Policy: Northern Telecommunications Rehabilitation

Trevor — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 03:06:52 +0000

Abstract

Internet in isolated communities, especially in the Canadian North, is expensive and limited. With the end of the Community Access Program, seed funding is now gone for a number of communities. Like the railway of the 19th century, the internet and modern telecommunications can link the country and make the distances between our citizens seem smaller. It is also a platform for entrepreneurship and job creation in small communities, not to mention an invaluable tool for education. To that end, the OYL will urge the Liberal Party of Canada to push for a Northern telecommunications strategy to expand infrastructure and improve access, both at community access points and in homes, and to provide training and education. This would be done in partnership with private industry, sourced through an open, transparent, and competitive bidding process.

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Federal

Northern Canada Telecommunications Rehabilitation

Trevor LaForce | Ottawa West-Nepean Young Liberals

WHEREAS modern internet and communications technologies are powerful tools in education;

WHEREAS isolated communities in the Northern provinces and the territories, especially Nunavut, are frequently without access to broadband internet access;

WHEREAS the availability of internet and communications technology provides tools for entrepreneurship, new innovation, and job creation;

and WHEREAS the end of the Community Access Program will cause disruptions in staffing and services in Northern community access points;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Ontario Young Liberals urge the Liberal Party of Canada to adopt a renewed Northern telecommunications plan as part of its platform.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT such a telecommunications plan would involve an expansion of the available infrastructure and an affordable cost to communities and individuals for both community access points and in-home service.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT any contracts awarded for the expansion of northern telecommunications infrastructure be done via an open, transparent, competitive bidding process.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT this plan would provide funding to communities for training programs and grants for improved technical education in schools.

Policy: Nationalization of Canadian Oil Industries for Canadians

Trevor — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 02:57:26 +0000

Abstract

Foreign ownership of and profit from the Alberta oil sands is at an all-time high. Environmental concerns are frequently ignored, and the cost of Canadian oil and gas to Canadians is rising. Further, oil interests exercise unprecedented influence in politics. In order to begin correcting these issues, Canadian oil should be nationalized and new emphasis placed on forward-looking, clean, renewable technologies and fuels.

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Federal

Nationalization of Canadian Oil Industries for Canadians

Brian Wallin | Ottawa West-Nepean Young Liberals

WHEREAS the Alberta oil sands are three-quarters foreign owned, with forty percent of profit going to foreign-owned companies;

WHEREAS new technologies and forms of energy are not pursued to the same degree as pipelines;

WHEREAS oil companies try to undermine the political process in order to benefit themselves;

WHEREAS the production of oil is often not environmentally friendly and has ill effects on the lives of Canadians who live near production sites;

WHEREAS the individual in society cannot be free when the high cost of living supercedes their value as great Canadian resources;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Federal Liberal Party of Canada seek the nationalization of Canadian oil for Canadian people.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT a Liberal government would advance research into clean, renewable sources of energy through incentive and stimulus to those industries.

Policy: Funding Green Energy in New Homes

Trevor — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 02:50:33 +0000

Abstract

Currently, low-impact sources of energy are not cost-effective. Limited, large-scale projects like wind and solar farms are good first starts, but putting those technologies on all doorsteps would jumpstart the industry. By providing a granting program to subsidize the installation of those technologies in new-built homes, contractors would be able to not only construct homes that minimize their impact on the environment and reduce lifetime energy costs for homeowners. This would create partnerships between green and traditional industries, scale up production of green technologies to be more cost-effective for homeowners who want to retrofit existing homes, and expand green-collar industries installing and servicing these new technologies.

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Provincial

Funding Green Energy in New Homes

Trevor LaForce, Brian Wallin and Josh Kaine | Ottawa West-Nepean Young Liberals

WHEREAS the rate of adoption of green technologies in the home is still low;

WHEREAS Ontario should continue to set a national example in the use and financing of renewable energy;

WHEREAS the Ontario Liberal Party currently supports the use green technologies such as wind and solar farms;

WHERAS a state funded program would reduce the overall cost of these technologies for consumers;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT Ontario provide cost offsets in the form of granting programs to companies involved in the construction of homes to ensure pre-sale installation of technologies to reduce a household’s environmental footprint.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT a wide variety of technologies be supported by this program, including: geothermal wells, solar panels, rooftop wind turbines, rain collection and filtration, as well as technologies for waste management and repurposing.

BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED THAT these funds be awarded on a pre-agreed per-technology, per-home basis.

Policy: Forward-Looking Education in Ontario

Trevor — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 02:42:13 +0000

Abstract

Ontario’s education system is outdated. Architected in the 19th century to service an emerging industrial base and saddled with pre-Confederation-era legislation, the current primary and secondary systems are increasingly unable to produce students who go on with healthy living, fitness, life skills, and basic job skills. Universities must cater to underperforming first-year classes. Health care must cater to less naturally healthy individuals. And students are not civic-minded individuals; the voting population is dwindling and gentrified. This policy calls for a commission to recommend reforms to Ontario’s education system, so that a student’s education is designed for lifelong learning, health, civic engagement, and self-sufficiency.

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Provincial

Forward-looking Education in Ontario

Trevor LaForce | Ottawa West-Nepean Young Liberals

WHEREAS Ontario’s current education system has its roots in 19th-century British models;

WHEREAS the underlying structure of the education system is designed to service an industrial-age economy;

WHEREAS today’s digital natives interact with information and their learning in ways not planned for by the architects of our education system;

WHEREAS new media and information technologies mean that education is no longer bound to the classroom;

WHEREAS university programs are increasingly forced to cater to a lack of basic skills, such as essay-writing, time management, and communication;

WHEREAS the rising levels of childhood obesity and juvenile diabetes, amongst other concerns, showcase a need for a more comprehensive look at youth health and nutrition;

WHEREAS the burden on health care and welfare services can be reduced by ensuring that students have life and job skills to maintain their own health and employment;

WHEREAS voter turnout is in decline and gentrified;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the province call a commission in order to recommend reforms to the education system and curriculum.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT health, fitness, life skills, basic job skills, and civics be priorities in this study, and that recommendations be focused on creating a holistic education incorporating these elements.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the aforementioned elements be incorporated at all stages of education to design for lifelong learning.

Example Policy

Trevor — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 22:08:18 +0000

Hey Young Liberals!

Policy Parliament is right around the corner, and as such, it’s time to flex our own policy muscles.

We’ll of course workshop our policies at our upcoming policy meeting (go and vote on a time if you haven’t already!) but here’s a place to start building out your idea.

Federal/Provincial – is your policy going to affect only Ontario or the country at large?

Title – Keep it simple, direct, and to the point.

Authorship – WHO ARE YOU!?

Preamble – “Whereas” statements, providing the background for and basis of your policy. Why do we care? Why is this important?

Direction – Your BIRT statements. What are we going to do about it? What position or actions are we going to take?

Here’s an example I happened across and borrowed from oyl.org. It’s from their 2010 Summer Fling policy document:

FEDERAL

HIGH SPEED RAIL IN CANADA: DEVELOPING A PROGRESSIVE RAIL SYSTEM, WHILE ENSURING A GREEN FUTURE

Jessica Stark and Richard Francella

WHEREAS Canada’s railway system is currently an important travel option for Canadians and is an economically and environmentally justifiable alternative to other means of transportation which produce higher emissions,

WHERAS Canada is subject to strong public pressure to achieve its carbon emission reduction targets as per the Copenhagen Accord,

WHERAS VIA Rail currently faces low ridership due to its slow travel times and aging infrastructure,

WHEREAS high speed rail has been proven to have extremely positive effects on tourism in both Europe and Asia,

WHEREAS the United States has recently unveiled a high speed rail proposal of its own, and has urged Canada to also adopt a high speed rail system in order to compliment this planned network,

WHERAS over 80% of Canadians favour the prospect high speed rail, according to a 2009 EKOS poll,

WHEREAS a high speed rail system will provide an inter-provincial transportation option that has no reliance on foreign oil and provides efficient travel times for Canadians,

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Ontario Young Liberals urge the Liberal Party of Canada to significantly increase funding and create a policy for a high speed railway system as part of its platform.

BE IT FURTHER RESOVED THAT this system would link major cities in widely used rail corridors in order to increase employment and ensure green and efficient transportation for Canadians.

BE IT FUTHER RESSOLVED THAT Canada would investigate the prospect of linking its high speed system with that of the United States in order to ensure travel constancy on shared routes.

So what are your policy ideas? Let’s get writing!

Paddle your own canoe, guys and gals,

Trevor

Meeting Notes – June 25th, 2012

Trevor — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 15:58:37 +0000

We had a full house at the Royal Oak and a full schedule!

Topics on the agenda included:

Recent and upcoming events, including the Golf Classic, Senior’s Tea, Policy Parliament, Summer Fling, and Capital Pride.

The OYL AGM, which Mr. B said “went pretty well.”

Our own OWNYL AGM, tentatively scheduled for August 20th.

A strategy to get into Algonquin College for recruitment.

Regular monthly meetings, and the location for them.

Read more in the minutes! It was great to see everyone! Thanks for coming out, folks–and special thanks to our new Eastern Region Coordinator, Allison, for making an appearance!

Minutes, June 25th, 2012

Paddle your own canoe, guys and gals.

-Trevor

A New Generation

Brian Wallin — Fri, 25 May 2012 04:52:02 +0000

What is Canada? Is it a country built upon the foundations of two dominant cultures? Is it a country which believes in freedom and prosperity? Following these questions are usually passionate opinions about anything from history, social justice, economics, all the way to government. Now, these perspectives are perhaps answered differently by those of us who would identify as Aboriginal peoples –First Nations, Metis, or Inuit. For centuries, on this side of the planet now known as North America, there were -and still are- many distinct peoples, from the East to the West, North to South. Today, this population is about 1,172,790 plus, and the median age of Aboriginal people, since the 2006 census, is 27. In comparison to the median age of non-Aboriginals there is a ten year gap. As an Algonquin Young Liberal I see this as an opportunity to engage with young Aboriginal people across the country. The ten year gap means that there are many interests that are not being met by traditionally non-Aboriginal institutions, such as parliament. This New Generation of Aboriginal people will either have to live with the ideals of a disillusioned Harperland, or the prospect of a new Just Society. In this article there will be some suggestions on how to engage young Aboriginal people, whether it is through social media or by incentives through the Liberal Party. I will also discuss how Aboriginal voices are capable of being applicable to Canada, while maintaining a foundation of indigenous culture.

Social media is a tool that is very powerful in the organization and distribution of information in contemporary society. Facebook, twitter, and any other form of social media have been mobilized in various ways of organizing people. The Liberal Party should take note of this when trying to branch out to young Aboriginal people. Have an online forum which invites young Aboriginal people into areas that would provide context in the creation of policy. The focus for the Liberal party should be to listen and to respect. If the Liberal Party is capable of providing a foundation for Aboriginal ideas, then peaceful and prosperous relations will follow.

The Liberal Party should also have some incentives that would provide a real look into what it means to be a Young Aboriginal person within Canada. Young Aboriginal people can show what it means to be a member of this country, while being members of their nations. It can also provide a vast rich context of how different places interact with Aboriginal people, whether it is in a fly-in community far north, or in a suburb in Toronto. A suggestion would be to not emphasize such incentives for partisan purposes. This may narrow or turn off people. It should be an incentive to participate, not indoctrinate.

As a young Aboriginal person, one should look at their own body. That body has been inherited by many centuries of survival and community. It is not a product of enslavement, nor of selfishness. It should be acknowledged that it is there for many reasons and many purposes that can be used for a great good. In Canada, that body can provide great insight to a much needed listener. To be active in national politics can serve purposes of a great good. Within every person there is a potential leader. Canada needs these leaders. That being said, it does not mean that being active in the forming of Canada equates to assimilation or conformity. Young Aboriginal leaders should not be told to follow a particular path when there is reason not to. To be a leader means that one will have the strength to retain their culture and to fight for social equality.

As a young Algonquin, I feel it is necessary to say that my opinion is not universal to all Aboriginal people, but an opinion nonetheless. In the past year, I have seen many changes, some positive, but mostly negative. It was pretty cool to be at that Liberal Biennial last January to hear an acknowledgement of the unceded Algonquin territory that the event took place on. It brought a smile across my face. I heard a similar thing said at a Crown-First Nations gathering later said by the Prime Minister. That too brought a smile. What did not bring a smile to my face was the fact that when that wampum belt was revolved to mark a “new relationship,” many budget cuts were aimed at Aboriginal programs and organizations later. Also, Conservative ministers were making claims that Aboriginal people were dysfunctional. To paraphrase, one even said that Aboriginal people hunt every day; therefore there is no problem with food security. I also cringed when I heard that the Prime Minister would rather lay blame at those people in Attawapiskat, rather than to help them. These types of actions and talk do not maintain peaceful relations between Aboriginal peoples and the crown. Liberals should take note of this now. The Liberal Party should take the initiative to try and engage young Aboriginal leaders and to encourage them to lead. By encouraging discussion and participation, peace should follow; and ensuring peace should be at the forefront of every decision, hard or easy. Peace holds communities together. Peace means mutual respect. Peace means prosperity.

Miigwetch, Merci, and Thank You

The Case for a Long-Term Liberal Development Plan

Christie Boyd — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 02:24:41 +0000

In Canadian sport there is a common phrase, Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD). Every sport has created a plan to ensure that they support athlete development and participation over an athlete’s lifetime. These plans include different approaches for varying ages, levels and abilities. The Long-Term Athlete Development model has increased participation throughout all stages of life and helps produce more international medals.

This party could benefit greatly from creating a Long-Term Liberal Development plan. We need to grow as a party. We have some great initiatives already making a difference in this area, but we need sustained growth. It is a wasted opportunity to bring in new members and not have the plans in place on how to ensure they want to stay. The Liberal party needs to look at its membership/supporter data and identify the trends in membership growth and decline.

Young Liberals is a great program and resource for those members who are 14-25. They have a respected voice within the party. The challenge becomes that there is nothing to formally engage those who become recent Young Liberal alumni. More importantly, many of our peers are politically engaged for the first time in their mid to late twenties. They emerge from the “bubble” of student life and become more aware of the political landscape.These prospective members and voters are looking for a party that is addressing issues affecting them. A common concern is the unemployment/underemployment of recent graduates in the current economic climate. They do care about Old Age Security but to them paying off student debt is a more immediate concern.

They are often not considered in party platforms because en masse they don’t vote, but many of them say they don’t vote because none of the parties are addressing their concerns. The idea of political party membership is foreign to them (and the majority of the Canadian population). They can sign up online but then what? How do we reach out and engage them? How do we make sure that they feel a Liberal membership has value and is not simply signing up for frequent emails asking for donations? This age/ life stage demographic is not alone. Although the factors and concerns change, the overall issue remains the same. We need to develop plans and strategies that help Liberals of all stages of life find the return on investment they are looking for in this party.

Most of the political parties in this country continue to focus on growing their traditional bases of support. Political involvement varies widely among different age demographics. A long-term engagement strategy would allow the Liberal party to connect to its members at all ages and stages of life. The concerns, experiences, time commitments, and financial capabilities vary amongst our 14+ aged membership. This diversity can become one of the greatest strengths of our party. For this to happen we must develop a plan that recognizes not only the challenges Liberals of all ages face, but the value each demographic brings to the table.

We need to advocate for Canadians at all stages of life so that every Canadian feels they have something to gain by supporting us. We must find ways to welcome and actively engage new members and supporters of all ages. We should strongly consider creating a Long-Term Liberal Development Plan that ensures we continue to support, engage, and retain our members through-out their lifetime.

Making your mark as a Liberal though canvassing

Josh Kaine — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:18:20 +0000

Co-authored by Josh Kaine, President, OWN Young Liberals and Sheila Gervais

Last fall, when OWNFLA held its “rebuilding” sessions, we repeatedly heard how important it is for the Party’s future to improve its relationship with it members and the community by engaging them more directly. This January, at the LPC’s biennial convention, we discussed how to build the Party into a modern, networked organization that is consultative and collaborative in its approach to public policy development and representation.

And so, when the association decided to hold a community consultation on a very timely issue- especially with our riding’s large aging population – the future of our pensions and Old Age Security (OAS) – we looked at various ways we could encourage members of the general public to come and participate with us, and to let them know that we are concerned not just when an election looms but that we are always interested in what they have to say. We decided to organize a canvass in the neighbourhood closest to our meeting location (the Ron Kolbus Centre)– the Britannia Bay area – to take our project “to the people”.

On the Saturday before the consultation, we assembled a small group of committed canvassers –both experienced and not-so experienced, but all committed Liberals keen on engaging our fellow community members. We also hoped to capture some important information about our constituents in both a broad and a targeted way. Over a period of two hours, armed with flyers about the meeting and the issue (and not so much about the Party), we were able to cover 3 polls, deliver information to about 500 households and speak with close to 100 people. The positive, if somewhat intrigued reaction we received at the doors less than a year after the election of a majority government was encouraging. It was very rewarding to realize later at the consultation that our canvass had encouraged several members of the public to join us and also that we had raised awareness of our association in the process.

People choose to participate in the political process for many reasons, but for many of us there is nothing more enjoyable or more central to the experience of being involved in a political party than canvassing. One of the reasons why it’s so gratifying is that it’s such a social experience. When you go out in a team to canvass, you get to talk to people about why they’ve decided to volunteer their time for the Liberal Party. Whether you’re speaking with strangers or with people whom you already know, you’ll get the chance to discuss and learn something new. In the process, you’ll also get a bit of exercise and you’ll be able to do something fun! That’s ultimately one of the great things about going on a canvass; it’s always a bit of an adventure.

Probably one of the most important reasons to go on a canvass is that you get to speak with residents of local communities. When we went door to door to advertise our OAS event we gave people the chance to talk to us about the ways that they would be affected by changes to the OAS and pensions. We spoke to a number of people who told us that they were pleased to hear from the Liberal Party about the issues including one woman who invited her neighbour out to chat with us as well. She wanted to make sure that her neighbour also heard about our event. Individual experiences like that show that when we reach out to the residents of the community, they appreciate that we want to listen to them.

This illustrates the importance to the Liberal Party of riding associations getting out into their communities talking with people about their individual views and not simply staying in the backrooms devising “policy” and working on electoral technique. The Party benefits from this sort of political activity in a number of ways, first of all because canvassing helps to get information about voters that the Party can use in the next election: information about issues, attitudes and intentions. Canvassing also provides the chance to talk to people on a one-on-one basis about the Liberal Party. Every conversation between a canvasser and a voter is a reminder of what it is that Liberals stand for. That’s another reason why canvassing is so enjoyable: you get to help fight for the policies that you believe in!

Last June Bob Rae said that we have entered an era of the permanent campaign; the campaign for the 2015 election begins now. He was encouraging Liberals to go out and connect with voters in their communities. John Baird or his staff have the chance to talk to constituents every day and that’s why our riding association is working to connect with voters and to encourage local Liberals to go out into the community and consult. The fact that the Ottawa West-Nepean Federal Liberal Association is out canvassing shows how our riding association is working to rebuild the Liberal Party at a grassroots level. That’s why canvassing is so important and that’s why, when you’re with a group of other Liberals, it can be so much fun.

Over the coming months, we hope to be at the doors in our riding regularly and often, discussing issues of general and particular concern, learning from each other and working together to better our community. We hope to create a stronger Liberal Party in our community and a stronger Liberal Party for the country. With such a positive experience from our first effort, we hope many more of you will join us!

Upcoming Federal Newsletter

Josh Kaine — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 17:47:47 +0000

The Ottawa West Nepean Federal Liberal Association’s newsletter is going to be released at some point in the next month. I write a blurb for the youth section every time that it is released and I thought I’d include it here.

The Ottawa West Nepean Young Liberals are more active than ever before! In the last couple months we have been out canvassing and we have been at a bunch of great federal events. We’re thinking about hosting a rebuilding session for Young Liberals and a couple of us are meeting to discuss that on March 18th at 1:00pm at the Royal Oak in Centrepointe. We’re looking forward to being very active in the months to come!

We do need your help with something. We’re looking for new members and we want you to tell any and all youth that you might know to come out to our next full meeting on April 2nd at 7:30pm at the Royal Oak in Centrepointe. Our club provides young Liberals with a chance to talk with other youth about the things that matter to them. Tell your friends between the ages of 14 and 25 about us; they’ll be pleased that you did!

This is, in fact, all very true. We are having a meeting on April 2nd and we would love to see you there!

Cheers,

Josh Kaine