John Slykhuis
Federal Liberal MP Bob Rae joined York-Simcoe candidate Judith Moses last Thursday in Udora to recognize several long-serving party supporters. Ms Moses will face incumbent MP Peter Van Loan in the next election.
Georgina
July 23, 2008 08:00 PM
By: John Slykhuis
There is no Conservative MP opposition members would like to see unseated more than Peter Van Loan, former Ontario premier and current Liberal MP Bob Rae said.
Mr. Rae, speaking at a Liberal barbecue and fundraiser in Udora last Thursday, acknowledged the York-Simcoe MP would be very difficult to unseat, but predicted Liberal candidate Judith Moses will carry the day in the next election because of she is “an outstanding candidate”.
“Judith is really — when I compare Judith to, if you will, the alternative — classy, she’s intelligent, she’s fair-minded, she’s thorough, she’s good humoured, she’s dynamic and we’ll leave it at that with respect to the contrasts,” he told the laughing audience.
Nothing would be better than to see Mrs. Moses defeat the government House leader, he told the approximate 80 Liberal supporters in attendance.
“You are doing a national service here because we’re going to win the next election and there is no Conservative (who) most of us in the House of Commons would like to defeated more than the current member for York-Simcoe,” Mr. Rae said.
The combative Mr. Van Loan has come under heavy Opposition criticism for his no-holds-barred style in the House.
The issue was featured in two-page article about Mr. Van Loan in Maclean’s Magazine last month titled The Man Who Ate Question Period.
Mr. Rae is touring the country explaining the Liberal Green Shift policy.
“At a critical time in our country, we now have a government that is absent, a federal government that does not believe it has a role in some critical areas in people’s lives,” he said.
Liberal leader Stéphane Dion’s environmental policy will “ensure infrastructure is truly sustainable ... to make the transition to the next generation that’s going to be more sustainable than the last, Mr. Rae said.
The policy outlines who people can reduce their carbon footprint, use the tax system to help the environment and cut income taxes for ordintary families and start taxing polluters, he added.
Mr. Rae had hoped for a summer election, confirming earlier reports he and fellow-former leadership hopeful Michael Ignatieff were pushing Mr. Dion to pull the plug on the Stephen Harper government.
“Why did you come back into politics and why did you come back as a Liberal?” Mr. Rae said he is often asked. “The answer was simple. Two names: Mike Harris and Stephen Harper.”
They took over their respective parties and turned them into “extreme right wing institutions”, he added.
Ms Moses will be back in the riding Monday when she hosts a supper with federal Liberal agriculture critic Wayne Easter at the Portuguese Cultural Centre in Bradford West Gwillimbury.
A number of longtime Liberal supporters were also honoured at the picnic, including former Ontario Family Physician of the Year and former Georgina Mayor Dr. George Burrows, longtime party member Bob Cameron of Keswick and Keith Carson of Holland Landing, believed to be the longest standing card-carrying Liberal in York-Simcoe with 47 years.
Others honoured included Kanti Daya of Keswick, who came to Canada following his active service to Nelson Mandela as his youth leader during the transition of South Africa from white rule to a democratic majority government.
John Gilbank of Jackson’s Point was a prominent Canadian oil industry CEO and entrepreneur and foreign diplomat, currrently involved in the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition.
Holland Marsh farmer John Gorzo was recognized as having the first farm on the marsh to be certified organic and served as president of the Bradford and District Growers Association, president of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and member of Bradford West Gwillimbury council.
Bradford resident Raj Sandhu served as vice-president of York Simcoe Federal Liberal Association, president of York Simcoe Federal Liberal Association and was Federal Liberal Volunteer of the Year in 2004 and 2008.
He also serves as a member of Bradford West Gwillimbury committee of adjustment.
Lynne Steele of Keswick was recognized for her volunteer services with the Liberal Party since 1967 in various capacities.
She most recently served as president of the York-Simcoe Federal Liberal Riding Association.
Former York-Simcoe and York North MP Karen Kraft Sloan was applauded upon receiving her award, one of numerous honours she has received during her career.
With more than 25 years in government and the private sector, Ms Kraft Sloan served as both a diplomat and MP.
She is a special advisor on the environment to the vice-president for research and innovation at York University.
She was nominated as a council member of the Royal Canadian Institute for the advancement of science, Canada’s oldest scientific society.
At the meeting, Tina Sibbald, president of the York-Simcoe Federal Liberal Riding Association, announced two new appointments to the association executive, Rae Bowie of Mount Albert and Mike Greer of Bradford.
“It was my goal to seek out new talent and ensure that the Riding Association represents all parts of the Riding of York-Simcoe”, Ms Sibbald said.
Ms Bowie has been an active Liberal for many years, currently working with Oak Ridges-Markham MP Lui Temelkovski.
Mike Greer, formerly of Holland Landing, is an electrical contractor whose family has long roots in the Liberal Party.
The new members join current members Tina Sibbald, Kathy Vaskas, Raj Sandhu, Luis De Jesus, Jaan Schaer, Jeanine White, Licinio Miguelo, Peter Lyman, Rupinderjit Gill and Andrew Sibbald, youth observer.