Join Anita for: "Politics in the Pub"!

The Youth For Anita team is pleased to invite you to join Anita at "Politics in the Pub" hosted by the Ottawa West-Nepean Federal Liberal Association.  We are very fortunate to host Liberal critic for Democratic Reform, Sccott Simms. You can find the Facebook event and all the other information  here!

Date: Monday April 28th
Place: Royal Oak in Centrepoint 
Time: 7 pm


The topic of discussion will be Democratic Reform. As you probably know, this is a very timely topic!
The 'Fair Elections' Act has been met with significant opposition from experts on democracy, senior public officials and countless everyday people who care about the state of our democracy. This event will provide a good opportunity to learn about the contents of the bill - both good and bad.

Two articles stand out to me on this subject. The first is Anita's excellent piece published in iPolitics, in which she draws on her international experience to comment on the proposals in the ''Fair Elections' Act:

" Not only does Bill C-23 undermine the legitimacy of Canadian elections, it also has the potential to disfranchise hundreds of thousands of Canadian citizens. This is taking voter suppression to a whole new level. At a time when voter turnout in elections is going down, making it harder to vote can only be motivated by partisan interests — not by any public good.

Once, Canada led the world on open elections and transparent institutions. Canadians need to speak out now before we lose our voice forever" 

-Anita Vandenbeld

The second is an open letter, signed by hundreds of professors across the country:

"Last month, more than 160 professors signed an open letter to express grave concerns about the damage to Canadian democracy that the “Fair Elections Act,” Bill C-23, would cause. Today, we the undersigned, an even larger group of professors who share a deep concern over this legislation, urge the government to withdraw the bill and draft truly fair election reforms based on meaningful consultations with opposition parties, non-partisan experts, Elections Canada and the public. There is no reason to depart from this laudable Canadian tradition for electoral reform."


I encourage you to read both articles, to enjoy your weekend and then share YOUR views on the subject with us at the upcoming "Politics in the Pub".  See you there!



Here's an 'oldiee but a goodie' of Anita with some of her youth supporters:





Team meeting...tonight!

A friendly reminder that TONIGHT, Tuesday April 22nd , there will be a meeting for all Team Anita volunteers. Email info@electanita.ca for the details or sign up on Anita's volunteer page.  If you can't make it tonight, no problem! Signing up on as a volunteer on Anita's website means you will be notified about upcoming meetings.

Volunteering can take many forms. It can be as simple as making a few calls, knocking on doors in your neighborhood or helping to recruit supporters. No matter what your interest , availability or past experience, there are ample opportunities to contribute. Without a doubt, volunteer's are at the core of any successful election campaign. Anita has a committed team supporting her... intent on making change in Ottawa West-Nepean!

We hope to see you there!

After one year with Justin as leader, we have momentum thanks to hope and hard work!






Anita posted this on Facebook, and I wanted to share:

"One year ago today Justin Trudeau became Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. During this past year he has inspired so many people and rebuilt the Liberal party into a real force for change in our country. He has inspired many - like myself - to put our names forward to run in the 2015 election. HOPE AND HARD WORK!"

We've seen great results with Justin as leader - the Liberal vote rising in by-elections across the country and with some of the best fundraising results our party has ever seen - all because Justin and the Liberal team are doing a great job of holding Harper to account and laying out a positive vision to revitalize the Canadian middle class.

Let us know if you want to help Anita be a part of #TeamTrudeau! 

National Volunteer Week!

"This week is national volunteer week. Time to celebrate Canada's 13.3 million volunteers, starting with my own incredibly committed team of amazing campaign volunteers! Thanks everyone!" - Anita 


Do you want to volunteer for Anita? Check out her volunteer page or email info@electanita.ca for information on how YOU can join the winning team in Ottawa West-Nepean. 




Youth, Politics and the 'Fair Elections' Act

It seems that John Baird isn't the only one scared about their prospects in the 2015 election. In case the plethora of recent attack ads against Justin Trudeau didn't make that obvious enough, review of the proposed 'Fair Elections' act suggests an effort to keep even more young Canadians from voting- despite historic lows in youth political participation! A recent Globe editorial sums it up:"[the] Unfair Elections Act targets the youth Trudeau wants and Harper fears".   Over 150 academics, from universities across the country (including two of my professors at Queen’s!) signed a joint letter explaining why :“the government’s proposed changes to our election laws are a threat to Canada’s democratic traditions”.  This is a must read.

As a senior advisor to the United Nations, Anita has traveled the globe and learned first-hand the immeasurable value of our Canadian democracy. We need Anita in Parliament for her expertise and to serve as a strong voice for our democratic institutions. Many young Liberals have given our support to Anita as she seeks the Liberal nomination in Ottawa West-Nepean. Keep following the 'Youth For Anita' blog to hear what young people are saying. In the meantime, check out the 'Youth For Anita' Endorsements page.

We need more young people involved in politics, not less. Youth bring energy, passion and creative ideas; which are crucial for the vitality of our democratic processes.  Alienating ourselves from the political process gives the government a license to ignore our concerns and ideas. Voting and volunteering are ways we can make our voices heard, and to ensure that we are well represented by our elected officials. Consider joining Anita’s team as a volunteer, and help make real change in Ottawa West-Nepean.



Youth for Anita Vandenbeld
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