Nothing like having momentum on our side.
Over forty new members signed up in last two weeks.
Our grassroots form of campaigning can beat the $100,000 phoning campaign that Gordon Campbell has underway in Vancouver Point Grey.
They've actually phoning our campaign team as well.
From what we're hearing people are seeing through the environmental good news that the Liberals are starting to release. Great to see Cathedral Grove on the Tofino highway enlarged to 500 acres. Imagine that the Liberals will look to highlight the impending Great Bear Rainforest announcement as well. Don't get me wrong preserving these rainforests is the best news that I've heard all week (it was good to get my car filled up on waste vegetable oil again and be running Green House Gas neutral as well). But you have to wonder about the timing of all these Green annoucements. The Liberals are scared in Vancouver Point Grey. They know the people want to send some Green MLA's to Victoria. Wouldn't it be great if Gordon Campbell had to force one of his colleagues to vacate their riding seat so he could sit in the house.
I can't wait to champion renewable energy and preventative health care in the house.
It was another non stop week.
Rafe Mair show ~ Rafe was easy on us first time candidates (Gregor and I), I loved how he blasted the Liberals for not sending anyone and asking Rafe not to do the show, I was strong on fish farms but considering my economics background I should have hit a home run on the budget question, next time
UBC tabling ~ we're trucking along and building support for the Green Party across the lower mainland
UBC Law School Environmental Policy Forum ~ felt pretty good about the debate, check out the photo, it was a frightening hommogenous group of candidates, can't wait to see the gender diverse Greens in Vancouver Quilchena and Vancouver Mount Pleasant stir it up ... we signed up 6 new members after the debate .... I must of done all right ... there was no real winner though
Good news ~ our phamplets are ready, watch for them, they're sharp, thanks Chris!
Canvassing tommorrow ~ call us if interested, we're going to knock on 1000 doors tommorrow
Today
-Critical Mass Bike Rally 4 PM
Saturday
-canvassing ~ 1000 doors will be knocked on, see us at Capers
-Better World Handbook Festival tommorrow afternoon / evening
Tuesday, 7 PM
-Lower mainland Green Team social @ The Elephant Walk Pub (41st & Knight)
-Andrea Reimer will be speaking at 7:15 PM
Wednesday, noon
-Raven Bowen's campaign launch party at the Lotus Hotel
Friday, 2 PM
-teachers union social at Toby's Pub on Commercial Dr.
Sunday April 3, 2PM
-I'll be speaking on poverty issues at the Wosk Centre for International Dialouge
-Imagine that the Liberals will be invisible like our breeding spotted owl population in Chilliwack
We came 2nd in Vancouver Point Grey in 2001 so if you want to remove Gordon Campbell we suggest you vote Green in 52 days.
Cheers,
Damian
Friday, March 25, 2005
Monday, March 21, 2005
The momentum continues to grow
Another exhilarating week on the campaign trail.We started again at UBC and were happy to see our efforts pay off with positive coverage in their print and the radio. Thanks to Dan from CiTR's Solarization as his tough questions will only help the Baptism of Fire on Rafe Mair's show tomorrow morning.
Our Whistler trip to meet with a Guru of Sustainability, Mayor O'Reilly, has paid dividends with a positive story in the Whistler Pique.You have to love those elected officials who welcome public discourse on issues of sustainability and The Natural Step regardless of partisan stripe.
Had some television time this week on Community TV. Pedro, the interviewer, is one of the most sincere and socially caring individuals that I have met in some time. It was fascinating to learn about perpetual polling. Sorry Pedro, we are pragmatic in Vancouver Point Grey. We have the opportunity to make small positive changes to our electoral system now. Any moderate move to more proportionality is a move in the right direction. Check out Channel 4 next Saturday at 6 PM or Sunday at 9PM. Drop me a line and tell me what you think.
We want to walk the talk at UBC and thus The Green Party Team entered in Canada's largest intramural event, "Storm the Wall" and came 2nd in our heat. It was nice to meet Mel. He seems like a nice man. I wonder how many of his younger than 40 supporters will end up voting Green in Vancouver Point Grey.
This week will be a barnburner. Coffee and conversation party tomorrow night. There are some very sharp environmental and media professionals coming over. Imagine the Q&A session will resemble a Natural Step Masters Program class in Sweden.
UBC, canvassing, and UBC Law School Environmental on Wednesday this week. The Liberals are avoiding us like the plague right now. No show at the HEU, no show on Rafe tommorrow I understand and no show at UBC Law School debate last I heard. Hmm what does that say about they're respect for democracy.
Here's to Stephen Abbott Communications and to squashing Pitfall Number Five for First Time Political Candidates (running to lose) ... Jim Green lost by 1463 votes in 1996.
I did not leave a good job to lose this election.
Drop us a line to co-create history in Vancouver Point Grey.
Sincerely,
Damian
Our Whistler trip to meet with a Guru of Sustainability, Mayor O'Reilly, has paid dividends with a positive story in the Whistler Pique.You have to love those elected officials who welcome public discourse on issues of sustainability and The Natural Step regardless of partisan stripe.
Had some television time this week on Community TV. Pedro, the interviewer, is one of the most sincere and socially caring individuals that I have met in some time. It was fascinating to learn about perpetual polling. Sorry Pedro, we are pragmatic in Vancouver Point Grey. We have the opportunity to make small positive changes to our electoral system now. Any moderate move to more proportionality is a move in the right direction. Check out Channel 4 next Saturday at 6 PM or Sunday at 9PM. Drop me a line and tell me what you think.
We want to walk the talk at UBC and thus The Green Party Team entered in Canada's largest intramural event, "Storm the Wall" and came 2nd in our heat. It was nice to meet Mel. He seems like a nice man. I wonder how many of his younger than 40 supporters will end up voting Green in Vancouver Point Grey.
This week will be a barnburner. Coffee and conversation party tomorrow night. There are some very sharp environmental and media professionals coming over. Imagine the Q&A session will resemble a Natural Step Masters Program class in Sweden.
UBC, canvassing, and UBC Law School Environmental on Wednesday this week. The Liberals are avoiding us like the plague right now. No show at the HEU, no show on Rafe tommorrow I understand and no show at UBC Law School debate last I heard. Hmm what does that say about they're respect for democracy.
Here's to Stephen Abbott Communications and to squashing Pitfall Number Five for First Time Political Candidates (running to lose) ... Jim Green lost by 1463 votes in 1996.
I did not leave a good job to lose this election.
Drop us a line to co-create history in Vancouver Point Grey.
Sincerely,
Damian
Sunday, March 13, 2005
63 days to go
Evening,
Blazing away on the campaign trail.
A dessert party ~ #3 they're getting bigger and better, 20 voters
Wine and cheese at Campoverde ~ hosted by a few of the Weiler's, 35 voters
Meeting with the Mayor of Whistler ~ a sustainability sage of sorts
A Tree Trek in Whistler with guided tour by Charles ~ ZipTrek / TreeTrek ... you have to love a company that promotes sustainability and creates 103 full time jobs
UBC campainging ~ UBC does hold the balance of power
Canvassing through polls 22 & 23 ~ the positive response in this poll is incredible, people are signing up for memberships and making donations (News Flash: George Puil is supporting the Liberal candidate, no real suprise, Mr. Puil put in decades of public service ~ thx, he does note the rise of Green Parties around the world, sure hope politics doesn't mean that my garden will be fertilized by someone)
Campaigning and yoga ~ Eoin Fynn, love the support from Vancouver's reflective and belly laughing yoga instructor champion, 45 voters
Campaigning at Jason Mogus house warming ~ an unexpected and brief chat, there's a guy who's changing the world on line for the better
Candidate training video's: The Candidate, Primary Colors, Bob Roberts
Candidate schedule this week:
CiTR interview, UBC Campaigning, Energy lunch, poll 45 canvassing, candidate coaching session, WCWC election event, Public Education Forum
7 wine and cheese ~ coffee and conversation parties on the schedule ... let me know if you'd like to attend one
Out of the blog and into the campaign,
Damian
Blazing away on the campaign trail.
A dessert party ~ #3 they're getting bigger and better, 20 voters
Wine and cheese at Campoverde ~ hosted by a few of the Weiler's, 35 voters
Meeting with the Mayor of Whistler ~ a sustainability sage of sorts
A Tree Trek in Whistler with guided tour by Charles ~ ZipTrek / TreeTrek ... you have to love a company that promotes sustainability and creates 103 full time jobs
UBC campainging ~ UBC does hold the balance of power
Canvassing through polls 22 & 23 ~ the positive response in this poll is incredible, people are signing up for memberships and making donations (News Flash: George Puil is supporting the Liberal candidate, no real suprise, Mr. Puil put in decades of public service ~ thx, he does note the rise of Green Parties around the world, sure hope politics doesn't mean that my garden will be fertilized by someone)
Campaigning and yoga ~ Eoin Fynn, love the support from Vancouver's reflective and belly laughing yoga instructor champion, 45 voters
Campaigning at Jason Mogus house warming ~ an unexpected and brief chat, there's a guy who's changing the world on line for the better
Candidate training video's: The Candidate, Primary Colors, Bob Roberts
Candidate schedule this week:
CiTR interview, UBC Campaigning, Energy lunch, poll 45 canvassing, candidate coaching session, WCWC election event, Public Education Forum
7 wine and cheese ~ coffee and conversation parties on the schedule ... let me know if you'd like to attend one
Out of the blog and into the campaign,
Damian
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Post Secondary Education
The BC Green Party is committed to eliminating all postsecondary tuition fees. This would be phased in over time, but is necessary to allow improved access for all British Columbians to higher education. When Gordon Campbell came to power in 2001, he promised a 5% reduction in tuition fees. Instead his government has doubled tuition fees for all postsecondary students over the past four years. Three months before the election he’s promising to tie future tuition increases to inflation only. Do you believe him?
What’s worse is that none of the money from tuition fee increases has gone into education funding. In 2001, tuition fees were $450 million and postsecondary funding was $1.8 billion. Today, tuition fees are $900 million and postsecondary funding is still $1.8 billion. So where did the students’ money go? To pay for corporate and high-income earner tax cuts, of course. So let’s get rid of Gordon Campbell! For a candidate committed to higher education, vote for Damian Kettlewell and the Green Party!”
Come out Thursday, 7:00 - 9:00 PM to the Campoverde Social Club 1660 Cypress St (1st Ave in Kits) ... see you then, Damian
What’s worse is that none of the money from tuition fee increases has gone into education funding. In 2001, tuition fees were $450 million and postsecondary funding was $1.8 billion. Today, tuition fees are $900 million and postsecondary funding is still $1.8 billion. So where did the students’ money go? To pay for corporate and high-income earner tax cuts, of course. So let’s get rid of Gordon Campbell! For a candidate committed to higher education, vote for Damian Kettlewell and the Green Party!”
Come out Thursday, 7:00 - 9:00 PM to the Campoverde Social Club 1660 Cypress St (1st Ave in Kits) ... see you then, Damian
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Pre - writ reflections 1
Good evening,
Welcome to the inaugural blog posting for my campaign in Vancouver Point Grey.
I was reflecting on what sort of opponent I am up against in Gordon Campbell who is the incumbent in Vancouver Point Grey. Well one thing is for sure, he has a ton of money to spend.
Heck, the Liberals outspent the Greens by over $140,000 in the 2001 election in this riding alone.
How could I possibly win considering that amount of campaign spending by Gordon Campbell?
Then I got to thinking - how much did it cost Gordon Campbell for each of his votes? Well folks, it works out that each vote cast for Gordon Campbell cost his campaign over $10.
Then the light went off ... how much did each Green vote cost in 2001?
Well, the Greens in this riding spent $0.28 cents per vote ... that's right only 28 cents per vote ...
And that won the Green candidate over 21% of the vote!
It made me realize that the Green Party message resonates deeply with voters here.
It also gave me optimism that no matter how much Gordon Campbell spends on his re-election the Green Party still has a good chance of defeating him in this riding.
I'm really excited to get out and meet more folks in my neighbourhood and talk about what's important to them.
Please feel free to post your thoughts and concerns about issues important to you. Let's kick off this campaign and get the discussion going.
Cheers,
Damian
Welcome to the inaugural blog posting for my campaign in Vancouver Point Grey.
I was reflecting on what sort of opponent I am up against in Gordon Campbell who is the incumbent in Vancouver Point Grey. Well one thing is for sure, he has a ton of money to spend.
Heck, the Liberals outspent the Greens by over $140,000 in the 2001 election in this riding alone.
How could I possibly win considering that amount of campaign spending by Gordon Campbell?
Then I got to thinking - how much did it cost Gordon Campbell for each of his votes? Well folks, it works out that each vote cast for Gordon Campbell cost his campaign over $10.
Then the light went off ... how much did each Green vote cost in 2001?
Well, the Greens in this riding spent $0.28 cents per vote ... that's right only 28 cents per vote ...
And that won the Green candidate over 21% of the vote!
It made me realize that the Green Party message resonates deeply with voters here.
It also gave me optimism that no matter how much Gordon Campbell spends on his re-election the Green Party still has a good chance of defeating him in this riding.
I'm really excited to get out and meet more folks in my neighbourhood and talk about what's important to them.
Please feel free to post your thoughts and concerns about issues important to you. Let's kick off this campaign and get the discussion going.
Cheers,
Damian
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