David Hackett's Blog

Thanks!

2008-05-14T08:55:00.002-03:00

As we close up shop on another campaign I'd just like to thank all the volunteers who worked so hard on my campaign, including the sign crew and the scrutineers.

I'd also like to thank my wife and family for putting up with another campaign (the third in four years), and doing it with a smile.

Finally thanks to all of those who came out to support me at the polls. Over 1,200 votes is truly humbling and I appreciate every one.

Even though the results weren't what we hoped, there's still a lot of work to be done in our community. I pledge to stay committed and vigilant and hope that we can all work together to make our city a better place to live.

-thanks!

Q&A with Municipalities Matter!

2008-05-10T19:36:00.002-03:00

Here's a link to the candidate interviews with the Municipalities Matter Coalition

http://mdlc-ctmr.jottit.com/candidate_interviews

Meet the Candidiate / Venez rencontrer votre candidat

2008-05-05T08:49:00.004-03:00

Venez rencontrer votre candidat

David Hackett,
du quartier 4 à Moncton

Le samedi 10 mai de 14 h à 16 h

Parc Alexander (entre les rues Reade et Humphrey)

Gâteau et maquillage pour les enfants

Au plaisir!

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Meet the Candidate Rally

Come Meet David Hackett, your candidate in Moncton Ward 4

Saturday May 10th from 2-4 pm

Alexander Park (Between Reade and Humphrey Street)

Cake and Face Painting for the kids!

Please Come Join Us!

Say No to a Casino

2008-04-30T08:57:00.002-03:00

There’s been a lot in the news recently about a proposed Casino in Moncton. The Province is considering multiple bids on such a project. Let me state unequivocally: This is a bad idea.

The Social Cost of video gambling in this Province is already too high, and to consolidate VLTs to a single location is not the answer. There is no net benefit to having a VLT warehouse (which is all a Casino would be), in our community. The devastating affects of VLT use on individuals and families is well documented can not be underestimated.

Unfortunately both our mayoral candidates have expressed openness to the idea, framed in the context that it will get the ball rolling on a larger complex downtown. In their view the benefits to this outweigh the costs.

They are wrong.

Even more disconcerting is that the Province seems set to accept a bid and want to push this development forward by the middle of May. Given that Council won’t be sworn in until May 26th, I find this extremely disturbing. The provincial government should wait until Municipalities across the Province have their governments in place, to determine where (if anywhere) their Casino is welcome.

I promise I will work quickly once elected to get bylaws in place to prohibit development of gaming facilities in Moncton. I encourage you to seek out the views of other Municipal Candidates on the issue as well.

This is too important an issue to go unchallenged, and I intend to do what I can to reverse course on the city’s plans for a gaming centre downtown. I hope you will join me in this fight.

E minus 14 Days!

2008-04-28T08:45:00.001-03:00

Dear Friends,

What an exciting campaign this has become! All week on the doorstep I’ve been getting tremendous response and support. It’s extremely gratifying to see so many people in Moncton looking for a progressive change.

As we move into the next phase of the campaign, we’ll be getting our radio and print advertising ready and attending several events around the community. I’ll also continue my door to door work and will try to hit as many houses as possible in the coming days. If I haven’t been to your neighbourhood yet, drop me a line. I want to speak to as many members of our community as possible.

I’d also like to take a second to thank everyone who’s helped out so far. The sign crew did a great job this year scouting locations and have done a great job getting the signs up and keeping them in good repair. I’d also like to thank those of you who’ve provided some financial contributions. They will go a long way towards funding our advertising push and the support is greatly appreciated.

With 14 days to go, we’re in a sprint to the finish, but I strongly believe we can make a change and bring a strong voice of responsibility to Council!

Thanks, and see you on the doorstep!

- Dave Hackett

Combating Poverty in Moncton

2008-04-22T09:04:00.001-03:00

I was at last night’s Council meeting and was pleased to see the joint presentation by Real Voice of Poverty and Mobile One in an effort to get a living memorial established for the “Unknown Citizen”, honouring not only the unknown man found frozen to death in our city this past December, but all of the unknown and nameless homeless people who have passed away unnoticed by the public at large.

It’s a great way to raise awareness for a sadly growing problem in our community. More and more people are living at or below the poverty line and are a missed payment away from living on the street (indeed, some already are).

That’s why I’ve been calling for an Anti-Poverty and Housing Roundtable. There are a tremendous number of organisations in Moncton, like the two mentioned above, all doing phenomenal work in combating poverty and its effects, but it’s not always a co-ordinated effort. I feel we could accomplish so much more if we brought the stakeholders together and hammered out some directives that I could then take to council to achieve some concrete results, whether that be a standing committee on housing, desperately needed funding, or an action plan to give more people a chance to improve their situations.

Together we are stronger, and in turn can do better for our city and our fellow citizens.

Putting in a Little Face Time...

2008-04-18T16:34:00.004-03:00

We're now live on Facebook as well. Come visit our group here:

David Hackett for Moncton City Council

We're Live and Ready to Roll....

2008-04-15T08:33:00.004-03:00

Dear Friends,

It is with great pleasure that I'm able to open this blog again and present myself as your candidate for Moncton City Council.

Our community still needs a progressive voice, and still needs someone to ensure that our cities growth is managed responsibly both in an environmental sense as well as an ethical one.

Over the coming days, I'll be laying out my platform dealing with issues such as accountability, parkland protection, initiatives towards carbon reduction, upgrades of the Moncton Sewage Treatment Plant and a more active role at the municipal level in combating poverty and its effects.

In the meantime I'll see you on the doorstep, and I hope you'll drop me a line if you have any questions or would like to get involved.

-Thanks

(P.S. I'm leaving my video links from the prior election up, as they are all still relevant issues. Look for more updates in the coming days)

Letter of the Week

2007-11-13T09:04:00.000-04:00

From "Moncton This Week" and "Riverview This Week"

Published Saturday November 10th, 2007

Appeared on page A2

To the editor:

It was with some concern (but sadly not surprise) that I read the November 3rd column from the Member of Parliament for Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe [On the Hill, Brian Murphy, This Week, Nov. 3, p. 7].

To state, as he did, that the Liberals inaction over the past number of weeks was in the best interests of Canadians was the very height of gall.

It is for purely self-serving motives that the Liberals have decided to abstain from voting on key measures in the House.

By doing so they have handed Mr. Harper a blank cheque to govern as if he had a majority, knowing that Mr. Murphy and his cohorts will sit on their hands when push comes to shove.

We've seen this already, not only with the throne speech, but with the Government's corporate tax-cutting measures that will see the squeeze continue to be put on working families.

The majority of Canadians did not vote for a Conservative government, and for the Liberals to take themselves out of the game and subvert that wish is an affront to democracy.

For Mr. Murphy to further state that the NDP is somehow irresponsible for opposing the Conservative agenda (something Mr. Murphy himself was elected to do) is laughable.

The NDP has consistently stood in opposition to Mr. Harper and what we feel is the wrong direction he wants to take the country in.

The blatant truth is that the Liberals are running scared from any confrontation due to their own weakness and ineptitude.

They have a wildly unpopular leader, a veritable revolt in their Quebec wing, a financial crisis and some very public internal strife.

These are the reasons they have gladly sacrificed any pretense of principle rather than face the electorate.

Shame on Mr. Murphy for trying to spin this into anything else and in the process insulting the intelligence of his voters.

Perhaps if the Liberals and their hapless leader are unwilling to fulfill their Parliamentary duties, the time has come to relieve them of it completely.

David Hackett

Vice President

Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe

NDP Riding Association

Thanks!

2007-05-08T08:42:00.000-03:00

Thank you to everyone for all the hard work that went into the campaign.

Thanks to Joe for the wonderful signs.

Thanks to Kathy for help with the fliers.

Thanks to George, Joe, Andrew and Jim for putting the signs up so quickly.

Thanks to Gerard for the translations.

Thanks to Andrew, Joel, Helene, Gerard, Joe C., Joe B., Ian, Greg, Pat, Jim, Dave, Shannon and Val for coming out to canvass.

Thanks to the scrutineers for taking time out to help.

Thanks to all the donors whose financial contributions made this campaign live and breathe.

Huge thanks to my wife and family who put up with a lot during the course of the campaign and did it with a smile.

And finally thanks to all the people who came out to vote. I deeply appreciate the confidence you showed in me and hope together we can continue working towards the betterment of our community in other ways.

It was a great ride and I'm sure you'll be hearing more from me soon.

-Thanks

VOTE!

2007-05-07T11:36:00.000-03:00

Well everyone, E-Day has arrived and my volunteers are working hard pulling the vote and preparing for tonight. I'll be around all day offering rides to the polls and then waiting with family and friends for the results to come in. This is what it's all about. I'm tremendously excited and can't wait to see how it all turns out.

VOTE!!!!

The Momentum is Building!

2007-05-04T21:51:00.000-03:00

We're just having the most fantastic responses at the door! It's been a heavy week for canvassing, visiting neighborhoods around Highfield, Cabot, Magellen, Edgett, Vail and more in the last few days. At the same time, I was able to attend a very useful meeting on the City's master recreation plan and kick around some exciting ideas for the growth of Moncton's park system. I also got to celebrate May Day (i.e International Workers Day) with some old friends and make several new ones. Somewhere along the way I also managed to snag a ticket for the White Stripes concert and spent some much needed time with my family.

This weekend the machine continues to roll. After enjoying Free Comic Book Day at both Gamezilla and Mad City Comics, I'll be back on the campaign trail, knocking on as many doors as we can in the final days. Hopefully one of them will be yours!

E Minus 7!

2007-04-30T19:33:00.000-03:00

We're getting into crunch time with only one week left in the campaign! Things are moving at a fast pace now. We'll be all over the Ward and the City in the coming days, attending meetings and events, and of course, meeting all the people we can!

We had a great time up in Pine Tree today (if a little wet), and laid some groundwork for the Election night machinery. Tomorrow we're back on the doorstep for most of the day before heading off to celebrate International Workers Day down at the Lion's Centre on St. George Street.

Before I sign off for the night, I'd thought I'd post the next YouTube Link dealing with the Wastewater Treatment Plant. How a community manages it's sewage is something that concerns everybody and it's high time our city, in conjunction with our neighbors, began the process of upgrading our facilities.

Let's Talk about Taxes...

2007-04-25T08:31:00.000-03:00

It seems to me we do things a little backwards sometimes. When the capitol budget rolls around, the city estimates what kind of services it needs to provide for the year then sets (or maintains) a property tax rate in line with this.

The problem is that shortly after that, the Province does its property assessments (which, to put it mildly, have tended to be high in recent years) and the net effect is that property taxes are significantly increased even if the tax rate remains flat.

So let's bring accountability back to the city. I propose we put forward a mini-budget to get us through to the timeframe after the assessments are in and then set a fair tax rate based on the current years assessments. So, if the assessments drive the taxes up the city can off-set this with a lower rate. This will take the guesswork and surprise out of the process and give people a fair and reasonable tax system.

Geeks on Ice!

2007-04-18T17:05:00.000-03:00

Hey all,

Taking a quick break from the campaign to mention the "Geeks on Ice" Tournament going on all this week to help raise funds for the United Way. Its a great event for a good cause and there's lots of hockey and non-hockey related events to take in. Stop by at Geeks on Ice Tournament and give if you can.

The organisers work amazingly hard at this all year and its exciting to see how much their hard work pays off.

A Successful First Week!

2007-04-12T21:46:00.000-03:00

Dear Friends,

What a week it’s been!

The signs are up and I've had nothing but positive comments on them so far. They are really catching people's attention. Lawn signs are now available as well. Drop me a line if you'd like one.

We've also been on the doorstep in force this week and the response has been tremendous. People are excited about injecting fresh ideas into council and making a real difference.

I'm also pleased to unveil my next YouTube Video, discussing improvements to our city’s parks, a subject I'm sure is as important to your family as it is to mine.

This weekend look for me at the Farmer's Market as well as at the Nazareth House Trivathon fundraiser on Sunday.

As always, I'll be on the doorstep and hope to see you there.

-Dave H.

Signs of Things to Come

2007-04-07T08:37:00.000-03:00

Had a great day yesterday with the sign team, getting the signs up around the Ward. These guys always work so hard and do such a tremendous job.

We're the first campaign to have our signs out and get visibility in the Ward.

Thanks to George, Joe, Jim, Andrew and Jack for the fantastic effort. Their hard work really shows!

1 Hour to Kick Off!

2007-04-04T23:10:00.000-03:00

Dear Friends,

It's been a busy week, and the campaign machine is revved up and ready to go. The signs are in, the nomination papers are ready and we've shot some great video segments.

Tomorrow, I'll be filing my papers with the returning officers and everything will be official.

In the coming days look for signs to go up, canvassing to begin and a few surprises as well.

I'll also be introducing a series of YouTube videos to outline some of the ideas I have for our neighbourhoods and our city.

For Example:

Expect even more in the coming days.

See you on the doorstep.

-Dave H.

Snow day!

2007-03-20T21:19:00.000-03:00

Hey all,

Just playing around with the the new layout.

Here's a gratuitous family snapshot.

Change of Scenery on the Way

2007-03-14T09:04:00.000-03:00

Dear Friends,

As some of you already know, I'm taking the plunge into municipal politics and seeking the seat for Moncton Ward 4 in the the May 5th byelection. I'll be retooling this blog and updating it regularly very soon. Look for a new coat of paint and some exciting new ideas for our city. I'm quoting the Times and Transcript article that ran today below. There was also an announcement on local radio. Stay tuned, lots more to come.....

David Hackett to seek Moncton Ward 4 seat

Published Wednesday March 14th, 2007

Appeared on page A3

West Lane resident David Hackett confirmed yesterday he would seek the vacant Ward 4 seat on Moncton city council in a byelection scheduled for May 7.

The married father of a five-year-old daughter and three-year-old son works for Moncton's Whitehill Technology.

Hackett was the New Democratic Party candidate for Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe in last year's federal election when he impressed a number of Metro Monctonians by running a particularly energetic campaign in that contest and doubled the number of votes his party received in the previous federal election.

Hackett said, "it wasn't an easy decision" to pursue the council seat instead of trying to carry the NDP torch again in an anticipated federal election this year. It was however a goal he's long wanted to pursue.

"I had municipal aspirations looking forward to 2008, but this has sped things up a bit."

Hackett's decision came to light in a letter sent to NDP members saying he wouldn't be offering federally.

The Ward 4 byelection became necessary when councillor Chris Collins resigned last month to make his ultimately successful bid to represent Moncton East in the provincial legislature, replacing former premier Bernard Lord. The other councillor for the ward is Rene (Pepsi) Landry.

Nominations for people wishing to represent the ward will begin April 5, and run until April 20 when nominations close. Five days have been scheduled for advance polls beginning April 28 until May 3.

The sprawling ward's southern boundary is Mountain Road from the east side of Mapleton Road to the west side of Universite Avenue. It follows the west side of Wheeeler Boulevard from Universite Avenue to the north side of Morton Avenue and extends east as far as Elmwood Drive. The northern edge of the ward runs along the Trans Canada Highway from Mapleton to McLaughlin Road, but extends north of the highway between McLaughlin and Elmwood, going out to city limits north of Royal Oaks.

Media Exposure Notice!

2006-05-23T21:07:00.000-03:00

Sorry for not posting this a few weeks back, but as many of you may have noticed, I'm back on the CBC Information Morning Political Panel. You can tune in to hear me every Friday morning at 7:45 am at 1070 on the AM dial.

Alternately you can listen here: http://www.cbc.ca/nb/

NDP General Membership Meeting/Réunion d'assemblée générale NPD

2006-05-23T21:06:00.000-03:00

(La version francaise suit l'anglais)

Dear Members:

Notice of a General Meeting for the
Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe NDPIn anticipation of the Federal Convention to be held September 8, 9 & 10thin Quebec City PQ, the riding association will be holding a general meetingfor all members on June 4th, 2006 at 1:00 pm in Room 226 of the MonctonUnion Centre, 96 Norwood Street Moncton.Agenda for the meeting:- Executive Report- Selection of Convention Delegation- Passing of resolutions to submit to Convention Any members wishing to propose resolutions are asked to forward them toKathy Leger in advance of the meeting (kaleger@nb.sympatico.ca), fortranslation and duplication purposes. Federal Office has encouraged us to send as many delegates as possible(particularly Youth Delegates), although potential delegates should bear inmind they may be responsible for their own costs (including registrationfees). Hope to see you there! - Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe Riding Executive

---------------------------------------

Avis d’assemblée générale néo-démocrate pour
Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe

En prévision du congrès fédéral prévu pour les 8, 9 et 10 septembre dans la ville de Québec, l’association de circonscription tiendra une assemblée générale de ses membres le 4 juin 2006 à 13 heures dans la salle 226 du Centre syndical de Moncton, au 96 de la rue Norwood, à Moncton.

Ordre du jour de l’assemblée :

- Rapport du bureau de direction
- Sélection de la délégation au congrès
- Adoption de résolutions pour le congrès

Tout membre qui souhaite proposer des résolutions est prié de les envoyer à Kathy Léger avant l’assemblée (kaleger@nb.sympatico.ca) pour traduction et reproduction.

Le bureau fédéral nous encourage à envoyer le plus de délégués possible (particulièrement des jeunes), même si tous n’auront pas droit au remboursement de leurs frais de voyage et des droits d’inscription.

Au plaisir de vous revoir à cette occasion!

- Le Bureau de direction de la circonscription de Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe

So Now What?

2006-01-30T12:04:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been a week since "E-Day" and probably as good a time as any to crawl out of my coma and get right back to work.

We're still doing a lot of post-mortem work on the election (tying off the campaign finances, moving stuff into storage, etc.) but at the same time we want to capitalise on our momentum and keep things moving.

To that end, I'll be meeting with the Riding Executive ASAP and we'll set a date for the next Annual General Meetting. From there we can move forward with a number of initiatives to fundraise, attract new members and continue to work the riding.

As for me, I plan to stay as active in the community as possible. This week I joined the Common Front for Social Justice here in Moncton, and am greatly looking forward to working with the tremendous group of volunteers they have here in the area (for more info, click on the link in the side scroll). We were very proud to have been able to help a number of people get the assisstance they needed during the course of the campaign, but the Common Front has been here advocating on behalf of people in need for years. I'm delighted that they've accepted me into their ranks, and can't wait to get to work.

In the Times Transcript this weekend, the Sleuth fingered me for a City Council bid and a lot of you have contacted me about the same subject. I'm flattered and it's certainly something to think about, but two years is a little far to project right now. Heck, two days is a little far to project right now!

In the meantime, I plan to keep up on the blog, although probably with a little less frequency than before. Still, check back every now and then and see what's shaping up for me and the progressive community here in Moncton, Riverview and Dieppe.

Be seeing you.

-DH

THANK YOU! / MERCI!

2006-01-24T22:46:00.000-04:00

(La version française suit)

Dear Friends,

This is truly a riding on the move: more than nine thousand voters cast their ballots for the NDP here in Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe! That’s not only the most we’ve ever done here, it puts our average vote in the riding above the party’s national numbers!

Trust me when I say this is only the beginning. We have a dedicated campaign team who will be sticking around, and just as importantly, we’ve collected tonnes of data this time that we’ll be analyzing to help us really work the riding and build on what is now a solid base.

I want to thank each and every one of you for making this campaign a tremendous success. From the ground crew, to the canvassers to the sign committee, everyone pulled their hardest and we’ve got great results to show for it. Ian, Cecile and I couldn’t be more grateful for all the help you’ve given.

But our work’s not done yet! Just because the election is over doesn’t mean poverty goes away here. Nor does it mean public health care is safe, that seniors don’t need a strong voice, or that students’ financial burdens are any easier. We need to be vigilant and we will be. We will be watching Mr. Murphy very closely as well as the new Government. We will be ready next time and we will be a force to be reckoned with.

Members should stay tuned for upcoming notices of an AGM. It’s time to build on what we’ve started and that includes getting everyone active and engaged. For those of you who aren’t members – SIGN UP (http://donate.ndp.ca/join/?language=english). We’d love to have you be part of the team that makes a difference here in Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe.

It’s been a great ride and I can’t say how honoured and privileged I feel to have been able to stand for you. I hope to see all of you real soon and thank you in person. We did this together and together we’re going to do even more.

Thank you all so much.

- Dave Hackett
NDP Candidate
Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe

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Bien chers amis,

Notre circonscription est en marche : plus de neuf mille électeurs et électrices ont voté NPD dans Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe! Non seulement est-ce notre meilleur résultat jusqu’à maintenant, nous dépassons la moyenne des circonscriptions à l’échelle du parti national!

Croyez-moi, ce n’est qu’un début. Nous avons une équipe électorale dévouée et bien ancrée et, chose non moins importante, nous avons recueilli des tonnes de données cette fois qui nous serviront à mieux concentrer nos énergies et à construire sur les bases solides que nous possédons maintenant.

Je tiens à remercier chacune et chacun d’entre vous pour avoir collaboré au succès formidable de cette campagne. De l’équipe au sol jusqu’au comité d’affichage en passant par la brigade du démarchage, tout le monde a fait son maximum et les résultats obtenus le confirment. Ian, Cecile et moi ne saurions être plus reconnaissants pour toute l’aide que vous nous avez apportée.

Mais le travail n’est pas terminé! Ce n’est pas parce que l’élection est finie que la pauvreté va disparaître dans le milieu, que les soins publics de santé seront plus rassurants, que les personnes âgées se feront mieux entendre ou que la situation financière de la population étudiante va s’améliorer. La vigilance s’impose et nous serons à l’œuvre. Nous surveillerons de près M. Murphy ainsi que le nouveau gouvernement. Nous serons prêts pour le prochain match, mieux préparés que jamais.

Les membres seront bientôt convoqués en AGA. Le temps est venu de construire sur ce que nous avons fait et de mobiliser les effectifs. Si vous n’êtes pas membre, ENGAGEZ-VOUS (http://donate.ndp.ca/join/?language=french). Nous serions ravis de vous avoir au sein de l’équipe qui fait la différence dans Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe.

L’expérience a été exaltante pour moi et je ne saurais vous dire à quel point je me sens honoré d’avoir pu vous représenter dans la circonscription. J’espère avoir le plaisir de vous revoir très bientôt et de vous remercier en personne. C’est ensemble que nous avons agi et c’est ensemble que nous pourrons faire encore mieux.

Soyez remerciés du fond du cœur.

David Hackett
Candidat NPD
Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe.

Here We Go!

2006-01-22T18:39:00.000-04:00

Had a great day on the door in Dieppe today and in a few minutes I'm heading up towards Irishtown for a pamphlet drop.

It's been one heck of a ride and everyone's feeling the buzz as we get set for tomorrow.

We're going to shake things up like you wouldn't believe in this riding.

I'll be out with my team, personally driving those who need it to the polls. If you need a lift, please call 861-1180 and we'll be happy help.

Go Vote!

Believe It!

2006-01-21T21:16:00.000-04:00

With two days left until E-Day, I thought it would be a good idea to outline some of the accomplishments of this campaign:

WE were the first on the ballot

WE were the first with our signs out.

WE were the first on the doorstep.

WE were the first to go public with a position on the Petitcodiac River.

WE won the debates.

WE had the most visibility.

WE helped real families here in the community.

WE were endorsed by the New Brunswick Federation of Labour.

WE scored the highest on the EGALE report card.

WE have worked the hardest, longest and smartest in this campaign.

Anyone who tells you differently must work in a newspaper editorial department.

To that end, I urge all of you who’ve had a positive experience with this campaign, or had great things to say about it, to write, fax or phone your local media RIGHT NOW and let them know.

Change is in the air in this riding, you just have to vote for it.

Believe!

A Word From Ed...

2006-01-21T10:39:00.000-04:00

"I saw Paul Martin during the 1990s after we had surplus after surplus and building up surplus as well, while millions of kids went to bed hungry, while thousands of Canadians were homeless and we were the only G-8 country without a housing program. Doing nothing on the environment. In fact George Bush did more on the environment than Paul Martin...These are not progressive people. The only time they talk about being progressive is in the dying days of an election campaign."

-Ed Broadbent, 2006

Momentum Continues To Build....

2006-01-21T00:09:00.000-04:00

Every night on the doorstep is better than the last! People in this riding are really talking about us and what we're doing.

This weekend will be one last push to meet as many of you as possible. We'll be at Dieppe market with Neil Gardner at 8:00 am, then moving to the other markets and from there back onto the doorsteps.

It's time for a better option.

Let's make it real here in Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe!

Post-Debate Observation

2006-01-20T08:50:00.000-04:00

Interesting to note that in the closing statements during the debate at UdeM yesterday, Mr. Murphy and Mr. Doucet both chose to take a swipe at the NDP and our platform, whereas before their strategy had been to ignore and attempt to marginalise us.

Could some people be getting nervous?

Four days left. Let's make them count!

Happy Birthday!

2006-01-18T22:04:00.000-04:00

In a few hours it will be Tasha's birthday.

She will get to spend her birthday taking our son to the hospital for his tests, making sure the kids get to and from daycare and then looking after them by herself for the afternoon and evening, getting them to bed and probably knocking out herself before I ever get back from the campaign trail.

Not a fun way to spend your special day, huh? I promise that next week I'll be making it all up with dinner and a night away from the kids.

Tasha has been my rock through all of this and has never once complained about the slack I've been leaving behind in our family life during the campaign.

I certainly wouldn't be as sane if I didn't have her to come home to every night.

After the 23rd I'm most looking forward to making up for lost family time and getting knee-deep in diapers, bedtime stories, dishes, garbage duty and grocery runs.

Even if we have to do some of it in Ottawa.

Happy Birthday, Bear!

Press Release

2006-01-18T00:26:00.000-04:00

(English follows)

LE CANDIDAT DU NPD, DAVID HACKETT, MET À PROFIT LES DERNIERS JOURS DE LA CAMPAGNE

Moncton.- Avec seulement cinq jours de reste avant que les électeurs se rendent aux urnes, le candidat néodémocrate dans Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe, David Hackett, continue de faire des progrès, s’engageant à fond pour convaincre les électeurs d’appuyer le NPD.

« Les libéraux ne méritent pas votre vote cette fois, et les conservateurs sont complètement à côté sur les enjeux, n’a-t-il cessé de répéter. Nous voulons le plus de néodémocrates possible au parlement afin d’obtenir des choses concrètes pour les gens. »

Les nombreux contacts qu’il a eu la chance de faire pendant sa campagne lui ont confirmé que les personnes âgées, les soins de santé et la pauvreté demeuraient toujours à la pointe des préoccupations dans la circonscription.

« Votez NPD si vous voulez qu’on s’occupe en priorité des travailleurs et travailleuses, des personnes âgées, des jeunes, de leurs chances d’emploi et de la sauvegarde du régime public de santé », a-t-il dit.

Voici le calendrier de David Hackett pour cette semaine.

Calendrier

Mercredi 18 janvier
13 h Lakeview Manor, Riverview
14 h Royal Court, Riverview
Visites à domicile

Jeudi 19 janvier
11 h Débat, Université de Moncton
14 h Castle Manor
Visites à domicile

Vendredi 20 janvier
10 h 30 People’s Park Tower, Rose Room, 55, ruelle Camden

Samedi 21 janvier
8 h Marché de Dieppe, puis les marchés de Moncton, pour faire ses emplettes et rencontrer les gens

Dimanche 22 janvier
Visites à domicile

Renseignements : Cecile Cassista 861-1180 ou cell: 860-7682

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NDP CANDIDATE DAVE HACKETT TAKES INITIATVE TO WIN OVER VOTERS IN FINAL WEEK

Moncton: With only 5 days left before voters go to the polls, Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe NDP Candidate David Hackett continues to make gains, going all out convincing electors to support the NDP.

“The Liberals do not deserve your vote this time, and the Conservatives are still wrong on the issues” said Hackett. “We want to ensure that we get results for people by electing as many New Democrats to Parliament as we can.”

David Hackett says that he has had the opportunity to meet hundreds of people during the campaign and seniors, health care and poverty remain major issues in the riding.

“Vote NDP for change that puts working people at the front of the line” Hackett said. “Seniors, kids, opportunity for young people and protecting public health care.”

David Hackett’s schedule for this week includes continuing his outreach efforts in the riding.

Schedule

Wednesday, January18
1:00 p.m. Lakeview Manor, Riverview
2:00 p.m. Royal Court, Riverview
Canvassing

Thursday, January 19
11:00 a.m. Student debate University of Moncton
2:00 p.m. Castle Manor
Canvassing

Friday, January 20
10:30 a.m. People’s Park Tower, Rose Room, 55 Camden Court.

Saturday, January 21
8:00 a.m. Dieppe Market, then moving on to the Moncton markets, doing his weekly shopping and meeting with voters.

Sunday, January 22
Canvassing

For more information: Cecile Cassista 861-1180 or Cell: 860-7682

"An Election Carol"

2006-01-17T23:37:00.000-04:00

While canvassing Dominion St. , one of our volunteers came across this lawn display:

Turns out it's the work of Michelle LeBlanc and her firend Tom Windle. Michelle planned to make the display as a Christmas gift for Tom, but she got behind schedule and decided to save it for election week.

Have a look at some of Michelle's characters:

The Liberal Scrooge:

The Conservative Grinch:

NDP Rudolph (lighting the way...)

And of course, the story is not complete without Tiny Tim:

I had never met Tom and Michelle before today, but I'm sure glad I got to. They have a great sense of fun and obviously put a lot of hard work into this.

And what's really great is that Tom and Michelle are indicative of a lot of people I'm meeting on the doorstep. People who are fed up with the Liberals and Conservatives and really ready for positive change in this riding. We're getting a lot of buzz and our momentum is growing.

The next six days will be a mini-marathon for me, but thinking of all the people I've met and the families that we've been able to help so far in this campaign, I know we'll hit that finish line. And with your help, we'll get there first!

-DH (pictured with Tom below - Michelle had to get to work before we got the camera)

Where's Dave on Monday?

2006-01-15T20:49:00.001-04:00

9:30 - Interview on Radio CJSE

12:00 - Rotary/Chamber of Commerce Debate (at the Delta)

Afternoon and evening - Canvassing, canvassing, canvassing.

(And if you missed the first debate it's on Rogers again at 8pm Monday)

"There is a Better Choice"

2006-01-15T20:49:00.000-04:00

Jack lays it all out in a rally speech on the weekend:

Click Here

What a Week!

2006-01-14T00:22:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the brief absence, but this campaign has been running full steam ahead and I haven't had time to jump on-line all that often.

A Brief summary of the week:

Meetings with:

The Greater Moncton Airport (Pictured below)
The Mayor and Council of Riverview
The Mayor of Dieppe
The Mayor of Moncton
Sunny Brae Middle school (5-6)
All Candidates Meeting with the Chamber of Commerce

Media:

Press releases for the Airport Overpass and the Petitcodiac River position

"Question Jar" Segment for CBC Radio
Profile in "Here" Magazine
Editorial board meeting (and resulting article) with the Times and Transcript
CBC TV Riding Profile
Comments in various Print and Radio outlets after the strong showing in the"Women and Families" debate.

Speaking of Debates....

Me, Camille and Ron at the Rogers Debate.

Watch the Debate this week!

We had a very strong showing at the Rogers Television debate and that it will really open a lot of eyes here in the riding. Tune in an get as many of your friends as you can to do the same.

Schedule:

January 15 5PM
January 16 8PM
January 18 7PM
January 19 9PM

Saturday will be Blitz day as we'll have all of our volunteers beating the street and getting the message out.

Next week, we enter the home stretch with two more debates, lots of canvassing, plenty of media and maybe even a "Dave Wave" or two to boot!

See you on the doorstep!

PLATFORM!

2006-01-11T23:03:00.000-04:00

The 2006 Platform is now online!

enjoy.

Debate Night 1

2006-01-11T00:21:00.000-04:00

Had a great showing at the Rogers TV debate tonight. I'll post the air dates later in the week.

Up Next: "The Women and Family" Debate tonight (Wednesday).

I've got lots of updates to post, including Press Releases and pictures from the Airport meeting. Right now, however, I have an appointment with my pillow.

See you on the doorstep!

DH

"Dave Wave" - Dieppe!

2006-01-10T00:16:00.000-04:00

Merci Dieppe !

Il faisait froid, mais nous avons eu un bon temps !

Where's Dave this week?

2006-01-08T22:23:00.000-04:00

Monday: "Dave Wave" hits Dieppe from 7:30 to 8:30am
CBC Profile interview at 10:00 (Air Date TBA)
Meeting and Press Conference at the Greater Moncton Airport at 2:30

Tuesday: Meet and Greet Lunch with the Rotary Club/Chamber of Commerce
Rogers Television Debate (18:00)

Wednesday: "Women and Families" Debate (19:30) - Lions Seniors Centre, St. George Street.

Thursday: Meeting with Riverview Mayor and Council

And of course, all week I'll be canvassing every spare minute of the day and night. Plus you never know when the next "Dave Wave" will appear!

See you all out there!

-DH

The Dave Wave!

2006-01-06T21:58:00.000-04:00

Today marked the Moncton debut of the "Dave Wave"!

We had several of our volunteers and staff out at the traffic circle today, waving and cheering on the drive home crowd.

The response was tremendous! People were genuinely happy to see us and we literally had hundreds of people honking and waving in return as they drove by.

Expect to see us again, elsewhere in the riding.

You never know where or when a "Dave Wave" will show up!

Carly and Ian, our father/daughter team!

Campaign Manager Cecile, enjoying a rare chance to get out of the office!

Sebastien, showing his bigtime support for Jack!

Andrew, looking stylish in his new NDP touque!

The Candidate, making new friends a carload at a time!

Media Exposure Notice!

2006-01-05T22:44:00.000-04:00

Jorge Barrera at the Times Transcript ran an excellent piece today, some of which is quoted below.

A major Liberal health-care announcement made yesterday met with a lukewarm reception from health-care professionals and triggered calls for Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe Liberal candidate Brian Murphy to state his position on private health care.

------
In the Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe riding, NDP candidate Dave Hackett used the health-care issue to take aim at what he believes to be Murphy's Achilles heel: the privatization of public services.

While Moncton's mayor, Murphy supported a sole-sourced contract with firm US Filter to privatize part of the city's water system.

-------

Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe NDP candidate Dave Hackett said his party is clear no public dollars should fund private health care and demanded Liberal candidate Murphy come clean about his views on the issue.

"We are concerned with Mr. Murphy's track-record of using privatization for things in the public realm. He has favoured the privatization of the water system, is he going to commit the same mistakes with health care?" said Hackett.

The riding's Conservative candidate Charles Doucet said he believes Murphy shares his view public dollars should fund the private delivery of health services if it makes the system more efficient.

"I am definitely in agreement with Murphy's history of espousing public-private partnerships with municipalities," said Doucet. "If (Murphy's) history and his background is any indication, I suspect he would be more in line with the Conservative party on this issue."

Murphy did not return phone calls made late yesterday afternoon.

Of course, Mr. Doucet is wrong in his belief that the private sector improves healthcare efficiency. There is no evidence to support this and in fact most pundits claim the opposite is true.

What he may be right on is Mr. Murphy (and by extention his party) being more and more in line with the Conservative way of thinking every day.

St. Augustine's

2006-01-05T22:32:00.000-04:00

Paid a visit to the Soup Kitchen at St. Augustine's Catholic Church on Dominion Street today to talk to people about the issues. The kitchen serves over 150 people every day, and that's only for one meal.

Poverty, hunger and affordable housing are major issues in this riding, no matter how much growth and prosperity others will claim in our community.

I also stopped back in the kitchen to thank some of the volunteers for their selfless efforts in serving their community. You'll not meet a nicer group of people.

Pictured: Paulette (Manager), Susan (Volunteer), Gordon (Cook) and me.

All of the area Soup Kitchens and Food Banks need support from you. Please consider donating your time and/or money to the one nearest you. It's your community you're helping.

Busy week to open "Phase II"

2006-01-04T22:02:00.000-04:00

Canvassing, canvassing, canvassing!

We've been all over Moncton yesterday and today, and move over to Riverview tomorrow and Dieppe by the evening. Expect to see us on your doorsteps all this week in every community.

Had great interviews today with Here Magazine and the Times Transcript. As well, Global televison did an interview yesterday with some canvassing footage. Look for them in the next few days.

Two debates next week: Rogers Televison on the 10th and on the 11th there will be "Women and Families" debate at the Lions Seniors Centre on St. George. Details to follow shortly.

Also be on the lookout for the "Dave Wave" this Friday. What's that you ask? Just stay tuned....

Media Exposure Notice

2006-01-03T14:34:00.000-04:00

The Times Transcript's Aloma Jardine did a nice profile on all Candidates.

Here's some of it:

NDP candidate David Hackett got a jump on his fellow candidates by being the first candidate nominated in any party in the Atlantic provinces.

"We thought that sent a strong message that we were serious about this riding and weren't going to take a back seat to anybody this time around," he says.

Hackett says he's already heard a lot of concerns about health care in his rounds.

"We're obviously expecting the (Petitcodiac) river to become one of the focal points of this campaign as well as a lot of the national things like affordable housing, tuition for students, senior care, and health care," he says."

And I think trust is going to be a big issue both nationally and locally in this campaign."

&

Hackett too believes the time is ripe for third parties.

"We feel the NDP showed we can get results for people with the budget we passed and the work we did on trying to protect health care," he says.

I also found it interesdting that the Conservatives are now advocating the upgrade of the sewage treatment plant. It's been part of our platform for months.

Click here for the link

Picture-Rama Part II

2005-12-31T20:37:00.000-04:00

Hey all,

Here's the remainder of the pictures:

Picture of me and Jack from the Breakthrough Conference in Ottawa (later that evening I had the privilege of introducing NB NDP Leader Allison Brewer to Jack for the first time).

Pictures from the Dec. 6th Memorial in Riverview.

Christmas in Cape Breton with Nanny and GrandDad (Sookie and Dave) LeBlanc.

Have a safe and Happy New Years!

-DH

Year End "Picture-Rama"

2005-12-29T21:23:00.000-04:00

Hey all,

I'm just packing up to head down to Saint John for my cousin's wedding, but I thought I'd end the year by putting up some photos that for one reason or another never made it onto the blog.

Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Provincial Executive Meeting in Miramichi last May

Dee Dee Daigle nominates me at the convention in June

Sebastien Bezeau seconds the nomination

My acceptance speech

Speaking at the Moncton and District Labour Council Picnic on Labour Day.

First on the Ballot!

Left: I share a smile with returning officer Ghislaine Ringuette Crawford (In the back: Al Daly, Leo Cassista and Ian Thorn)

Right: Cecile Cassista (Campaign Manager) signs on as a witness.

(Seems I've hit my pic limit for the day. I'll post the rest tomorrow)

Jack's Speech

2005-12-29T16:54:00.000-04:00

Well, what was supposed to be a quiet holiday break is certainly generating a lot of news between the tragic shootings in Toronto, the RCMP investigation into Ralph Goodale, and the bizarre "blog attacks" on Jack and Olivia.

I thought I'd throw up a link to Jack's speech today that really puts things into perspective.

Jack Layton's Speech in Toronto

regards

-DH

Season's Greetings!

2005-12-20T22:21:00.000-04:00

Dear friends,

Just a quick note to wish all of you the happiest of Holidays and hoping that you get to spend a much needed break with family and loved ones.

I also wanted to thank everyone for the hard work that made "Phase 1" of this campaign a huge success. From the signs, to the media exposure, to the canvassing, we’ve really proved we are the party to watch in this campaign. It's been a terrific start!

A few "housekeeping" notices:

January is going to be very intense and in order to capitalise on our December momentum we’re going to need everyone rested and ready. If you haven’t done so, please contact Cecile, Ian or myself about any volunteer work you can perform for the rest of the campaign. We’re putting the schedule together over the break and want to make sure we’re using all of our resources to the best of our ability.

Also, please remember that contributions made before December 31st go towards this year’s taxes and those made afterwards go towards your 2006 filings. The other parties will be blitzing us hard and we still need your financial help to keep the pressure on with advertising, flyers and more campaign materials. If you are able to contribute sooner than later it will help us make important decisions that much earlier.

And remember money donated to the riding, stays in the riding. Please contact the office (or myself) about any contributions.

Have a great Holiday Break and we’ll see you all in the New Year!

Media Expsoure Notice!

2005-12-19T12:19:00.000-04:00

Article by Charles Perry in today's Times Transcript on all three candidates.

Quoting our portion of it:

"New Democratic Party hopeful David Hackett, a test analyst with Whitehill Technologies, said his campaign headquarters is located in Wedgwood Centre at 1201 Mountain Rd. "I am very happy with the work our team has been doing. We have been campaigning all over the place and we were the first to get our signs out in the area."

He said he has got the jump on his two opponents, by being the first NDP candidate nominated in Canada and the first candidate of any stripe to be nominated in the Atlantic provinces.

As a result, Hackett said he has had the chance to visit a lot of homes. "We want to send out a strong message that we are very serious about winning this race and we have our organization in place. I think people are taking more notice of us this time around," he said.

However, they will be slowing down the campaigning during the Christmas week, said the NDP standard-bearer. "Our office will still be open, but we have no intention of aggressively knocking on people's doors and bothering them during the holidays. But we will be following the holidays with a big blitz in January."

Hackett said many of the electors are telling him that they are "very afraid" of losing their medicare and public health care. He said a large part of the reason there is a federal election, now, is that his party was trying to get assurance from the Liberal government that it would protect health care in Canada.

He has also heard a lot of interest from the people regarding the future of the Petitcodiac River, said the NDP hopeful. He said his party has thrown its support behind Option 4B, which is to remove the Causeway gates and have a new bridge built."

Our First Celebrity Endorsement!

2005-12-18T21:54:00.000-04:00

The Christmas Social was a huge success. Thanks to everyone who came out, and thanks to the team for their hard work putting it together. Thanks also to the "Guy in Red" for giving his support to the NDP.

And to prove I didn't hog the big guy all afternoon, here's Brady and Abby getting in on some of the Santa action.

Shenanigans and debate fun...

2005-12-15T09:02:00.000-04:00

Your "Average" Liberal voter...

Debate Night Bingo

And if you haven't seen it yet...

The Boot Ad

Invitation!

2005-12-13T13:29:00.000-04:00

(English version follows)

L'équipe électorale de David Hackett
VOUS INVITE

 
« Faites connaissance avec votre candidat »
 
Dimanche 18 décembre - de 14 h à 16 h 30
au quartier général - 1201, ch. Mountain
 
 
 
Activité parrainée par l'Association néodémocrate de la circonscription de
Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe
Renseignements : 861-1180
Rafraîchissements
 
www.npd.ca

-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------

David Hackett Campaign Team  
INVITES YOU

"Get to Know Your Candidate "
   
Sunday afternoon December 18th  - 2:00 to 4:30 PM
Campaign Head Quarters - 1201 Mountain Road
   
   
   
Sponsored by the Moncton, Riverview, Dieppe NDP Riding Association
For information call the Campaign Office at  861 1180
Refreshment will be served

www.ndp.ca

Where's Dave this week?

2005-12-13T13:27:00.000-04:00

Tuesday Dec. 13th - canvassing
Wednesday Dec 14th. - Canvassing and Volunteer Orientation.
Thursday Dec 15th. - Canvassing, Volunteer Orientation and Office move.
Friday Dec 16th. Canvassing
Saturday Dec 17th. Canvassing, Office decorating
Sunday Dec 18th. Office Open House from 2-4pm

Day at the Market

2005-12-11T21:25:00.000-04:00

Léopold Belliveau (former mayor of Moncton), David Hackett (NDP candidate for the Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe Riding), Bill Malenfant (former mayor of Dieppe) and former candidate Hélène Lapointe talk politics at the Dieppe Farmer's Market.

Léopold Belliveau (ex-maire de Moncton), David Hackett (candidat néo-démocrate pour la circonscription Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe), Bill Malenfant (ex-maire de Dieppe) et Hélène Lapointe (l'ancienne candidate) discutent de politique au Marché des fermiers de Dieppe.

Two Very Important Fans....

2005-12-09T23:37:00.000-04:00

"I want to join Dave's party. Can I make my own signs too?"
- Chloe C. (age 3)

"Look Daddy! It's your sign again. They're everywhere. And they have colours like your friend Jack!"
-Abigail H. (age 3)

Where's Dave for the weekend?

2005-12-09T23:19:00.000-04:00

I'll be at the Dieppe Market tomorrow from 9-11 and Again on Sunday (time TBA).

I'll also be canvassing through the weekend and the party will be doing drops of the budget flyers as well.

Saturday night I'll be a the Whitehill Staff Christmas party celebrating another great year in the software biz.

The Office is open!

2005-12-09T08:32:00.000-04:00

We have our new space set up now. It's at the Wedgewood centre on 1201 Mountain Road. We're currently in smaller temporary space until Dec. 17th when we move to the much larger, front-facing office (expect an announcement soon on the "Grand Opening" of that space).

Office phone is 861-1180

The landlord has been great and the spot is awesome. My only regret is that the office is not wheelchair accessible. Unfortunately due to time and budget concerns we could not get a ground floor space secured. I promise that we will make every effort to accommodate everyone who wants to come in and talk to us.

And rest assured that when we set up our Constituency office in February, access won't be an issue.

Media Exposure Notices!

2005-12-06T21:14:00.000-04:00

Global News tonight (Tuesday) @ 11:00 will be running a piece on the Memorial Service in Riverview for Violence against Women. I gave a sound byte that they may well use.

CBC Radio News did a spot on the Press Release (see previous post). It will be in the morning rotation.

Our Mascaret ad came out this morning as well as an article (of all the candidates profiled, ours was the only bilingual article).

Had a quick interview with News 91.9, expect to hear it in rotation sometime in the next 48 hours.

Whew. No wonder I'm tired tonight!

Press Release

2005-12-06T15:33:00.000-04:00

Here' s a copy of the Press Release that went out today regarding the Campaign.....

LOCAL NDP CANDIDATE COMES OUT OF THE GATES STRONG

December 6th 2005 - Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe NDP Candidate David Hackett was first out of the gates last week in the race to determine who will represent the riding in the next Parliament of Canada. In addition to having his signs in place around the riding well ahead of his opponents, he was also the first NDP candidate to be confirmed by Elections Canada in the entire country and the first candidate from any party to be confirmed anywhere in Atlantic Canada.

“We wanted to come out strong and show the people of Moncton, Riverview and Dieppe that we’re serious about winning this riding,” said Hackett. “I’m very fortunate to have such a well-organised and exceptional team behind me. It really shows this is a party out to get results, and I think that will resonate with a lot of voters.”

Hackett has begun to canvass the riding and expects to be out on the doorsteps until the week before Christmas, when his team will break for the holidays and prepare for the big January push.

“It’s important to get visible early. Both of my opponents will be funneling a lot of money into this riding, so we have to counter that with good old-fashioned hard work. We have to be out talking to people and on the phones getting our message out.”

Hackett likes his chances in the contest, and is determined to keep the momentum going until E-Day.

“People are tired of broken promises from the Liberals and wrong ideas from the Conservatives. The NDP is about getting results and once voters are turned on to that, I believe you’ll see a big surge of support in the riding.”

A Day of Sad Reflection

2005-12-06T08:35:00.000-04:00

14 names you should think about when you talk with your wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, familes and friends today.

Genevieve Bergeron
Nathalie Croteau
Anne-Marie Edward
Maryse Laganiere
Anne-Marie Lemay
Michele Richard
Annie Turcotte
Helene Colgan
Barbara Daigneault
Maud Haviernick
Maryse LeClair
Sonia Pelletier
Annie St-Arneault
Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz

Be sure and light a candle today.

Where's Dave this week?

2005-12-05T08:34:00.000-04:00

A quick look at the tentative schedule for the week:

Monday Dec 5th. Canvassing (location TBA)

Tuesday Dec 6th. Candlelight Vigil at Riverview's Caseley Park to commenerate victims of Violence against Women.

Wednesday Dec 7th, Canvassing (location TBA) & Office opening.

Thursday Dec 8th. - Canvassing (location TBA) & Executive Meeting.

Friday Dec 9th - Canvassing (location TBA)

Interesting news

2005-12-04T20:27:00.000-04:00

No, not the Liberal nomination (we knew the outcome of that before it started).

I am officially the first NDP Candidate in all of Canada to be confirmed for this election. I'm also the first Candidate from any party anywhere in this Province, let alone this riding, to have been confirmed.

More evidence of our tremendous momentum!

Coming out of the Gates Strong!

2005-12-01T20:29:00.000-04:00

Hello Everyone,

What an absolutely incredible first week it's been! Signs are up, ads and pamphlets are on the way, and very shortly we'll have some new office space to talk about. This campaign, like this party, are on the move and it's because of the contributions all of you have made.

Signs, Signs, Everywhere the Signs....

Those of you in the area don't need to be told that signs are up and very visible throughout the riding. George, Elmo, Ian and Leo worked especially hard all week and it's made a huge impact. I'm already getting lots of great feedback and we are, to date, the only party with sign presence in the area. It shows that we're serious and on top of our game.

Beyond the road signs, I still have many "Jack Layton and the New Brunswick Team" Window signs, available in both languages. Please contact me if you can use them and get them displayed in a public window somewhere.

These Boots are made for Walking....

The canvas team is firing up it's cylinders, and Canvass organiser Ian Thorn is laying out the gameplan for how to blanket this riding, both by foot and by phone. We've received our donor and supporter list from provincial office, and as soon as Elections Canada opens the Returning Office, we should have an electors list as well. If you are interested in doing door-to-door or phone work (even if you've already mentioned it to me before), get in touch and I'll have Ian send your marching orders.

Picture on the Cover....

The back cover of Mascaret, that is. Look for our first major ad next week as we get the back cover plus an article in one of the ridings most-read periodicals. Expect more ads over the course of the campaign. Thanks to Andrew and Gérard for their hard work on short notice.

Let's keep this party moving!

A lot of the success we've had this week has been the direct result of your very generous donations over the last few months. But in order to keep the momentum we have, we are going to need more advertisements, more campaign materials, and more visibility. Unlike the other parties, we don't rely on corporate benefactors and we certainly don't have 10 Grand coming in from Alberta. This campaign relies solely on donations from individuals and small business. I sincerely hope you will consider joining our fight and contributing any way you are able in the coming weeks. Together we can win this riding!

I'll have more next week. In the meantime, let's keep the pressure on and show Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe why we're the party to watch this election!

Media Exposure Alert!

2005-11-29T14:12:00.000-04:00

The Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe NDP will be featured in the second story on tonight's "Live at 5" on ATV. There will be a few sound clips from me and shots of our intrepid "sign team" (George, Ian, Leo and Elmo) in action as we talk about the challenges of a winter campaign.

Live at 5 Site

Great exposure on the first day of the campaign!

Statement on the Restoration of the Petitcodiac -

2005-11-02T16:53:00.000-04:00

The following is the letter I submiited to the Times Transcript following the information meeting on the EIA. They chose not to print it.

"I would like to extend a large thanks to the people at AMEC Earth & Environmental Ltd., for hosting the EIA public hearings this past weekend at Riverview high. It was a highly informative session and I feel there was a fair and civilised exchange of ideas. When dealing with an issue as large as the Petitcodiac River it is important to gather as much information as possible, and this meeting was certainly conductive to that end (and what a shame that the number of public figures expressing views on the matter this week chose not to attend).

One of the most important ideas put forth during the session was that in order to have a “safe and successful” implementation, there will need to be a lot of work done before the gates can be opened. This would include refurbishing the dyke and aboiteaux system upstream, securing the landfill site against a catastrophic event, and reinforcing the riverbank and causeway structure. It’s important to note that many of these steps will be necessary even if the project doesn’t go through. This process, already factored into project costs, would take at least a year to complete.

I feel this timeframe provides a great opportunity to address the issue of water quality coming from the sewage treatment plant. One of the concerns raised at the meeting was the flow of effluent upstream during high tide. The study claims that the increased water volume and flow of the river would mitigate this problem, but not everyone in attendance was in total agreement with this.

Given the time it will take for “Stage One” to complete, why not also look at upgrading the plant to have secondary treatment capability during this period? Regardless of which option is selected, or even if the status quo is maintained (though that course is certainly not recommended), the public good (and health) can only be served by an upgrade of the treatment facility. That, combined with a project option like 4B, would provide for a truly revitalized river system this community so deeply deserves"

Day on the Hill

2005-10-24T23:01:00.000-03:00

Caucus

Bill

Group Photo

Me at my future place of work

Make Poverty History Rally

2005-10-24T22:56:00.000-03:00

Setting up

More NDP MPs means Making Poverty History

Team NB

Jack's Speech

2005-10-24T22:52:00.000-03:00

Jack

The Speech

Jack & Alexa

Team NB

2005-10-22T22:19:00.000-03:00

John Carty

Neil Gardner & Rob Moir

Alice

Me

Yvon

Gala Dinner

2005-10-20T23:12:00.000-03:00

Me & Jack Before Dinner

Nan Luke and Allison Brewer

Neil Gardner, Me, Rob Moir and Alice Finnemore

Alice, Regina, Lyndsey

Lyndsey & Lukes

Shirley Douglas

Forums and Speeches

2005-10-20T22:05:00.000-03:00

Earlier this month I had the exciting oppourtunity to attend the NDP "Breakthrough Conference" in Ottawa. This was a weekend of workshops and networking for all of the nominated NDP candidates as well as the Election planning Committess from the different provinces. The following few posts will walk through what I experienced over the course of the weekend and hopefully give a good feel for what it was like to be there.

Opening remarks (Libby Davies)

The above picture is from the welcome speech by Libby Davies, MP for Vancouver East (pictured at the podium). There was certainly nobody better suited to pump up a crowd of bleary-eyed travelers first thing on a Saturday morning than Libby. Her infectious enthusiasm won the crowd over early and soon enough the room was electric with optimism as Libby rattled off the great accomplishments the party has made in the past twelve months and the idea that we were now a part of the team that was going to continue getting results in the next Parliament. It was going to be a great weekend.

Protecting and Enhancing Canadian Culture Panel
[left to right: Dorothy Henault (filmmaker), Jo-anne Dousel
(Candidate for Palliser SK), James Missen (Canadian Conference of the Arts)]

The First Day was broken up into three policy discussion breakouts, each with three forums to choose from. The first Breakout was under the theme of "Strengthening Canada". For my forum I chose to attend "Protecting and Enhancing Canadian Culture". The panel covered a very broad range of topics relating to the Arts and artists' role in this country.

Some topics discussed:

Artists need to be recognised as workers in this country. A great many artists are self-employed, live well below the poverty line and have little to nothing in terms of economic security. There was discussion about ways to improve the working conditions of most artists such as coverage under EI and tax reform relating to professional artist's equipment and supplies.
The need for the party to develop a more concrete cultural policy within our platform
The need for a stronger CBC, both in regards to regional coverage and fostering and supporting Canadian talent.
The difficulties facing Canadian film, especially in regards to getting cinema play as well as securing the financing necessary.

As you can imagine, each of these topics took on a much larger life of their own as the panel progressed (and even afterwards: I sought out Dorothy Henault later in the day to talk further about making regionalism work in terms of both the CBC and the television and film industry in general).

Paul Summerville

The next session was on "Building the 21st Century Economy" and was kicked off by Paul Summervile (candidate for St. Paul's ON). Paul is an economist and former analyst for RBC Dominion. He gave a fascinating speech (read it here) on the marriage of Prosperity and Social Justice, outlining how the NDP's policies will lead to a better economy and more just society (and how the two goals are not mutually exclusive, but in fact linked). Paul is one of several economists (such as Fundy Royal candidate Rob Moir) who have joined our party, recognising that our fiscal policy is not only sound, but superior to the other parties. It's fair to say the public perception has never favoured us in terms of our economic ability, often portraying us as fiscally irresponsible or even more dangerous. That's a myth that we intend to dispel in the public arena, with people like Paul leading the way.

Another picture of Paul

Building the 21st Century Economy: Post-Secondary Education and Training

[left to right: Nathan Cullen (MP Skeena-Bulkey Valley), Pat Martin
(MP Winnipeg Centre), unknown forum attendee and Kelly Bickford (Candidate Red Deer)]

My chosen panel for the second forum was "Post-Secondary Education and Training" (Not surprisingly, the most popular choice) . The panel was quite lively and a lot of it focused on workshopping ideas for improving access to education and articulating what our clear "30 second" message should be when discussing eductaion.

Pat Martin also gave a facinating talk on Trades Training and the vital role it plays in our society. He stressed how Canada has fallen behind the rest of the world in regards to the number of Apprenticeship programs it offers and he also talked about the social stigma that we have to work hard to reverse when dealing with skilled trades people (he told a humorous story about how when he was a Journeyman carpenter and rode the bus to work he's get sneered at by some kid in a business suit. PAt was clearing 45K in his trade while the kid was a junior clerk, barely making 20).

Moving Canada Forward

Ed Broadbent

The final seesion of the day was entitled "Moving Canda Forward" and was kicked-off with probably the most anticipated event of the day, a speech from Ed Broadbent. Ed, as usual, didn't dissapoint. He laid out his seven point paln to bring ethics back into Canadian politics. It was a firey speech, bursting with brilliant ideas for reform that is so desperately needed. You can read the text of it in the link below:

Ed's Speech

Cities and Communities

[left to right: Nette Wiebe (Candidate Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar), David Christopherson (MP Hamilton Centre) and Denis Bevington (Candidate Western Arctic)]

Teh final panel I attended for the day was "Cities and Communities", where perspectives were given from three different Canadian "Communites", starting with Nette Wiebe who discussed rural challenges for the party, followed by David Christopherson who discussed how party policy affected municipalities and finally Denis Bevington filled us all in on the problems facing Northern communities.

As a side note, I seemed to bump into Denis everywhere I went all weekend. He's a really great guy who works so hard for his riding and has such a huge geographical area to conquer that it's truly staggering. He missed being elected by fewer than 200 votes last time. This time he's sure to go over the top and become our first Northern MP. Go Denis!

2005-10-19T22:17:00.000-03:00

Me and Jack at the New Brunswick NDP Leadership Convention

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