Liberals for Linda

Dickson Broomfield adds his voice to the Linda Chorus

Liberals for Linda readers:

The movement for Linda Duncan in Edmonton Strathcona is growing. While we at Liberals for Linda would prefer you to park your ballots with Liberals in areas where we can gain, we have honoured the request from Dickson to publish his letter in its entirety. What follows is that letter, received today.

Submitted by Dickson Broomfield, October 7, 2008

Einstein's Theory of Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

In my opinion, this is what's been happening for the eleven years in Edmonton Strathcona.

It's time for some sanity.

To Rahim Jaffer, being the MP for Edmonton Strathcona seems to be just a job; for Linda Duncan, by my observations, it's a passion.

Linda has not only been extremely active internationally, she's used this experience for the benefit of her home community - that of Edmonton Strathcona.

Linda has my support. She has my friends' and family's votes in Strathcona. And she should have yours.

I live in the riding of Edmonton East - there, Ray Martin has my vote. The fact of the matter is, is that only the NDP has answered my questions about the future of the economy, while caring about the environment, as well as caring that my family is fed.

The Conservative Party has broken promises. They broke the promise to farmers about a new Income Stabilization Act. They broke a promise to put more community police officers on the streets in our communities. And they broke a promise to the Canadian people about fixed election dates - which has already cost taxpayers over $500 million of unnecessary and potentially wasted dollars.

We can make the cost of this election worthwhile if we defeat Conservatives. In Edmonton Strathcona and Edmonton East, and in many more ridings across the country, the vehicle to achieve this is Jack Layton's New Democrats.

I ran as a Liberal in 2004. I wanted to make a difference and get involved. Sadly, I was not elected in that campaign. However, in retrospect, it was a blessing, as I have since had the chance to review my choice of party, and how the various parties reflect my values.

I have come to the firm conclusion that the only way for real change of a positive nature is with the NDP.

In closing, the views of Jack Layton's New Democrats come from the family room, not the boardroom. For the economy, for our health care system and social supports, and for action on the environment, Linda Duncan, Ray Martin, Jack Layton, and the NDP family have it right.

I've already explained the definition of insanity - it's time to stop it. Strathcona Liberals vote Linda, the rest? Vote NDP!

Dickson Broomfield
2004 AB Liberal Candidate, Lac La Biche-St. Paul

dickson.broomfield@gmail.com

Unite for Change.

Wednesday. 3:30 pm. Edmonton. Last week.

I'm sitting in a friend's office looking at a stretch of downtown, and across Collins Road to where I live. Lots of Blue signs dotting that way...

And I wonder. How could we possibly continue electing Rahim Jaffer?

I mean, as a community we're progressive. The federal Strathcona riding is a large one, true, much larger than it is provincially. Bordered by the North Saskatchewan at the north and west, Whitemud Drive at the south, and the city's edge at the east, the riding takes part or most of the provincial constituencies of Riverview, Strathcona, Gold Bar, and Mill Creek.

And of course, of the four seats, three of those are held by non-Conservative parties provincially.

It's become very clear to me that progressive people residing in the federal riding of Strathcona must cast aside their party allegiances in order to defeat Rahim Jaffer.

And more and more people I speak to agree: the NDP's Linda Duncan has the best shot of taking the seat and breaking the Tory blue hold on Alberta in this election campaign.

The conditions are ripe for an upset.

Some notable local bloggers have characterized Liberal candidate Claudette Roy as weak, at best.

Others have speculated that, in fact, her selection as the Liberal candidate in S'cona was a deliberate attack on votes of the right, intentionally leaving the left-leaning Liberal vote to Linda, thus defeating Jaffer.

Meanwhile, due to Duncan's rather lengthy credentials as a champion for environmental issues, area Green Party voters and activists are actively championing her cause, in turn. In this case, a former Green candidate states rather unequivocally that "in this riding, the best environmental candidate on the ballot is Linda Duncan."

An excellent blog here went so far as to say that "the only legitimate anti-Jaffer vote is a Linda Duncan vote."

The blogger, Conrad of GreenEdmonton.ca, has built a visually stunning graphic showing that 2006 Duncan was within striking distance of Jaffer (left).

Duncan's credentials have been well cataloged elsewhere. But suffice it to say that her hands-on work for Lake Wabamun, her policy work as the Assistant Deputy Minister for Renewable Resources for the Yukon, and her international work for countries like Indonesia, Bangladesh and Jamaica on environmental enforcement, leaves many of us duly impressed.

Wow. We need this woman as our MP.

That brings us up to the present. Myself, as a Liberal voter, some friends, as Liberal activists and candidates, are uniting for change with Linda.

We're hoping that if you consider yourself to be a progressive voter and you live in Edmonton Strathcona, you will cast your ballot for Linda Duncan too.

For the environment. For health care. For Strathcona - or for 'Anybody but Jaffer'. For all of us. Liberals for Linda!