Beaches-East York (which runs from from the Lakeshore North to Sunrise, Coxwell to Victoria Park), you have a super-duper opportunity to start the building process right now.

The Beaches-East York federal Grit riding association is having their annual general meeting on Sunday December 9th. The AGM is where the riding executive is voted in, and it sets the tone and direction for the year ahead. Linkage here.

This year, there are a bunch of skilled, energized federal Liberals who are super engaged, super motivated, and totally ready to start rebuilding. They can turn things around, and all they need is, well, your vote.

So, if you’re a member of the riding, get out to the AGM and VOTE.

If you’re a former member in the riding who has been waiting for the chance to help rebuild the Liberal brand, and win back Beaches-East York, you can renew your membership by November 30 and then get to the meeting and vote. Linkage here.

If you live in the riding and are a Liberal voter, or a Liberal supporter, or an Ontario Liberal, or someone who has never been involved in politics, you can join up by November 30 and then get to the meeting and participate, too.

Once you’ve gotten your membership in order, speak to your family, your friends, your kids (14 and over) – anyone who is, was, or should be a Liberal in BEY, and is ready to see the building begin. Help them sign up. Linkage here.

It’s very cool to see this happening, organically and on its own, in my own riding. It frankly gives me hope for ridings across the country with similar challenges. This is where it starts.

Sunday, Dec. 9th. 2pm. Royal Canadian Legion Branch 11, 9 Dawes Rd. (just south of Danforth). Join, listen, ask questions. Stand for election. Mostly, VOTE. Linkage here.

And, if you have questions, send these folks an email: info@beyliberals.ca.

16 Comments

  1. Patrick says:

    Finally acting on your promise to run somewhere?

  2. PSP says:

    Warren’s absolutely right. If we want to win back Beaches-East York after the next federal election by ensuring that we have the best possible candidate on the ticket and the best possible organization in place, we’ve got to start by rebuilding the Beaches-East York riding association.

    To do that, every progressive thinking Liberal who lives in the riding needs to come out and vote at the AGM on December 9th. Otherwise, the status quo will stay the same (insert big yawn here) and nothing will change (insert big sigh here). The reality is that 2015 isn’t that far away. If we want to build a bigger, better, stronger house we need to start laying the foundation right now. We can paint the walls red later.

  3. Jeff Rybak says:

    Thanks Warren – it’s great to have your vote of confidence in the work we’ve been doing in Beaches-East York! Like yourself, I hope this can be a sign of change to come in ridings across Canada. There are a lot of Liberals in a lot of places who want to do things differently and simply lack a roadmap for how to accomplish that. If we can help point things in the right direction, I think that’s something we can all be proud of.

  4. pcase says:

    Interesting.

    Would love to hear why you and fellow “progressives” in B-EY would be working so hard to defeat one of the most respected and celebrated rookie MP’s – Matt Kellway? Would you not agree that Matt has been doing a good good in Ottawa, roasting the current government on the procurement file?
    Many of the year end reviews highlighted his performance in Ottawa. He is not an ideologue and has proven to be pragmatic and willing to work with others.

    This is a head scratcher. The principles of your past promotion of cooperation and merger were courageous and forward thinking. I know you have been re-buffed, but I imagine your conviction has prevailed over obstacles in the past. Why not lead by example and work to fight the real enemy?

    bias alert: former BEY Riding Pres (NDP) and Nathan Cullen campaign volunteer

    • Warren says:

      I favoured cooperation. Your leader told me and others to go to Hell.

      You are therefore my enemy, once again. Prepare for war, as they say.

      • pcase says:

        So favour for cooperation is in the past tense now? Because the current leader of the Oppo has dismissed it out of hand?
        Seems binary. You have a candidate that is ready to fly the flag and promote the convo on the Lib side of the fence. Surely this is another opportunity to push the agenda. Why hop off the wagon so early in the game. Change is never easy, especially one wrought by old wars and battle lines.

  5. Jeff Rybak says:

    @pcase – Your question, at its root, is why anyone still believes in multi-party democracy. As though it’s implicitly an attack on Mr. Kellway that we still believe in our own party. It isn’t that. Speaking only for myself, I believe in respectful democracy. That means that I feel no need to attack Mr. Kellway but also that I feel no need to apologize for disagreeing with either him or with his party. The fact that you are replying as though we have attacked Mr. Kellway merely by organizing in another party entirely – now that DOES undermine the idea of respectful democracy.

  6. James Calder says:

    The B-EY Provincial Liberals hosted a great American election night special and I felt very lucky to attend. Great group of folks, great riding. Even though I don’t live in the riding, love the energy in the riding and I’m always willing to help out.

  7. pcase says:

    Or, @JeffRybak it could be asking folks like Warren who have put themselves out there in favour of cooperation/merger to walk the talk.
    We have way too many conservative MP’s in the GTA. We also have a majority of voters who vote progressive in most of those ridings.
    If there is conviction behind the principle, we don’t need our national leaders to tell us when or how to cooperate. We can form local like minded alliances to defeat conservatives and have a government that represent the 60% that vote Green/Lib/NDP/BQ.
    We were going to do this over the next 24 months municipally to defeat the Ford regime – or may have too if he runs again. It can be done.

    • 2jenn says:

      pcase, I’m a strong Cooperator. But the way it will most likely work (once you convince your leader to get an open mind and allow ridings to choose to do this) is by having competent candidates from all the parties run off against each other ahead of an election. I think it’s a non-starter to expect any party in any riding to simply stand down (not democratic for the party leaders to carve up Canada without any input from the Canada they are carving). In order to have a competitive candidate, it helps to have a competent riding association. I don’t see how this in any way impedes the Cooperation movement so dear to my heart, and yours. BTW, would Beaches-East York even be a target riding (same criteria as Cullen put forward)?

  8. Bailey says:

    Hmmm… I’m pretty sure I’m a member of the BEY Federal Liberals. I don’t remember getting a notice for the AGM. Oh well. I would have liked to have been a Director but the deadline passed. Anywho, I wouldn’t have been able to attend due to previous commitments.

    • Jeff Rybak says:

      @Bailey – I am extremely sorry if you didn’t receive notice of the AGM. I’m going to avoid attributing that failure to anyone in particular, but there are things we could be doing better in BEY, definitely. And that’s part of why change is in the air.

      In terms of standing for a Director position, although the deadline to be nominated is officially past, our by-laws allow for a really silly number of Directors-at-Large. 32, to be precise. If a position is uncontested at the time of the AGM, any interested member can be nominated from the floor. And despite our efforts to organize, I’d really be shocked if we actually have 32 people running for those director positions, in addition to the other executive roles.

      So, the upshot is, you can still be a director! As can others who may wish to be, incidentally. But you need to either (a) show up at the AGM or (b) send someone with a written statement expressing your desire to stand for that position. I’d be glad to help, if you’d like to get in touch. You can contract me through my website linked to this comment.

      These by-laws are due for reform, btw. But for now we do have 32 director positions available. Might as well have them filled with everyone who is interested in participating!

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