Policy and Personalities at our AGM

Our Annual General Meeting on the weekend, had lots of policy, lots of election preparedness and lots of personalities.

Several of the notable peronalities were seeking the federal Liberal Party leadership. Michael Ignatieff (top photo) gave us a rousing speech. He clearly knows Canada well, as well as many countries around the world. He began with a recognition of the loss, earlier on Saturday, of four of our brave soldiers in Afghanistan, a country he has visited on more than one occasion.

Also in attendance was Ken Dryden - much in demand for photos and autographs. He is a politician with a reputation for his concern for children. He is also the politican with the byline "the puck stops here."

A notable presence was Stephane Dion. A fighter for Canadan unity, Stephane Dion in the last several years has turned his attention to the environment. Step by step Stephane Dion, as federal Minister of the Environment put in place funding and programs to aid in supporting improved environmental practices. One of the major initiatives was a substantial commitment to fund the cleanup of Lake Winnipeg. He has been saddened by the gradual withdrawal by the Harper Conservatives from many of the environmental programs he worked so hard to establish. We are still waiting to see whether Harper will carry through on the support for efforts which are badly needed to clean up Lake Winnipeg.

Maurizio Bevilacqua stopped in for lunch on Saturday. A hard worker, with a formidable ability to keep in touch with people across Canada, Maurizio enjoyed a laugh listening to Ace Burpee.

Not a leadership contender, but also reaching out to meet Liberals from coast to coast, was Senator Marie Poulin (bottom photo). She is seeking the Presidency of the Liberal Party of Canada in the fall convention.

For more on personalities at the convention see http://www.manitobaliberals.ca/2006/04/fun-at-young-liberals-friday-night.html