August 18, 2002

For immediate release:             ALL MEDIA OUTLETS

97% of Liberals vote for leadership convention

Members of the Kitchener-Waterloo Federal Liberal Association attending the Annual General Meeting this evening were given a ballot (similar to the one used by the Liberal Party of Canada in the last leadership review) on whether the Liberal Party should hold a leadership convention.

From November to January, Liberals in every riding across Canada will vote on whether or not they wish the Party to hold a leadership convention.  In this preview of the upcoming fall vote, the only vote in a riding to date, 307 members of the Kitchener-Waterloo Liberal Association attended and voted, a surprisingly large turnout for a Sunday evening and 97% of those voted in of favour having a leadership convention. (297 "Yes" to a leadership Convention, 9 "No" and 3 spoiled.

Some members who could not be present, feeling that this is an important process, marked the sample ballots shown on the meeting announcements and mailed them in: 38 "Yes" and 2 "No" (95% to 5% in favour of a leadership convention).

Also present were Liberal MPs Geoff Regan (Halifax West) and Joe Volpe (Eglinton-Lawrence).  Mr. Volpe commented: "Kitchener-Waterloo is clearly reflective of the country."  He also remarked: "If citizens get the politicians they deserve, then Kitchener-Waterloo must be of the first category, judging by the MP Andrew Telegdi."

"An overwhelming response," was Mr. Regan's reaction when the tally was announced.

Marva Wisdom, LPC(O) President for Southwest Ontario told the audience: "If that's not democracy at work, I don't know what is."

Michael Carty, FCA, supervised the balloting and offered his hearty congratulations to the volunteers, ".impressed by their diligence and enthusiasm" during the two and a half hours of balloting.

Shawky Fahel, President of the Kitchener-Centre Federal Liberal Association, observed the proceedings and offered his congratulations on a great Annual General Meeting. Of the poll, he observed: "It is a fallacy to think that if a Member of Parliament signed a letter of support for the Prime Minister, he or she is capable of delivering their constituents."

Says Richard Clausi, President of the K-W Federal Liberal Association:  "We feel that this is a good reflection of the mood of the country. We will now proceed accordingly."

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Text of Andrew Telegdi's address:

Leadership is a normal part of the democratic process for political parties in Canada.

This past spring the Canadian Alliance replaced their leader and this summer the NDP and the Conservative Parties announced that they will be holding leadership conventions to allow for leadership renewal.

Today, there is a great debate in the Liberal Party on whether or not a leadership convention should be held. Jean Chrétien was elected as leader of the Liberal Party in 1990. He became Prime Minister because he was leader of this party when it formed the government in 1993. He is Prime Minster today because he has remained leader of the Liberal Party through two more majority Governments.

The Constitution of the Liberal Party calls for a leadership review in which all members of the Party are entitled to vote on whether a leadership convention should be held. Every riding association will call a meeting between November 12 and January 16 to have a secret ballot on a leadership review. The ballots will then be sent to Ottawa to be counted for the Biennial national Policy Convention in February 2003. During the convention, delegates will also participate in a separate vote on this question. A leadership convention must called if the Prime Minister fails to get more than fifty percent of either the general membership vote or the delegates' vote. Both results will be announced at the same time at the convention.

In the event of a leadership convention, party members can have a say in who will be the next Prime Minister of Canada through their right to participate in the selection of their riding's delegates who will vote at the leadership convention. This is an extremely important decision in which all Liberal party members can participate.

On May 29, I told the Prime Minister in National Caucus that it is the democratic right of party members to vote their conscience on the question of leadership review. I also stated that the debate on review should be respectful, and it should be viewed as part of the renewal process for our Party. Regretfully, that has not been the case. Liberals favouring a leadership convention have been accused by surrogates of the Prime Minister of being disloyal to the Prime Minister and of being disloyal to the Liberal Party.

The spin that it would be disloyal to vote against Jean Chrétien is fallacious. I told the Prime Minister that I supported him in two leadership reviews and I also supported him in trying to remove John Turner as the leader in the duly constituted 1986 leadership review. Just as my actions then did not make me, or for that matter Jean Chrétien, a disloyal Liberal, neither does my favouring a leadership convention now make me a disloyal Liberal.

We are engaged in a free and democratic debate over the leadership of our party and country as laid out in the Liberal Party Constitution. No one, I repeat, no one has the right to stifle that debate. The efforts by the Prime Minister and his surrogates to pressure MPs to sign a loyalty pledge supporting the Prime Minister in a leadership review or face caucus expulsion or other sanction, is anti-democratic and contemptuous of the Liberal Party Constitution. It is also an elitist attitude that undermines the role of the grass roots of the Liberal Party who are the ultimate decision makers on whether or not there will be a leadership convention. Liberals owe their loyalty to Canada, the Liberal Party and the Liberals ideals and not to any one individual or those who benefit from maintenance of the status quo.

How does it serve the Liberal Party to have the Prime minister and his surrogates undermine the leadership review process of our own Liberal Party constitution?

How does it serve the Liberal Party to conduct personal attacks against Paul Martin, the most popular Liberal in the country, and those favouring a leadership review?

How does it serve the Liberal Party not to heed the call for renewal from Liberals and Canadians?

The executive of the Kitchener-Waterloo Federal Riding Association recently passed a unanimous resolution to work for a leadership convention. The membership of our association tripled in recent months to nearly 1300 members. I urge each and every one of you to talk to you friends, neighbours and colleagues to help increase those numbers.

Tonight we are voting whether or not we should have a leadership convention. I will take the results to the National Liberal Caucus Meeting that will take place in Quebec this coming Tuesday to Thursday.

Membership in the Liberal Party is open to all Canadians who subscribe to its principles. Considering the present circumstances in the party, we desperately need to have an open dialogue among all party members over its future direction. No matter the outcome, at the end of the day, the party will be stronger and the country will be a better place. I urge all Canadians to become engaged in this debate.