info@quinteliberal.ca 1-888- 554-2372 www.quinte.liberal.ca fb.com/quinteliberal @QuinteFLA P.O. Box 20084, Belleville Ontario, K8N 5V1 January 2015 Newsletter CONTENTS Mayor Ellis says goodbye and hello pg. 1 First Bridge Forum Speaker, Hon Mauril Belanger pg. 2 President s Message pg 2 Veridian: Facts Lost in a Political Smear pg 3 Mauril Belanger pg 6 Harry s Last Stand pg 7 Justin in Artic sunrise https://www.flickr.com/photos/justin trudeau/16056832099/sizes/m/in/ph otostream/ Neil Ellis Looks Toward Election 2015 This month marks the beginning of Neil Ellis major focus on his election as the Federal Liberal Candidate for the Bay of Quinte Association and the end of his two terms as the popular Mayor of the City of Belleville. It appears that the Conservatives have heard that news too and their response shows that any season can be silly season in politics. Please see the article on page 3 of this newsletter for a fulsome reply to Neil s critics. Look for us over the next months as Neil will be busy in conversations with you and your neighbours in all parts of the riding. 1
Bridge Forum 2015 We think that you will be very interested in our developing line up of Bridge Forum Speakers for the new year. First up is popular MP, Mauril Belanger. Thursday, Feb 5 th, Caper s Belleville Hon Mauril Belanger, MP Ottawa Vanier Look for more details on Mauril Belanger on page 3 in this newsletter. Did your membership expire on December 31 st, 2014? Visit Liberal.ca to renew on line or call 1 888 554 2372 Neil Ellis and the Bay of Quinte Association A Message Our President Sometime this year we will have a Federal election. No one expects Mr. Harper to honour the set dates. I would like to focus on an article by Michael Harris, author of The Party of One: Stephen Harper and Canada s Radical Makeover. Most recently Mr. Harris published an article titled CANADA ON FAST TRACK TO A NOT- SO- BENIGN DICTATORSHIP. http://www.ipolitics.ca/2015/01/04/too- many- canadians- willing- to- accept- a- not- so- benign- dictatorship/ In his article Mr. Harris critiques Mr. Harper s performance and presents us with an alarming scenario should Mr. Harper stay in power. Mr. Harris writes: True to his word, Stephen Harper has transformed the country, largely by stealth. Canada is now a nation that spies on its friends, guests and citizens. It accepts foreign intelligence even when there is a likelihood that it was obtained by torture. The government lies to the electorate on policy matters. It accuses veterans of exaggerating their injuries in order to take the taxpayer for a ride. It washes its hands of 2
any stake in the fate of 1200 missing Aboriginal women. It does not practise unite and lead politics, but rather divide and conquer stratagems. A government by any democratic measure in disgrace. You owe it to yourself to read the rest of Mr. Harris article. Needless to say the next election is the most critical in Canadian history. Mr. Harper and Mr. Jodi Jenkins want to continue undermining Canada s democracy. There is too much at stake to not be involved in this election. Our candidate, Neil Ellis, needs your support. Whatever you can contribute financially will help. Also we need your time. We need to win all three municipalities in our riding. Belleville, Prince Edward County and Quinte West need your support. There are many jobs to do. If you feel as strongly as I do, contact us at info@quinteliberal.ca or 1 888 554 2372. John Brisbois President Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/quinteliberal.ca ************** Annual Memberships Expired December 31 st, 2014 Visit Liberal.ca to renew your membership in the Liberal Party. All annual memberships expired on December 31 st, 2015. If you are a Victory Fund Member your membership will renew automatically. By joining the Victory Fund you can have your annual membership rolled over as part of your donation to LPC and to your local Association. Veridian: Facts Lost In a Political Smear Continuity in the leadership of the board is important at this time. Michael Angemeer, CEO Veridian. Never in the city's history has a former, respected, hard- working mayor been so unjustly vilified and smeared in the council chambers of his municipality than that which was seen last week in a disturbing piece of political theatre. Neil Ellis was slandered in a scatter shot of innuendo and unsupported claims by a former political foe, Mitch Panciuk, a failed mayoral candidate and current councillor with close political ties to Neil's current opponent from the Conservative Party. But what was lost in the crude attack on Neil, were the facts outlining his successes and the previous eight years of commitment on the Veridian board of directors a position that pays a per diem totalling about $26,000 a year, which seemed to 3
have drawn the ridiculous accusation that it was a plum appointment. It was also laughingly suggested Neil needs the money while he runs for Parliament in the Bay of Quinte Riding, among other gross and unsupported attacks. Here, then, are some facts about Neil's stellar performance on the Veridian Corporation board: According to information from the Veridian Corporation and Veridian Connections, Neil most recently served as Vice Chair of the Corporation. He and another Board member attended the most meetings of Committees on the board. They attended every one of four Board meetings of both companies as well as 10 out of 10 meetings for both. This adds up to 28 meetings over 2013, the most recent annual report from which those facts were gleaned. Neil assures his attendance and involvement in 2014 were equally busy, if not more so. According to one observer, When one considers the responsibilities/accountabilities of Board members, the amount of time that one spends reading and getting ready for the Board and Committee meetings, the time spent at these meetings and then divide the time by $26,000 in fees, one should realize the stipend is really low considering the time and responsibilities. The travel expense is a no brainer as it is simply reimbursement for out of pocket and travel expenses. Let's not forget, all meetings of the Veridian board and committees took place in Ajax no small feat while fulfilling the duties of mayor without missing a beat. The doctor recruitment program, devised by Neil as mayor in his first term in office and with full support from council, used Veridian funds. The money the city earned from dividends as the city's share of profits from the Veridian corporate sale of electricity to municipal customers in its group has been an unqualified success in attracting more than two dozen family doctors to Belleville. It's a Veridian/Ellis success story that's been left out of the current conversation and mudslinging. Neil's experience, expertise and simply being fully versed on the intricacies of the Veridian board, the workings of the utility and its current crucial negotiations with the massive provincial utility, Hydro One, were seen as key in continuity on the board by the remaining members of the Veridian board and its CEO, Michael Angemeer. Angemeer told Belleville council last week that Neil is highly- experienced in the operation of the 4
$300- million corporation and noted Neil is a key participant in current, ongoing negotiations by Veridian to possibly acquire assets about to be sold by Hydro One. Continuity in the leadership of the board is important at this time, Angemeer said. It s a critical time. That could be a game changer in terms of the distribution of energy in Ontario. Ellis has been heavily involved in merger acquisition discussions. As suggested by Mr. Panciuk, there is no notion of patronage involved in Neil's continuing to do the job on the city's behalf with Veridian. It was a post he started as mayor and it was unanimously recommended that he continue by the board and CEO of the corporation, of which the city is a shareholder and of which Neil has a major stake invested that of the strong future of returns and benefits for Belleville in the successes of Veridian for the benefit of citizens, not to himself. Nothing more, nothing less and it's certainly an ignoble and shameful end, on the part of those who would suggest otherwise, to eight years of commitment to such successes to have a petty political smear close the last chapter on that commitment. The facts and successes speak for themselves on this file. Call to Action Have a conversation with Neil We need YOU, your family, your friends and your neighbours to defeat Stephen Harper in 2015. Call us today to help. Could you host a morning or afternoon coffee party in your home? Would you like to meet Neil or have him cook breakfast while talking about the issues that matter most to you? Give us a call at 1 888 554 2372 to set up a Conversation with Neil in your home or neighbourhood.?????? Did you know that the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has been targeted for an audit by the Canada Revenue Agency? Check out their website and see their response. https://www.policyalternatives.ca/ 5
First Bridge Forum Speaker of 2015 Hon Mauril Belanger The Association is please to announce that the Hon Mauril Belanger, MP for Ottawa Vanier, will be the first of the Bridge Forum speakers in 2015. First elected to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament for Ottawa- Vanier in a by- election in February 1995, Mauril Bélanger was re- elected in the 1997, 2000, 2004 and 2006 general elections. Mr. Bélanger is the Critic for Canadian Heritage. He has previously served as Deputy Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Minister responsible for Official Languages, Minister responsible for Democratic Reform and Associate Minister of National Defence. In May 2005, the Prime Minister asked him to assume additional duties as Minister for Internal Trade. He was first appointed as Deputy Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Chief Government Whip in December 2003. And in July 1998, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage. He held this position until August 2000. He has chaired the Standing Committee on Official Languages and co- chaired the Canada- Africa Parliamentary Group. He has also served as member of the Standing Committees on Industry, Citizenship and Immigration, Canadian Heritage, and of the joint Senate and House of Commons special committees studying bilateral constitutional amendments for Newfoundland and Quebec. He was also a member of the Prime Minister s Task Force on Urban Issues. Prior to entering politics, Mr. Bélanger held various positions in the public and private sectors. In the early 1980s he was an assistant to the 6
late Right Honourable Jean- Luc Pepin, who was then Minister of Transport; afterwards, he worked as a financial advisor and in the early 1990s, was Chief of Staff for the Chair of the Regional Municipality of Ottawa- Carleton. A native of Mattawa, Ontario, Mauril Bélanger and his wife Catherine reside in Ottawa. He is a graduate of the University of Ottawa, where he served as President of the Students Federation. This event is open to the public and it is free. It will take place on Thursday, February 5 th 7pm, Capers Restaurant, 272 Front St. Belleville ON. Harry s Last Stand Often what we are missing in our economic discussions is the perspective of people who lived through the social calamity of the great depression. With a social safety net that is now nearly seventy years old, there are quite simply very few people who lived before it was established, let alone those who are articulate enough to tell us about it. Meet Harry Leslie Smith, an author who splits his time between Belleville Ontario, and England. At ninety- one years old, Harry has written the book Harry s Last Stand, which does just that. In his book he takes us back to pre- war England, which was nearing the end of its industrial supremacy, and where, in the dirty thirties, nearly two thirds of the work force was unemployed. From the rag- and- bones man who gave him his first job, to the pauper s grave of his young sister, to the heartbreak of his parents marriage, he tells us poignant, and often depressing stories of the England of his youth. We are shown, in regret and sadness, in frustration and hopelessness, how the world of austerity looks, from a firsthand account. The tale of his youth is gripping, and not pleasant, and yet Harry has a 7
very direct reason for writing it, especially now when it is so long past. The book is a warning, a compelling argument, that if we do not reject the conservative politics and economics of austerity, of perpetual growth, of corporate control, we will end up there ourselves. Belleville resident Harry Smith, has just returned from a successful book tour in his native Britain. Harry, aged 91 has produced a compelling call to action for today s youth. Follow Harry s message for people of all ages. RENEW, RENEW, RENEW Visit Liberal.ca or call 1 888 554 2372 Volunteer with your local Bay of Quinte Federal Liberals Become active today! Donate to your local Association Call 1 888 554-2372 Email: info@quinteliberal.ca 2015 Bridge Forum Line Up So Far Hon Mauril Belanger, MP, Ottawa Vanier February 5 th, 7pm Capers Restaurant 272 Front Street Belleville Rodger Cuzner, MP, Cape Breton Canso, February 25 th, 7 pm Capers Restaurant, 272 Front St. Belleville 8