That was Fast!
On the same day the Parliament was officially dissolved and an election date was officially set for January 23, 2006, I received my very first piece of campaign literature from the Conservative candidate in my riding, Laurie Hawn.
Mr. Hawn is, of course, itching for a rematch since he ran a close second to Anne McLellan in 2004, being the latest in a line of Reform, Alliance and Conservative candidates who have made Ms. McLellan's hold on her seat a very shaky one. Known by some as 'Landslide Annie', Ms. McLellan's 721 vote margin of victory, in 2004 is actually an impressive gain on her margin of 12 votes (after a judicial recount) in her first election in 1993. That slim margin, plus Ms. McLellan's profile as Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, means my riding will certainly attract more media attention from down east than any other riding in Alberta. Oh, joy...
But getting back to Mr. Hawn again, receiving a drop on the first day of campaigning speaks of organization, determination, and at least one really committed volunteer (especially since today is practically the first 'wintry' day we've had so far this season). I mean I remember when I used to be that committed and in every case, it was because the candidate had brought it out in me. So, maybe it will be worth visiting Mr. Hawn's campaign office in the next few days or so...
What's also ironic is that I also received a drop in my box last week from Anne McLellan. The difference that's worth mentioning, of course, is while Mr. Hawn's drop of today was partisan literature paid for and produced by his party, Ms. McLellan's drop, delivered days before an election call, was funded through her parlimentary budget, paid for by the taxpayer. And while Anne's drop scrupulously obeyed the rules of non-partisanship, it also included 2 pages of electoral information, including the tidbits about the narrow margin of Ms. McLellan's victory in 1993... The rest of the drop was a 2006 calendar filled with many inspring pictures of Anne with schoolchildren, Anne with a senior, Anne with community volunters, with police officers, with firefighters, with residents of a homeless shelter, etc. etc.
What I did find very interesting, is that while the November photo showed Canadian veterans at a local Remembrance Day ceremony, it was one of only two calendar photos not to include Ms. McLellan (the other was of a local singing group to which Ms McLellan apparently does not belong). I am left wondering why... Is it because there are no photos of Anne with veterans (something I find hard to believe), or is it because Anne so honours our vets that she's giving them a precious photo without her (though I notice the RCMP and firefighters were not so treated)? Or are there other motives? Because I have a nasty and suspicious mind (one of the reasons, no doubt, I'm drawn to politics), I do feel compelled to note that Mr. Hawn is also Lt. Colonel Hawn (ret.) of the Royal Canadian Air Force, with which he served for 30 years. Maybe, just maybe, there are no votes to be gained in an 'Anne with veterans' photo... Nah, surely even the Liberals aren't so cynical... are they?
Anyway, this is just the first round, the preliminary skirmish, in what is likely to be one of the hardest-fought races in Canada. Should be fun to have a ring-side seat to it!!
The 2006 Race In Edmonton Centre, A Tale of Two Drops...
On the same day the Parliament was officially dissolved and an election date was officially set for January 23, 2006, I received my very first piece of campaign literature from the Conservative candidate in my riding, Laurie Hawn.
Mr. Hawn is, of course, itching for a rematch since he ran a close second to Anne McLellan in 2004, being the latest in a line of Reform, Alliance and Conservative candidates who have made Ms. McLellan's hold on her seat a very shaky one. Known by some as 'Landslide Annie', Ms. McLellan's 721 vote margin of victory, in 2004 is actually an impressive gain on her margin of 12 votes (after a judicial recount) in her first election in 1993. That slim margin, plus Ms. McLellan's profile as Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, means my riding will certainly attract more media attention from down east than any other riding in Alberta. Oh, joy...
But getting back to Mr. Hawn again, receiving a drop on the first day of campaigning speaks of organization, determination, and at least one really committed volunteer (especially since today is practically the first 'wintry' day we've had so far this season). I mean I remember when I used to be that committed and in every case, it was because the candidate had brought it out in me. So, maybe it will be worth visiting Mr. Hawn's campaign office in the next few days or so...
What's also ironic is that I also received a drop in my box last week from Anne McLellan. The difference that's worth mentioning, of course, is while Mr. Hawn's drop of today was partisan literature paid for and produced by his party, Ms. McLellan's drop, delivered days before an election call, was funded through her parlimentary budget, paid for by the taxpayer. And while Anne's drop scrupulously obeyed the rules of non-partisanship, it also included 2 pages of electoral information, including the tidbits about the narrow margin of Ms. McLellan's victory in 1993... The rest of the drop was a 2006 calendar filled with many inspring pictures of Anne with schoolchildren, Anne with a senior, Anne with community volunters, with police officers, with firefighters, with residents of a homeless shelter, etc. etc.
What I did find very interesting, is that while the November photo showed Canadian veterans at a local Remembrance Day ceremony, it was one of only two calendar photos not to include Ms. McLellan (the other was of a local singing group to which Ms McLellan apparently does not belong). I am left wondering why... Is it because there are no photos of Anne with veterans (something I find hard to believe), or is it because Anne so honours our vets that she's giving them a precious photo without her (though I notice the RCMP and firefighters were not so treated)? Or are there other motives? Because I have a nasty and suspicious mind (one of the reasons, no doubt, I'm drawn to politics), I do feel compelled to note that Mr. Hawn is also Lt. Colonel Hawn (ret.) of the Royal Canadian Air Force, with which he served for 30 years. Maybe, just maybe, there are no votes to be gained in an 'Anne with veterans' photo... Nah, surely even the Liberals aren't so cynical... are they?
Anyway, this is just the first round, the preliminary skirmish, in what is likely to be one of the hardest-fought races in Canada. Should be fun to have a ring-side seat to it!!
The 2006 Race In Edmonton Centre, A Tale of Two Drops...
posted by Quynn at 8:30 p.m.
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