Summer reading suggestions from the Youth for Anita Team

This week, the  Youth for Anita team would like to share some light political summer reading for you to enjoy.... Happy reading :)

Thérèse Casgrain award disappeared under Stephen Harper government: Editorial

This one is pretty surprising....despite what we've come to expect from this Conservative government. Have a read to learn more about the governments decision to replace the "Thérèse Casgrain Volunteer Award" with the "Prime Minister's Volunteers Awards".

PM Harper risks losing economy as election trump card

Harper's credibility on the issue of the economy is quickly diminishing, and the argument that Harper is a sound economic manager is looking very thin. While Harper has been losing ground on the economy, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau is inspiring confidence and building trust with his positive message and vision for Canada which is focused on the middle class. Read L Ian MacDonald's article on why the economy may be one of the many issues going against Harper in 2015.


Here are a  few of Anita's recent picks:

Harper has ignored Canadian ways while destroying our reputation

This is an excellent article that articulates the disconnect between how Canadians view our foreign policy and how it actually is under Harper/Baird. When foreign policy becomes a tool of domestic partisan politics, it leaves the rest of the world seeing Canada as unpredictable and inconsistent at best, and obstructionist and inflammatory at worst.


'Preventing poverty' not a valid goal for tax purposes, CRA tells Oxfam Canada

An active civil society is one of the tenets of a thriving democracy. Going after a world-recognized charitable organization that works with communities at risk in the poorest countries of the world - ostensibly because preventing poverty might be helping someone who isn't actually already poor - would be laughable if it wasn't so serious.


Tribunal can deny in-person appeals in disability benefits case

This Conservative government chooses consistently to undermine the rights of those who already have little voice. This is a denial of basic justice for persons living with disabilities. I know from my own family's experience how intimidating the CPP disability written forms can be - especially for those suffering from head injuries or cognitive or anxiety disorders. What can we do for those whose very disability makes it hard to include all the relevant details in bureaucratic language on the forms? Everyone should have a right to an in-person appeal.


Have an article that you'd like us to share? We want to hear from you. Send us your suggestion to: info@electanita.ca

You can also connect with Anita in any of the following ways:

Web: http://www.electanita.ca/
Facebook:  Anita Vandenbeld for Ottawa West-Nepean
Twitter: @anitavandenbeld 



Everybody knows that no blog is complete without a photo... so here's  one of Anita with friends Celebrating the 2014 Haitian Festival










By-election wins and a message from Anita!

The Ontario election is just over a month old, and since then Team Anita and Liberals across the country have been hard at work. July started off great with two new Liberal MP's being elected in  
Scarborough–Agincourt and  Trinity–Spadina. Team Trudeau also made impressive gains and had commendable showings in Fort McMurray-Athabaska and Macleod.  This fantastic night for Liberals would not have been possible without the hard work of countless volunteers across the country! Thank you! Here's a chart from LPC showing our party's impressive results in the most recent by-elections:

To be sure that we carry this momentum to a big win in 2015, we need to nominate the very best Liberal candidates in each and every riding. With John Baird opting to run in the newly formed riding of Nepean, it's no secret that the race in Ottawa West-Nepean has gotten even more interesting.

Here's a brief message from Anita that I wanted to share as she continues her campaign to become the Liberal candidate in Ottawa West-Nepean:


It was my honour to have been your federal Liberal candidate in the 2011 election.  We did very well - with the second-highest vote in the country for a first-time Liberal candidate in an unheld riding - and we have a strong base to work from to WIN in Ottawa West-Nepean in the next election.  John Baird has already announced that he will be running in a safer riding next time - our hard work is paying off!

As many of you know, nominations have begun for the 2015 election, and I have been campaigning hard, putting together an amazing team of volunteers and signing up new members.  I hope that I can count on your support to be your candidate again.  Read my newsletter, join me for a coffee, give me a call or check out my website at www.ElectAnita.ca.  I would love to have you as part of my team!
                    
                                                                                                           Thanks,
                                                                                                            Anita  



Youth for Anita Vandenbeld
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