CalgaryLiberal

Almost two weeks ago I wrote a blog post about the challenges that face the Liberal Party of Canada. It received a small bit of media attention and more. In particular, I wrote about building the party outside of it (or, in fact, ‘behind’ it), where I used an iceberg metaphor to show how the 90% of the Liberal Party, behind the names, riding associations, and candidates, should be built up. From this post (and others) many Liberals across the country have buckled down, put their thinking hats on, and have begun the process to build the proverbial ‘iceberg’–the activism, the training, and the leadership building that makes a party possible.

These are people in the party that have said to themselves that change–while possible at the top–doesn’t necessarily has to be so. These are groups that have come into being not from the Ottawa-Toronto area–movements that are coming from across the country from all walks of life, from both new and old Liberals.

I’ve been impressed with how these groups have grown (one facebook group has spurted to almost 500 members–all active, engaged folks involved with their constituencies) and the leadership shown by its many, many leaders. And the greatest thing is that these groups aren’t underneath the thumb of the party’s executives or big wigs–it’s all the membership pushing these groups.

If I’ve missed any please comment below.

Name: New Liberal

Website: http://www.NewLiberal.ca

This website is dedicated to aggregating numerous blog posts, articles, and ideas about building up the Liberal Party of Canada, along with provincial parties. It was set up by Corey Hogan (director of the Alberta Liberal Party) and is being pushed by a lot of Alberta Liberals. Of particular note is how it’s set up: that it’s encouraging people to get into their constituency associations, their provincial territorial associations, and building that local strength in the party.

It calls for grabbing 20 of your buddies and getting involved locally, eventually building a “movement within a movement” to push the party in a new direction. It’s grassroots politics at its most basic level and the group serves as an idea posting board for bloggers, writers, and activists to spread their message. I’ve been featured on it, too.

 

Name: Clear Grits

Website: (Facebook) http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_200463776655579

In homage of the Clear Grits of the 19th century, this group of party stalwarts have joined together over social media. The Clear Grits were called that then because of their tenacity and determination, and the term actually alludes to the type of grit (‘sand’) used in bricklaying. It’s also a name used by a bunch of angry farmers in the prairies who were angry with the government and organized. I can’t think of a better name for a reform movement than the Clear Grits.

They share links, ideas, events, and meet ups on their facebook page. A lot of young liberals are involved in this group, like Youth Prime Minister Max Naylor of the Canadian Youth Assembly (disclaimer: I use to be one of his ministers).

 

Name: Liberal Party of Canada Phoenix Project

Website: http://www.liberalphoenix.ca

This group of Liberals have made it their focus to build up and train the skills of those involved in activism at all levels of government. I really like this group of Liberal reformers because they’ve chosen a direction and kept it limited in its scope: and it fills a rather important niche in rebuilding the party.

My training in all things political have come from a few hours at random conferences that I’ve attended–and mostly these have to do with light skimming of techniques and a heavy dose of electoral rules/regulations. The real election training I’ve received have been through a full semester course with Dr. Thomas Flanagan at the University of Calgary for campaigning in Canadian elections and then a Leadership Institute weekend training seminar put on by Craig Chandler (yes, that Craig Chandler). Note that these fellows are on the Conservative side of the political divide–and for good reason: from my research and searching only the Conservatives deem it necessary to train their activists beyond just conventions.

I’ve asked about Liberal Universities (events for election training) when I’ve attended Liberal Party of Canada in Alberta meetings–and each time they say it’s up to the election readiness chair to put it in motion. That elections readiness chair, by the way, stops working at his or her duties after an election and another is reappointed as little as six months away from the next election. That isn’t sustainable and nor is it smart. I look forward to the Phoenix Liberals pushing hard in their training of the next generation of Liberal partisans because the party right now is more than incompetent in this area.

I actually have met the guy who put the website up–Ray Larson–who is also the president of the Saanich Gulf-Islands Liberal association.

 

Name: Liberals Rebuilding the Liberal Party

Website: (Facebook) http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_146023798799822

This is another social media-based group of people sharing ideas, policies, training, and articles. This group has, in the last few weeks, jumped from little under a hundred Liberals to over five-hundred–a clear statement of Liberals wanting to build up their party. Sadly this is a closed forum for discussion and requires that you apply to join. In a way this is a good thing, seeing that it focusing both the discussion and eliminates possible bad eggs from pulling the group’s focus away from rebuilding the party.

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