“My seat on the national executive will be your seat. I will make sure you are listened to, not just heard” While I seek your support for the position of Vice-President (Francophone) of the Liberal Party of Canada, I would like you to read the following not merely as a potential delegate or voter. I want you to read it as a fellow member of a grand family devoted to the service of this great party and of this magnificent land. I run not to oppose any one person, but to propose new policies. I have played too many roles in this family to run merely for the sake of it. From my days as a young Liberal at Carleton University, through volunteer work in campaigns and elections, service on riding boards, member of the Council of Presidents, regional president for nine ridings covering west Montreal, member of the board of directors of Liberal Party of Canada (Quebec) , vice-president of the Quebec Regional Commission, Quebec representative on the working group for national membership rules, and presently Co-Chair of the Change Commission, I have witnessed, and participated in, so much good that we have done when we are united in purpose and clear in vision. But for me there is a special resonance in one position that I continue to hold. That is the presidency of the Westmount Ville-Marie riding association. Because the ridings are our grassroots. They are the wellsprings of our renewal and revival. I grew up, politically, amongst all of you. Amongst the grassroots. I know from personal experience that it is there that the party’s ability to regenerate and reinvigorate is most evident and most effective. And I know that the voices from the ridings – the voices of the broad membership – are yearning to be heard.
“My seat on the national executive will be your seat. I will make sure you are listened to, not just heard”
While I seek your support for the position of Vice-President (Francophone) of the Liberal Party of Canada, I would like you to read the following not merely as a potential delegate or voter. I want you to read it as a fellow member of a grand family devoted to the service of this great party and of this magnificent land. I run not to oppose any one person, but to propose new policies. I have played too many roles in this family to run merely for the sake of it. From my days as a young Liberal at Carleton University, through volunteer work in campaigns and elections, service on riding boards, member of the Council of Presidents, regional president for nine ridings covering west Montreal, member of the board of directors of Liberal Party of Canada (Quebec) , vice-president of the Quebec Regional Commission, Quebec representative on the working group for national membership rules, and presently Co-Chair of the Change Commission, I have witnessed, and participated in, so much good that we have done when we are united in purpose and clear in vision.
But for me there is a special resonance in one position that I continue to hold. That is the presidency of the Westmount Ville-Marie riding association. Because the ridings are our grassroots. They are the wellsprings of our renewal and revival. I grew up, politically, amongst all of you. Amongst the grassroots. I know from personal experience that it is there that the party’s ability to regenerate and reinvigorate is most evident and most effective. And I know that the voices from the ridings – the voices of the broad membership – are yearning to be heard.
I want to represent our grass roots voices. My seat on the National Executive will be your seat. My priority will be to make your voices – particularly from the regions of rural francophone Quebec – heard, and listened to at the highest levels of this party. My mission will be to bring your regional political concerns front and centre. And I will work tirelessly to make communication of those concerns from Quebec to national seamless in its delivery and response. Your voices are the pulse of our nation. I want to help write the next testament of our party’s ability to listen. To assure that our way of response is in keeping with our times. To assure that we all understand that today - in the 21st century - we can manifest our relevance best through the continuity of a constant conversation with our members. A conversation where the discourse is dynamic and the answers don’t take forever. It is only from this kind of partnership between executives and members, that a political party rejuvenates itself and reinforces the resolve of all. As a mother of two young children – Cassandra and Michael - and an attorney in family law, I know how important it is to listen, to hear and to transmit the hopes and needs that too often remain unheeded and unheard. I have lived in several parts of this wonderful country. In Ontario, in Quebec and in Atlantic Canada. In addition to the frustration of those in the regions who feel their concerns are not attended to, there is one other overriding issue that I want to address as a member of our national executive. What we need to heed and what we need to hear is the desire of the grass roots to truly participate in the policy process. If we are to accomplish true renewal – if our efforts are to succeed - we need to eradicate the culture of entitlement and imperatives that too often suffocates policy development. Every Liberal’s voice counts. Their ideas should be heard and debated. No one should use their position to curtail and limit the breadth of issues that less empowered Liberals want to debate. Ideas cannot flourish in back rooms. They flourish in open discussion on a free and level playing field. Ideas must come before identities. A great party of principle and purpose will wither without them. We will discuss many important issues at the Vancouver convention. We will reinforce old friendships and forge new ones. We will confirm a bold new leader and a passionate new president. But what we will carry away most of all from this family gathering is the sure knowledge and unflagging faith that Liberals and liberalism matter. That united we will confidently lead the land we love ever forward toward a future of conscience and compassion. With your help, I seek to help shape that future. Thank you. Brigitte
I want to represent our grass roots voices. My seat on the National Executive will be your seat. My priority will be to make your voices – particularly from the regions of rural francophone Quebec – heard, and listened to at the highest levels of this party. My mission will be to bring your regional political concerns front and centre. And I will work tirelessly to make communication of those concerns from Quebec to national seamless in its delivery and response. Your voices are the pulse of our nation. I want to help write the next testament of our party’s ability to listen. To assure that our way of response is in keeping with our times. To assure that we all understand that today - in the 21st century - we can manifest our relevance best through the continuity of a constant conversation with our members. A conversation where the discourse is dynamic and the answers don’t take forever. It is only from this kind of partnership between executives and members, that a political party rejuvenates itself and reinforces the resolve of all. As a mother of two young children – Cassandra and Michael - and an attorney in family law, I know how important it is to listen, to hear and to transmit the hopes and needs that too often remain unheeded and unheard. I have lived in several parts of this wonderful country. In Ontario, in Quebec and in Atlantic Canada. In addition to the frustration of those in the regions who feel their concerns are not attended to, there is one other overriding issue that I want to address as a member of our national executive. What we need to heed and what we need to hear is the desire of the grass roots to truly participate in the policy process. If we are to accomplish true renewal – if our efforts are to succeed - we need to eradicate the culture of entitlement and imperatives that too often suffocates policy development. Every Liberal’s voice counts. Their ideas should be heard and debated. No one should use their position to curtail and limit the breadth of issues that less empowered Liberals want to debate. Ideas cannot flourish in back rooms. They flourish in open discussion on a free and level playing field. Ideas must come before identities. A great party of principle and purpose will wither without them. We will discuss many important issues at the Vancouver convention. We will reinforce old friendships and forge new ones. We will confirm a bold new leader and a passionate new president. But what we will carry away most of all from this family gathering is the sure knowledge and unflagging faith that Liberals and liberalism matter. That united we will confidently lead the land we love ever forward toward a future of conscience and compassion.
With your help, I seek to help shape that future. Thank you. Brigitte
It is only from this kind of partnership between executives and members, that a political party rejuvenates itself and reinforces the resolve of all. As a mother of two young children – Cassandra and Michael - and an attorney in family law, I know how important it is to listen, to hear and to transmit the hopes and needs that too often remain unheeded and unheard.
I have lived in several parts of this wonderful country. In Ontario, in Quebec and in Atlantic Canada. In addition to the frustration of those in the regions who feel their concerns are not attended to, there is one other overriding issue that I want to address as a member of our national executive. What we need to heed and what we need to hear is the desire of the grass roots to truly participate in the policy process.