Toronto Centre Speculation

Those of you who follow this blog because you live in Toronto Centre or had something to do with my campaign there might find this story interesting. It speculates on who the Liberals will run in the next election (assuming Bill Graham won't run again).

My favourite part is this comment posted to the story on theglobeandmail.com:

James O'Grady from Windsor, Canada writes: It won't matter who runs for the Liberals in Toronto Centre, Chris Tindal of the Green Party will carry the day.

I'm sure the fact that James O'Grady just happens to be the name of my former campaign manager, who recently moved to Windsor, is pure coincidence.

(This comment about the Green Party is also interesting. Somebody get it to Martha!)

By the way, I will be seeking the nomination again in Toronto Centre for the Green Party, and I'm looking forward to the campaign. Hold January 24th 2007 if you want to be at the nomination meeting. Details here.

Some Advice

The two campaigns in the London North Centre by election that went negative were the Conservative campaign (which went negative on the Liberals) and the NDP campaign (which went negative on the Greens). It's no coincidence that those campaigns finished third and fourth, behind the positive campaigns of the Liberals and the Green Party.

I bring this up because late last night the NDP sent out an email to their supporters (and moles like me). The first paragraph read:

There's a new Liberal leader but it's the same old Liberal party. After 13 years of broken promises and corruption, the Liberals have picked themselves a new front man. Their choice - an out of touch academic who spent 10 years in a scandal ridden cabinet and who's record as Environment Minister was condemned by environmentalists and the Environment Commissioner. Liberal arrogance - some things never change.

The second paragraph -- ready for this? -- was as follows:

Today Jack Layton offered his congratulations to Stéphane Dion, saying that he looked forward to debating the new leader in Parliament to get things done for today's families.

The second paragraph loses some of its sincerity coming after the first, doesn't it? Listen folks, we're not going to accomplish anything by being close-minded, mean, and partisan beyond reason. And if that isn't enough, Canadians increasingly won't vote for these kinds of politicians and parties. The London North Centre result showed that.

If I were in charge of the NDP's messaging, I'd turn the venom down a shade, or risk being poisoned by it.