#kentndp by-election in Kent recap #nbpoli
The Kent by-election to replace Shawn Graham as Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) took place this past Monday (April 15). The final results: I took time to be part of the NDP campaign. I was able to go to the nomination meeting where Susan Levi-Peters was acclaimed as the candidate. This took place in Bouctouche on March 23. Dominic Cardy spoke, giving his support to Susan. Susan accepted the nomination. The media spoke to Susan and Dominic. The campaign was on. And I also went down to Kent to assist in the final days of the election. I had an off-road experience on the back roads of Kent County, [...]
#kentndp Kent County is beautiful
I love the chance to visit and see the wonders of New Brunswick. So to experience Kent County as a volunteer for the Kent NDP campaign to elect Susan Levi-Peters as MLA was an opportunity I did not want to miss. It is a reasonable facsimile to heading to Montreal for the federal NDP convention. Election day is Monday April 15, so e-day minus 3. Rural New Brunswick is amazingly beautiful, even in the onset of early spring. The snow is almost all gone, the mud is starting to develop, only to wait for the April showers. The only rule is not to travel down a dirt road. Rule broken [...]
Crowdfunding #getfrank
from my blog Black-Capped, you will find the following post published today, March 13. Black-Capped is a blog about New Brunswick. The apocalypse may have just happened. For anyone that has known me, I have been a strong supporter of the NDP over the last decade. Before that, I identified with religious conservatives, more from the fact of proximity and the way I thought my religious inclinations fell. (That change in politics is a story for another time and place). Needless to say, Frank McKenna, former Liberal Premier, was never part of the group of politicians I’ve aspired to meet. That has changed. I want to go to an event [...]
living on $537 #nbpoli
“Je demande à tous les ministres si eux autres seraient capables de vivre avec 537$ par mois, et je voudrais bien qu’ils essaient ça” Gaetane Richard This is a quote from a news story posted on the Radio-Canada website, accessed here. Translated “I ask all ministers if they could live on $537 and I would like them to try.” I’ve chosen to leave the quote in French because that is the language of the person speaking and the language of the story. The basic gist of the story is a lady on social assistance, who was told that donations of food would count against her check, which maxes out at $537 [...]
The Art of Hosting Conversations that Matter
Next week, I will be attending a three day seminar, entitled Art of Hosting Conversations That Matter: Fostering Conditions for Social Innovation and Community Engagement. When I first heard about this from my friend Dennis, I was immediately interested. The cost of taking it was a problem. I finally decided that it was important enough to invest the time and money to participate, even if it meant taking a bite out of my credit card to do so. The primary host, Kathy, has sent questions to the participants and I want to share them and my answers here. (Incidentally, Dennis is part of the hosting team.) What has attracted you to [...]
my #oneword365 for 2013
I’ve never been very good with resolutions. I start with something grand and ideal and drop the task mid-January. I even tried a photo-a-day project. I got past mid-January, but it fizzled before the first of February. This fondness for failing my resolutions has been the reason I haven’t not tended to make resolutions. In late 2011, I came across the One Word community, started by my friend, Alece. So I decided to consider a word to shape my year for 2012. The word that came to me popped at me through the New Year’s Day sermon at Christ Church Cathedral, given by Archbishop Claude Miller, Metropolitian and Diocesan Bishop [...]
Half the Sky #halfthesky
My troubles in having a job eliminated and having to finding a new job pale in comparison to troubles encountered by the girls and women of the world. I just watched the first episode of Half the Sky on PBS (click here). It was inspired by Nick Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn who wrote the book Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. The documentary series continues the book’s argument that fighting the oppression of women is the moral challenge of the 21st Century. Read the Women’s Crusade if you want a taste of the story. The essay is adapted from Kristof and WuDunn’s book. Though working in [...]
Radio Silence @cmgatmbs #fairdealatmbs
I live in Fredericton, but have found one of my favorite radio stations to be K100 from Saint John. It became a favorite while in the car going to work. I still flip back to Fredericton stations for information, but truly enjoy K100. I don’t know why, but I do. Well, of recent note, I have chosen to stop listening to K100, because the company that owns the station has rejected the offer from the union that represents the on-air personality. The spin from MBS Radio has been Saint John is not Toronto and the request for more pay is unsustainable. MBS offered a pay scale of 10.58 to 12.98. [...]
