NDP announce 2015 SDSG riding executive

NDP announce 2015 SDSG riding executive

By Adam Brazeau 
CORNWALL, Ontario – Same faces, and a few new titles.

The “new” executive of the Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry Provincial and Federal NDP riding associations were announced at joint annual general meetings on March 11 at the Navy Veterans Association in Cornwall.

The local NDP’s ‘Lynch-pin’ is once again in the driver’s seat.

Brian Lynch was re-elected as president of both the SDSG provincial and federal NDP riding associations. On the provincial side he’s been at the helm for seven consecutive years, and the latter for five years.

“We’re in a healthy position to run a good campaign,” said Lynch.

“We have younger people coming in and we’re preparing for them to move up in the upcoming years.”

Also elected to serve on the 16-member local NDP riding associations’ executives: Coun. Carilyne Hebert, who formerly was the youth representative is now vice-president; Paul Aubin, recording secretary; Coun. Elaine MacDonald, who formerly was vice-preseident is now chief financial officer; Madeleine Lebrun, women’s representative; Marc Benoit, youth representative; Trevor Tolley, Darlene Jalbert, Marion Adams, Jack St. Thomas, Patricia Sylvia, David Mcilveen, Ken Smith, Diane Marshall, Jean Patenaude, and Patrick Burger as members-at-large.

Lynch and MacDonald were also elected as the local NDP provincial councillors.

Lynch said the local NDP riding association’s candidate search committee has been busy preparing for the October 19th federal election.

The local NDP nomination meeting, where a candidate or candidates to run against incumbent Conservative MP Guy Lauzon will be announced, is scheduled for this spring.

Lynch said the riding association has already spoken to several potential candidates. He confirmed that Mario Leclerc, the SDSG NDP Federal candidate in the 2011 election, will not be running.

Lynch praised Federal NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair for putting forward “progressive policies to make life better and fairer for everyday Canadians,” such as a universal child care program, a $15 an hour federal minimum wage, greater support for seniors and veterans, generous transfers for healthcare, initiatives to create good paying jobs in manufacturing and the small business sector, and higher corporate taxes. 

Lynch added: “When the federal election comes, people will see that the Federal NDP under the thoughtful, experienced leadership of Thomas Mulcair is the real, progressive alternative to the heavy-handed, anti-democratic Harper Conservatives and the arrogant, unprincipled Trudeau Liberals with their lack of policies and record of broken promises.”

At the provincial level, he noted that the Ontario NDP was working hard at Queen’s Park to hold the “scandal-plagued” Liberal Government to account. 

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