Click here for the report card on bilingualism.
Martha Hall-Findlay : B I spoke to her in French, she answered quickly even though she said that her French was "rusty". It's still very good.
A bilingual leader is a must!
Sunday, May 28, 2006
A Blogger Endorses Martha Hall Findlay!
See below...
From "A Younger Liberal"
http://rebuildingourparty.blogspot.com/
Saturday, May 27, 2006
It's Time
It's Time for this humble blogger to pick a candidate.
We are up to 7 fully registered candidates according to Elections Canada and I have heard alot from all sides.I recently had a chance to talk to Martha Hall Findlay and get some questions answered about why she is running and what her vision is for the country. I will be posting the results very shortly as I took notes very quickly and my writing is aweful. I have determined one thing though:
It's Time....
Martha has a lot of things going for her and a lot of things working against her. All these things though are what make her the perfect next leader. What impresses me the most is that she is just a rank and file member of the party. She was on the OWLC exec, a candidate, member of the party. That's it, she isn't part of the party elite, and she isn't backed by the party elite. Her national campaign director is Quito Maggi, a former staffer at LPC(O); her tour director a former staffer from LCSB at Queen's park.
She is from the general membership and so is her entire team. If you want to talk about rebuilding the party, or changing how we operate by listening to the 'grassroots' more, this is the team to be on. It doesn't get anymore grassroots then this.On the other hand there is something special to her. She has the qualities to lead, and the desire to do it. A lot of what I heard about her in the beginning was that she was just angling for a cabinet post. She isn't. She is in this for the right reason, she saw an opportunity to change something, to change our party and change this country for the better, and she's trying her best to take it.To me, the impression I have gotten so far is that we need someone to lead our army of Liberals in the next election. With harvard profs and former cabinet ministers, our only options are the party 'officer class', people so far removed from our experience that they simply can't relate to us anymore.
Martha Hall Findlay isn't part of that, she is us, so I say this again...It's Time
It's Time to stop complaing about leaders who don't listen, who are from a whole different class of party members;
It's Time to do something about about it;
It's Time for a leader who see's things our way;
It's Time for Martha Hall Findlay!
This is my big partisan rant. I'm going to try and keep my posts relatively neutral. It's important to keep the debate honest, and not just walk lock-step behind someone like we are seeing with other candidates.
posted by Younger Liberal
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
The Martha Hall Findlay Tour Bus Heads West!
Let the countdown begin.
Martha Hall Findlay visits Alberta
June 7, 8, 9, 2006
We will be releasing the official itinerary for Martha soon!
Please e-mail jung-suk@marthahallfindlay.ca if you are interested in coming out!
AlbertaWantsMartha!
Monday, May 08, 2006
Blogger Makes a Profile on Martha...
From Alberta's own CalgaryGrit
Text in red is our personal analysis of this...analysis.
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors."
-Plato
Age: 46
Young and talented, read on.
Background: Martha won a silver medal at the 1976 Canadian Ski Championship. If she'd been an NHL goalie, we'd all know who she was but, unfortunately, skiing doesn't get a lot of media attention in Canada. Still, Martha worked her way through law school and if there's one thing the Liberal Party loves more than Toronto leadership candidates, it's former lawyer leadership candidates. Martha has run several businesses since graduation.
Her background extends far beyond her sports career. She has been a distinguished lawyer, working in several different fields, and has spent a lot of time in various parts of the world. For two years, Martha has also lived in Calgary, serving as a director of our very own CKUA Radio. Among a variety of other organizations, Martha is currently the Vice-President of Policy for the Ontario Liberal Womens' Commission.
Political Experience: While having never been elected would be considered a drawback in most races, Findlay isn't too far behind the rest of the field in terms of political experience. She came within a whisker of defeating Belinda Stronach in 2004 and one imagines that had she won, she'd be considered a very legitimate candidate. Of course, it would have also made Canadian politics a lot more boring over the past two years. Speaking of which, following Belinda's waltz across the isle, Findlay stepped down to allow Stronach to run in Newmarket Aurora.
It says a lot when a candidate steps aside for the well-being of the Party, period. Martha's commitment to the Party is strong and unwavering, and that is just what we need right now for the Party to get back on track.
Rejected Campaign Slogan: "Newmarket Aurora's finest"
Well, she is.
Rejected Campaign Theme: Anything by The Who.
Um...what?
Pros: Great bio, young, female.
Add...determined, committed, hard-working (in all aspects of her career and community involvement), well-knowledged on the issues, great leadership skills, well-spoken, good-looking!
Cons: Has never held elected office. No one knows who the hell she is.
Winning an election for her will not be a problem. And people are beginning to talk about her.
In Person: She's not as polished as some of the other politicians in the race but chatting with her at the LPCA convention last month, she certainly seemed like she had a good grip on the issues and the political process. I even know of one young Liberal, at his very first convention, who was so impressed he decided he'd support her in the leadership race.
Really? Not as polished? Certainly, many delegates at various conventions across the province are amazed with her speaking skills and her straight-shooting attitude. That one Liberal might be me. And that one Liberal might be a ton of other people.
My Take: Andrew Coyne says that Findlay has "possibly the single most impressive resume" he has ever seen in a political candidate. Admittedly, running for leader is a different ball game than running for MP and, while others obviously disagree, I do think political experience matters.
Not in Martha's case. She knows what she's talking about, and she has a solid vision for this country.
Martha is running to make a name for herself and to raise her profile. In that respect, she's probably already achieved her goal. Given that she declared so soon and was simply known as "the lady who ran against Belinda", Findlay faced the very real risk that she would become the punch line of this campaign. But that has certainly been far from the case and she has mounted a surprisingly credible campaign thus far. Given the lack of females in politics, I really hope Findlay finds her way into a Cabinet position sometime in the future.
No. Martha is running to win!
Chances: none < chances < slim
Well...you will know what I think about that.
Text in red is our personal analysis of this...analysis.
Monday, May 08, 2006
The Race for Stornoway: Martha Who Who
That's Martha HALL FINDLAY."One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors."
-Plato
Age: 46
Young and talented, read on.
Background: Martha won a silver medal at the 1976 Canadian Ski Championship. If she'd been an NHL goalie, we'd all know who she was but, unfortunately, skiing doesn't get a lot of media attention in Canada. Still, Martha worked her way through law school and if there's one thing the Liberal Party loves more than Toronto leadership candidates, it's former lawyer leadership candidates. Martha has run several businesses since graduation.
Her background extends far beyond her sports career. She has been a distinguished lawyer, working in several different fields, and has spent a lot of time in various parts of the world. For two years, Martha has also lived in Calgary, serving as a director of our very own CKUA Radio. Among a variety of other organizations, Martha is currently the Vice-President of Policy for the Ontario Liberal Womens' Commission.
Political Experience: While having never been elected would be considered a drawback in most races, Findlay isn't too far behind the rest of the field in terms of political experience. She came within a whisker of defeating Belinda Stronach in 2004 and one imagines that had she won, she'd be considered a very legitimate candidate. Of course, it would have also made Canadian politics a lot more boring over the past two years. Speaking of which, following Belinda's waltz across the isle, Findlay stepped down to allow Stronach to run in Newmarket Aurora.
It says a lot when a candidate steps aside for the well-being of the Party, period. Martha's commitment to the Party is strong and unwavering, and that is just what we need right now for the Party to get back on track.
Rejected Campaign Slogan: "Newmarket Aurora's finest"
Well, she is.
Rejected Campaign Theme: Anything by The Who.
Um...what?
Pros: Great bio, young, female.
Add...determined, committed, hard-working (in all aspects of her career and community involvement), well-knowledged on the issues, great leadership skills, well-spoken, good-looking!
Cons: Has never held elected office. No one knows who the hell she is.
Winning an election for her will not be a problem. And people are beginning to talk about her.
In Person: She's not as polished as some of the other politicians in the race but chatting with her at the LPCA convention last month, she certainly seemed like she had a good grip on the issues and the political process. I even know of one young Liberal, at his very first convention, who was so impressed he decided he'd support her in the leadership race.
Really? Not as polished? Certainly, many delegates at various conventions across the province are amazed with her speaking skills and her straight-shooting attitude. That one Liberal might be me. And that one Liberal might be a ton of other people.
My Take: Andrew Coyne says that Findlay has "possibly the single most impressive resume" he has ever seen in a political candidate. Admittedly, running for leader is a different ball game than running for MP and, while others obviously disagree, I do think political experience matters.
Not in Martha's case. She knows what she's talking about, and she has a solid vision for this country.
Martha is running to make a name for herself and to raise her profile. In that respect, she's probably already achieved her goal. Given that she declared so soon and was simply known as "the lady who ran against Belinda", Findlay faced the very real risk that she would become the punch line of this campaign. But that has certainly been far from the case and she has mounted a surprisingly credible campaign thus far. Given the lack of females in politics, I really hope Findlay finds her way into a Cabinet position sometime in the future.
No. Martha is running to win!
Chances: none < chances < slim
Well...you will know what I think about that.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
And the bloggers just keep ravin'
Bloggers are cool. Bloggers who rave about Martha are cooler.
- Omar says...
- My choice, of the three [female candidates] would be Martha Hall Findlay. She has impressed me every time I've heard her speak and think she has the potential to [be] an outstanding leader.
Uncle J says...
Look earnestly at this candidate, as she seems to have the whole package. Young, bilingual, female, experienced, fresh --- what more can one ask for? This is the type of person we need to inspire the generational change that will hopefully eradicate cynicism in Canadian politics for years to come.
She is just the sort of person the Liberal Party of Canada needs: a smart, youngish woman, to lead a party that has become the preserve of older men who need retirement, not re-election.
Look earnestly at this candidate, as she seems to have the whole package. Young, bilingual, female, experienced, fresh --- what more can one ask for? This is the type of person we need to inspire the generational change that will hopefully eradicate cynicism in Canadian politics for years to come.
- Lois says...
- Martha Hall Findlay looks marvellous so far, and I do look forward to hearing more from her.
She is just the sort of person the Liberal Party of Canada needs: a smart, youngish woman, to lead a party that has become the preserve of older men who need retirement, not re-election.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Here's something that might interest you...
Alberta Wants Martha logo.
Coming soon to a doorstep near you!
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Day 2 of Blogging
The campaign is picking up a lot of steam, and I can already feel the momentum! With a big campaign launch in the works in North York, Ontario, and an upcoming Western Canada tour, Albertans are getting excited - it really feels like a leadership race!
Alberta will soon be hosting Martha on her tour of Western Canada during the first week of June. Everything is tentatively scheduled, and of course, in politics, schedules tend to change over time. But, one way or another, Martha will be coming back. She will be visiting all areas of Alberta, both urban and rural, and speaking to as many Liberals and non-Liberals as she can! We will keep you posted!
From this website, here is a brief profile of Martha:
Martha Hall Findlay - This relatively unknown 46-year-old Toronto lawyer jokingly refers to herself as "Martha Who? Who?"
She is the first candidate to declare her intention to run for Liberal leader, but one of the few in the field who has never been elected at the provincial or federal level.
But Findlay has come close to being elected to Parliament.
Her name first received media attention during the 2004 election campaign when she squared off in Newmarket-Aurora against then Tory candidate Belinda Stronach.
Findlay came within 700 votes of upsetting Stronach on election night and had already been acclaimed in the riding for a rematch in the next election. Then in late May of last year, Findlay was informed that she would have to step aside to make way for Stronach who had crossed the floor to join the Liberals.
Entered Race: February 8
Based: Toronto
Age: 46
Languages: Fluently bilingual (English/French)
Political Experience: Liberal candidate 2004 federal election
Education: BA University of Toronto's International Relations Program; LLB Osgoode Hall Law School.
Quote: "My goal is to help build the Liberal Party back to one that Canadians want to vote for, in a positive way, not just because we’re less ‘bad’ than the alternatives."
Website: marthahallfindlay.ca
Fun Fact: Silver medalist 1976 national ski championship
Alberta will soon be hosting Martha on her tour of Western Canada during the first week of June. Everything is tentatively scheduled, and of course, in politics, schedules tend to change over time. But, one way or another, Martha will be coming back. She will be visiting all areas of Alberta, both urban and rural, and speaking to as many Liberals and non-Liberals as she can! We will keep you posted!
From this website, here is a brief profile of Martha:
Martha Hall Findlay - This relatively unknown 46-year-old Toronto lawyer jokingly refers to herself as "Martha Who? Who?"She is the first candidate to declare her intention to run for Liberal leader, but one of the few in the field who has never been elected at the provincial or federal level.
But Findlay has come close to being elected to Parliament.
Her name first received media attention during the 2004 election campaign when she squared off in Newmarket-Aurora against then Tory candidate Belinda Stronach.
Findlay came within 700 votes of upsetting Stronach on election night and had already been acclaimed in the riding for a rematch in the next election. Then in late May of last year, Findlay was informed that she would have to step aside to make way for Stronach who had crossed the floor to join the Liberals.
Entered Race: February 8
Based: Toronto
Age: 46
Languages: Fluently bilingual (English/French)
Political Experience: Liberal candidate 2004 federal election
Education: BA University of Toronto's International Relations Program; LLB Osgoode Hall Law School.
Quote: "My goal is to help build the Liberal Party back to one that Canadians want to vote for, in a positive way, not just because we’re less ‘bad’ than the alternatives."
Website: marthahallfindlay.ca
Fun Fact: Silver medalist 1976 national ski championship
Monday, May 01, 2006
People are Talking!
Alberta is talking about Martha!
Here are what some bloggers had to say:
andrewridgeley said
"Martha has a great esprit. I've had two opportunities to meet and speak with her personally and I can attest that she's equally as formidable a candidate as all the big guys."
Cerberus said...
"As she herself said: it's actually "Martha who who". I like her spunk and audacity and her resume. I want to hear and find out more about her priorities and policies. She's going to go far and this is the first step. You heard it here first."
"As she herself said: it's actually "Martha who who". I like her spunk and audacity and her resume. I want to hear and find out more about her priorities and policies. She's going to go far and this is the first step. You heard it here first."
CuriosityKilledTheCat said...
"Why Martha Findlay would make a good leader of the Liberal Party, and Prime Minister of CanadaI believe she should be seriously considered by Liberals, because she brings several distinct plusses to the table..."
"Why Martha Findlay would make a good leader of the Liberal Party, and Prime Minister of CanadaI believe she should be seriously considered by Liberals, because she brings several distinct plusses to the table..."
The Sorry Centrist said...
"If [the leadership] is based on the candidate who is smart, entrepreneurial, outgoing and qualified, my money is on Martha. Just me."
May 2006: The Official Opening of Our Blog!
Thanks for dropping by our blog. We are Liberals in Alberta and believe that it's time to support Martha Hall Findlay for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada.
Don't know who she is? "Martha Who Who"'s website is here.
Don't know who she is? "Martha Who Who"'s website is here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)