Michael in the Townships/Michael dans les Cantons de L'Est

Had the honour of co-hosting the leader over the past two days. On Thurday we had a small wine and cheese in Magog for Brome-Missisquoi candidate Denis Paradis. Love the CP Photo (below) - kinda look like the crasher squirrel ;).

(Liberal Party federal election candidate for Compton/Stanstead William Hogg, right, listens as liberal leader Michael Ignatieff speaks to reporters following a supporters meeting in Magog, Que., Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes)

On Friday I hosted two events in the riding - a candidate school with 8 MPs and 20 or so official Quebec candidates. It created quite a bit of election buzz in the media ;)... It was also fun that both Chantal Hebert and Jean Lapierre were in attendance during the two days of events. Let's see what she'll have to say next week...

I was also pleased to host Michael for a talk on his roots in the Eastern Townships. Before a crowd of 300 plus, he spoke on how his experience here, living amongst the French and English, Catholic and Protestant, side-by-side, inspired him to look beyond the notion of two solitudes and develop a vision of Canada that goes beyond artificial, and most of the time partisan political divisions and barriers. An excellent speech, as it was without notes, from the heart.



After the speech we had a meet a greet with Michael while I hit the local media.



Then followed that with a scrum with Michael and Denis Coderre.



Not one wasted moment. Take that Jeffrey Simpson.

Despicable part deux

Or rather incompetent. We have to get these guys out of government...embarassing...

On that note, you are all invited to my nomination meeting in Compton-Stanstead! July 22nd, from 7pm to 8pm, in Coaticook, QC. Restaurant le Coffret de l'imagination, 145 rue Michaud.

Bienvenue à tous!

A few questions for y'all

Q1 What is the record for the number of Con 10%ers you have recieved in a month?

Q2 How many of the Con MPs that "sent" you your 10%er have you ever heard of?

Q3 What is the cost of a 10% mailing to each riding (printing, postage and handling?)

Despicable

I recieved one of these a couple of weeks ago, and couldn't have been more floored by the content. Yes, it does attack the Bloc and says nothing about the Libs, as one friend put it. But it is pure scare tactics - the worst of Conservative politics at its best. Simply awful and will do nothing to improve the image Quebecers have vis-à-vis Canadian politics.

Elections

Si j'etais un peu pas mal pro-élections les dernières jours, voici pourquoi:

PLC 35
BQ 31
NPD 17
CONS 13

Following the National last night

Under appreciated politician:

Jean Charest - no premier in QC has won a 3rd mandate in I don't know how long, and he did it. He has his ups and downs, but in general has done a fine job. The question on everyone's mind - will he stay or will he go?

Over appreciated politician:

Stephen Harper - We have lived in fear of Harper for 3 years now - "master tactician", "hyper-genius", "man of strategy." I think it is all a sham, though we have yet to fully expose the emperor with no clothes.

Over exploited news story:

Dhalla? Raitt? Too much personal, not enough professional - Cons and Libs deserve what they get from over-focusing on both.

Under exploited news story

Maple 1 and 2 work.

Best political play:

Ignatieff coming to power. Has done wonders for the Quebec wing of the party. We have membership numbers not seen since the early 2000s. We have polling numbers not seen since the early 2000s. We have fundraising numbers not seen since the early 2000s. Feels like the start of the new millennium all over...

Worst political play: started with that stupid truck driving around Quebec during the fall election denouncing the Bloc as a $350 million waste of money. Harper's spite for the Bloc just denigrated during the coalition crisis. His disdain for those who vote Bloc is just wrong, and has cost him any future in this province.

Election?: Called September 29-30 with E-Day Nov. 9 or 16. Preferably 9, as everyone will already be voting municipally here in Quebec - why not kill two birds with one stone?

Ma contribution

au débat actuel, dans le Reflèt du Lac.