The Need for Young Liberal Change

Here's what we've been sending out to Young Liberals across BC for the last few hours. Obviously I am pretty excited about some of the key Young Liberals who've expressed confidence in my ability to run this campaign. It's going to be a great race (surely complete with many more foolishly long-winded letters like the one below), and thanks to those of you who encouraged me to take up the challenge. I promise I won't use this blog to shamelessly campaign and sing my own praises, at least not too often! So spread the word about what we're trying to accomplish, and certainly don't hesitate to contact me if you'd like to get involved. Thanks, -Braeden

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BRAEDEN CALEY ANNOUNCES YLCBC CAMPAIGN
With the endorsement of Young Liberals from across the province, longtime Liberal Braeden Caley emphasizes experience and a track record of inclusive leadership in his campaign to be elected BC's Young Liberal President

The need for Young Liberal Change
A Message from Braeden Caley, candidate for YLCBC President

Young Liberal friends,

My name is Braeden Caley, and I am running to be your next President of the Young Liberals of Canada in British Columbia, and would very much appreciate your support. I have been an active Liberal since the age of 13. As I have certainly said before, I joined because I believed in Raymond Chan and the values of leaders like Pierre Trudeau, Jean Chrétien, and Paul Martin (who I first met by chance at the age of 11). I stayed involved because of the people I met, policies I grew so passionate about, and because of how incredibly valuable this party is to Canada. We must continue to ensure that youth are incredibly valuable to this party .

As youth, we offer the Liberal party countless new ideas, perspectives and solutions, but to affect the greatest possible change we need to be inclusive, active, informed and determined. Together, we can build a respectable youth commission with true influence within the Liberal party - one that inspires hundreds of new young people to make a difference in their community and country, and offer their skills, experience, effort and ideas toward its betterment.

Building on a track record of past involvement, I am running because I want to help maximize our amazing potential, by making the Young Liberals more active, engaging, cooperative, and of course, more fun. We need to follow the models used by Blair Wilson for example, of finding new ways to recruit youth in high schools, in community centres, and of course on campuses and then immediately find ways for them to enjoyably work themselves into roles on election campaigns.

Aside from youth representation, the integration of youth into key roles on campaigns should be a top priority for YLCBC. With the Liberals' post-convention poll numbers skyrocketing at the expense of the NDP, many previously unheld ridings are suddenly looking extremely winnable, and they will be if they have active youth organizations.

In terms of energizing and engaging the membership we already have, I really don't think it takes rocket science - just effort and some innovative teambuilding, undoubtedly including a serious push for support and engagement using the Internet. We simply need more events of more kinds in more parts of the province. After an exciting leadership race that saw candidates touring all corners of BC we need to ensure that the communications lines that were opened with rural young liberals don't get ignored or forgotten.

We also need to overcome and bridge our party's past divisions in the name of unity and progress. That is why I believe in Liberal party and a youth commission in which all Young Liberals feel at home, and are effectively and democratically included.

Nothing less is acceptable, because it is our most pressing responsibility to create a Liberal Party in which everyone can contribute and fully achieve their greatest aspirations, and one in which everyone is fully welcome in the fight to get rid of Stephen Harper, once and for all.

That is the kind of Young Liberal commission I believe in, and that is the kind of YLCBC that with your support, we can and we will build together.

When you vote at this AGM, vote for real experience and meaningful change. Please consider me, Braeden Caley, for President of the Young Liberals of Canada in British Columbia .



Sincerely,


Braeden Caley
Candidate for YLCBC President

Support from Young Liberals everywhere!

Braeden is proud to have the support many experienced and distinguished Young Liberals, some of whom already include:

RICHARD DIAMOND – President of the Young Liberals of Canada, 2005-2006, former National Youth Chair for Scott Brison

ADRIENNE LEAKEY – Vice President Operations, Young Liberals of Canada in British Columbia

MARK MASONGSONG – Vice President External of the Young Liberals of Canada in British Columbia and former BC Youth Co-Chair for Michael Ignatieff, who wrote:

"Braeden Caley is the very ideal of a Young Liberal President. He has fought for the party since the age of 13, fought for youth issues when he ran as a School Board Trustee at the age of 18, he has worked for a Cabinet Minister, served on the Young Liberal executive, and co-chaired a provincial youth campaign during the Liberal leadership race. Having campaigned against him, I know that he is a tireless opponent but also an individual of unimpeachable integrity, and for that, he will unify and strengthen Young Liberals in British Columbia. There is simply no more experienced or proven Young Liberal in British Columbia, and I ask that you support him."

AJAY PURI – Long time Young Liberal, health and multiculturalism policy activist, and 2006 Liberal Youth Chair for the Ujjal Dosanjh campaign in Vancouver South

MICHELE WONG – Multiculturalism Representative on the National Executive, Young Liberals of Canada, and former BC Youth Campaign Director (2004 Election)

YOUNG LIBERAL RIDING AND CAMPUS CLUB PRESIDENTS:

MYCROFT SCHWARTZ – President of the University of Victoria Young Liberals, and former Executive Vice President of the Young Liberals of Canada in British Columbia – Leading Vancouver Island supporter of Stephane Dion

RAJINDER SANDHU – President of the SFU Burnaby Young Liberals, and Vice President Membership for the Young Liberals of Canada in British Columbia

JOSH HUTCHISON – President of the West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country Young Liberals, and former BC Youth Co-Chair for Michael Ignatieff, who wrote:

"Through Jean Chretien, Paul Martin, and now Stephane Dion, Braeden Caley has been a staunch Liberal. His brand of Liberal unity is exactly what is needed for the renewal and reinvigoration of our Party. On top of that, Braeden has shown a devotion to the most grass-roots levels of YLCBC. Braeden played an absolutely instrumental role in setting up the Young Liberals of West Vancouver, Sunshine Coast and Sea-to-Sky Country; it is organizations like this which will allow us to actively recruit youth volunteers in an election. Braeden Caley has the integrity we need to unify the Party, and the ideas necessary to invigorate it: that is why I whole-heartedly support his bid to become YLCBC's next President."

SCOTT A. ROSS – Founding President of the UBC Okanagan Young Liberals, and former BC Youth Co-Chair for Gerard Kennedy

KAM KAILA – President of the SFU Surrey Young Liberals

AADIL JESANI – President of the SFU Harbour Centre Young Liberals

Get in touch with the team!

For more information on Braeden's Campaign, please contact vote.braeden@gmail.com, or reach Braeden directly at 604.809.9951.

We need your support!

Voting is on Saturday January 13th at UBC's International House (North end of West Mall).

Thank you for your involvement and consideration

Memories

I'm the guy in the middle, with the red hat. Ann Takagi, Matthew Kalkman, and Peter Ker are on my left. Aadil Jesani is just barely behind me. I think Michele Wong is the photographer looking across at us from the left side of the stage. Denise Brunsdon and and Dylan Strogan are also just alongside the stage. Rajinder Sandhu's right beside them. Bill Cunningham arrives and then the crowd really gets energized!

This is in 2004, an hour before midnight on June 27th. We're waiting at an obscure hangar near Vancouver Airport's south terminal. Paul's plane is running late. Anticipation and excitement are running high. We're alternating between chants for candidates from all around Vancouver, and of course, for Paul Martin. As you can tell by looking at the stage, the Prime Minister is about to come speak three feet in front of us. I've got a high school final history exam at 8:30am the next morning. On election day. That day Raymond won again, and so did Paul. It was absolutely thrilling...

Jack Layton endorses Stephane's commitment to Canada

Today and yesterday, Jack Layton hasn't been the classiest fellow on the hill. He's taken it upon himself to bring into question the loyalty and commitment of Stephane Dion to Canada.

Let's help Jack work through his memory, and through history.

Stephane Dion was the author and principal proponent of the Clarity Act, a bill which quelled separatism for years and put a rigid damper on some of the most dangerous deceptions and myths of the separatist movement. Dion used every inch and ounce of political capital he had to enact this bill, and the country was strengthened for it. That took loyalty, and it certainly took commitment. Jack should remember this well. He was for it, before he was against it, before he was a supporter of it once again.

And now for poor Jack's memory.

Let's not forget, and let's certainly not let Jack forget, what he said in his keynote address to this year's NDP convention in Quebec City:

"Stephane Dion. A man with whom I have fundamental disagreements about how Canada should build and renew itself. But also a man who is, if I may say so across the partisan divide, distinct from his principal opponents in being a committed Canadian and a man of principle and conviction. And therefore almost certain not to be elected leader of the Liberal party."

Je me souviens, Jack.

A new Liberal future

What a weekend, what a convention.

What a future.

You can just feel this party changing, and developing a new resolve and agenda for change. After meeting hundreds of amazing people from across our truly sensational country, no one could doubt for a second just how bright our party's future really is, and just how exciting it will be to live it, and to shape it.

We really are a family, there can be no question of that now. Some of us felt terrible heartbreak this weekend. Some of us felt an absolutely thrillingly high level of excitement. Most of us felt some magical combination thereof, and those feelings and memories will stick with us for the rest of our lives.

Together, tous ensemble, we came together to renew our purpose and leave Montreal a united party. We have succeeded - thanks to all of our effort, thanks to all of our dreams, thanks to all of our determination, thanks to all of our pain, and thanks to all of our hope.

We could never have done this without a meaningful commitment to each other, and without having come to the realization that we really do need each other. We are seeing once again just how strong of a positive force that togetherness and unity can be, for Liberals and for all Canadians.

Now we can channel this energy and commitment into fighting for our values again, under and with the benefit of the steady leadership of the exceedingly honourable Stephane Dion.

We need each other, we've learned, and Canada needs us.

Let's get to work!