Layton must fire candidate in Durham

For Immediate Release

September 25, 2008

DURHAM - NDP Leader Jack Layton must fire his candidate in the riding of Durham over inappropriate comments he made on the internet this summer on the subject of United States war deserters.

“Mr. Layton must fire his candidate in Durham, Andrew McKeever, who threatened people who didn’t agree with him with physical violence in a web posting,” said Durham Liberal Candidate Bryan Ransom.

The following quotes from Mr. McKeever’s Facebook posts are intolerant and demonstrate lack of fitness for public office:

“Answer a direct f**king question you c**t. I can guarantee, if I ever see you face to face I will make you squeal for the same authority you have such a baseless disdain for” [to a woman poster on the Facebook group]

“...one by one the TraitorCriminalDeserters [US war deserters] will be sent back down south to face the music”

“Boyd [a poster to his Facebook group] if I ever see you anywhere in Toronto I will kick the sh*t out of you”

“There is no room for this kind of vicious, threatening attack in Canadian politics.  These comments are beyond the pale and Jack Layton must denounce them and fire his candidate immediately,” said Dan McTeague, Liberal Candidate for Pickering-Scarborough-East.

The complete exchange may be found at: http://www.liberal.ca/pdf/docs/080925_facebook_mckeever.pdf

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The last few days....

I suppose it has been a few days since my last post... and for that I apologize.  This week has been extremely busy.  On Sunday I began the second week of the campaign, participating in the annual Terry Fox run here in Bowmanville.  From Tuesday onward I have spent the majority of time pounding the pavement from Clarington to Uxbridge.

Tomorrow we will have our Grand Opening of our Uxbridge Office at 7:00 PM.  Please feel free to stop by.  The Hon. John McCallum, PC, MP will be attending and most likely say a few words. 

As the campaign hits the mid way point in the next week keep your eyes open for advertising of coming debates.  

PRESS RELEASE

NDP MISSING IN ACTION IN DURHAM

FOR IMMIDATE RELEASE                                                     

Bowmanville – Since October 2007 Bryan Ransom has been nominated as the Liberal Candidate for Durham.  Following his nomination as the Liberal Candidate in Durham Mr. Ransom has taken a solid approach on advocating for real representation on manufacturing, the environment and agriculture.

The New Democratic Party has spent a great deal of time in Durham suggesting to voters that they are the only party with real alternatives to the Conservative Party of Canada.  Yet almost a week into an election they have failed to nominate a Candidate.  The hypocrisy of the NDP continues to grow as they say they will stand up for residents of Durham who have lost their jobs at GM, but have yet nominated a candidate.

The Liberal Party of Canada has shown that it is the only alternative to the ideological-neo-conservative agenda of Bev Oda and Stephen Harper.  Bryan Ransom continually advocates for those affected by recent layoffs in the manufacturing industry and on local environmental issues. 

Mr. Ransom noted, “Manufacturing employs thousands of people within the riding of Durham.  For a party like the NDP to claim that Liberals do not stand up for these hard working people is misleading, at the very least.   For example, we have been, and continue to be, the only party from Durham riding supporting the workers during the uncertainty at General Motors.”

Earlier this year Mr. Ransom questioned the Government’s willingness to make manufacturing a priority in an open editorial published in the Clarington This Week.   In addition Mr. Ransom spent a considerable amount of time talking with those in the GM truck plant during the blockade at the Oshawa Headquarters to fully understand the concerns and views of the workers.  Mr. Ransom’s advocacy played a role in having Liberal Leader, Stephane Dion, visit workers during the GM blockade. 

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For more information:

www.bryanransom.ca 

Week 1

Week one of the campaign is now starting to wrap up. It has been an exciting week in which I have met new people from all over the riding and learned that there is a need in this riding for representation that will take the voice of Durham to Ottawa. At doorsteps this week I have heard countless frustrations from constituents on issues ranging from income trust, manufacturing, the environment, agriculture, families and health care.

In the coming week my hard working team and I will be making all efforts to reach out and talk to as many people in Durham as possible.

Yesterday was a day full of canvasing and participating in community events. I had the great pleasure last evening of attending the Beef BBQ at Zion United Church. It is always nice to return to Zion and catch up with friends and new members to the community, in Mitchell's Corners.

Following the BBQ I hurried back to Bowmanville for the Grand Opening of our office. It was a packed house and an exciting way to kick off the next 30 days of the campaign. Next Saturday we will have the Grand Opening of our Uxbridge location at 92 Brock St. West. The event will run from 7:00 - 9:00. All are welcome.

Office Openings

This Saturday at 7 PM we will be having our grand opening of our office in Bowmanville.  Please feel free to stop by for some food, drink and good cheer. 

In other news... today was another great day of canvasing in Clarington.  We are also beginning to place signs around the riding.  If you would like a sign please visit the Liberal website and fill out a request.  Our campaign will try our best to have one to you in a timely fashion. 

On the Hustings... Day Three

The campaign is now well underway.  Yesterday morning is what my campaign considered the first real day of campaigning, but technically we are now in day 3.  Yesterday, I started the day with an early morning wave at 6 AM at Liberty and King in Bowmanville.  The rest of the day was spent in various parts of the riding canvasing.  

Today I am out with my team canvasing and will be attending a rally with Stephan Dion and other Durham Region Candidates in Pickering this evening.  For more information on this event please visit bryanransom.ca.

For more information on our leader please visit his new website thisisdion.ca.

I will have an update later this evening on when the grand opening of our offices in Uxbridge and Bowmanville will be happening. 

Bryan 

PRESS RELEASE
Date: September 3, 2008
For release: Immediate

Former Canadian Federation of Agriculture President to run for Liberals in Manitoba

WINNIPEG – Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) President Bob Friesen will be the Liberal candidate for Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia in the upcoming federal election, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion said today.

 
"Bob Friesen has devoted his life to rural Canada and our farming communities," said Mr. Dion at the Liberal caucus meeting in Winnipeg.

 
"Throughout his career, Mr. Friesen has been a strong voice for agricultural producers. I am confident he will represent the Liberal Party with the same passion and determination for the people of Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia as their Member of Parliament in Ottawa."

 

As president of the CFA for the last nine years, Mr. Friesen has represented farmers from every province and every commodity sector. He has also been an advocate for Canadian producers on the world stage through international trade talks with the World Trade Organization.

"Like many people in Canada's farming community, I've been very disappointed by the Conservative government's agricultural policies," said Mr. Friesen. "I'm convinced that the Liberal Party is the best choice for farmers and that is why I am proud to carry the Liberal banner in Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia in the next election."

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In other news I am very pleased at the most recent Liberal green plank to help farmers, truckers and the fisheries adapt to the Green Shift... see below 

Liberals announce new initiatives to help farmers, fishers, truckers and forestry industry go green 

WINNIPEG - A new Liberal government will provide $900 million in green tax incentives and rebates to help the agriculture, forestry, trucking and fisheries industries invest in cleaner technology, reduce their carbon emissions and save money, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion announced today.  

"Through the summer, Canadians came with good ideas to improve the Liberal green shift plan, to make it stronger. And we listened," Mr. Dion told the Liberal caucus at its summer meeting in Winnipeg.  "As a result of this open consultation, it is with great pleasure that I announce today that the Liberal environmental and economic plan will now include $400 million in Emissions Reduction Credits, a $250 million Green Farms Fund and a $250 million Green Fisheries and Transportation Fund."

Mr. Dion said these new initiatives for Canadian farmers, fishers, truckers and the forestry industry are in addition to the significant tax cuts, the Accelerated Capital Cost Allowance for investment in green machinery and equipment, and the green rural credit, already provided in the Liberal green shift plan, which he announced earlier this summer.

Emission Reduction Credits will encourage and reward industries such as farming and forestry that are achieving verified reductions in non-energy greenhouse gas emissions. 

Mr. Dion explained that the Emissions Reduction Credits will work as a bridge towards a cap and trade system that will be created under a new Liberal government in addition to the Liberal green shift plan.

"I have said before that I would like to bring in a cap and trade system that puts a price on carbon and rewards emission reductions," said Mr. Dion. "As we develop our cap and trade system in the coming years, our Emissions Reduction Credits will immediately provide a financial incentive for practices such as minimum-till farming and carbon storage."

A new Liberal government will also invest $250 million into a Green Farms Fund.  This Fund will support research in, and provide rebates on, green farm technologies that reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. 

Similarly, the new Green Fisheries and Transportation Fund would provide $250 million in rebates and incentives for investments in technologies and upgraded equipment that reduce fuel consumption, such as anti-idling power devices for the trucking industry and on-shore power facilities for the fisheries industry.

"The costs of fossil fuels are only going to go up as time goes on. In no uncertain terms, the most effective and sustainable solution is to help farmers, fishers and truckers reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and invest in alternatives. A Liberal government will do just that," said Mr. Dion. 

Mr. Dion said Prime Minister Stephen Harper seems determined to break his own fixed election date law and send Canadians to the polls.

"We will bring together the environment and the economy, not pit them against each other," he said. "We will build a more competitive economy, a cleaner environment, and a fairer society. We will fight the climate change crisis while making Canada more energy efficient. All this is possible. We have the plan; we have the team; we have the leadership."

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