Dear Progressive Conservative:
As promised, I am updating you on what took place at our provincial executive meeting this past Saturday in Springhill. We were delighted to be joined for part of the meeting by the local MLA - Cumberland South's Murray Scott - and Doug Marshall, president of the Cumberland South PC Association.
Leadership 2010
Provincial executive members unanimously confirmed the decision by PC MLAs to name Jamie Baillie our party's interim leader. As noted in my last report, Jamie was the sole accredited leadership candidate at close of nominations last Monday.
Jamie shared with executive members some of his ideas of moving forward, including the importance of working together, listening and consulting and identifying and recruiting candidates for the next election.
According to our party's constitution, we are required to elect Jamie Baillie as the next PC Party leader at a leadership convention. But we want to make it easy for Progressive Conservatives to attend. The rules for the leadership selection process were amended to remove the requirement for constituency associations to hold delegate selection meetings. Leadership convention co-chairs Alice McCarron and George White are working with their committee to finalize details for the convention, including costs, which will be provided to you in the next couple of weeks.
Please be sure to hold October 29 and October 30 as important dates on the calendar - and encourage others to attend also!
Jamie's position as interim leader brings him back to the provincial executive for the first time in 14 years, as he served as chair of the party's policy committee from 1994 to 1996. In his first act as interim leader, Jamie sponsored a motion thanking our former leader - Colchester North MLA Karen Casey - for her service as leader from June 2009 to last week. We also received and reviewed a copy of Karen's provincial tour report, which will soon be posted on our website (www.pcparty.ns.ca). There are a number of valuable messages our former leader received from Nova Scotians which will help guide our rebuilding efforts as a party.
Outlook 2014
Andrew Black, Vice President, Policy, presented the Engage and Envision report of the Outlook 2014 exercise held this spring. More than 150 Progressive Conservatives participated in Outlook 2014 at meetings held in Dartmouth, Stellarton, Glace Bay and Ste-Anne-du-Ruisseau. In his remarks to the provincial executive, Jamie Baillie noted Outlook 2014 was a great example of how grassroots Progressive Conservatives are stepping up to provide their views on the kind of party we should be to regain the confidence and support of Nova Scotians. The Outlook 2014 report, along with new blog posts from Andrew Black and video from the spring sessions, will soon be uploaded at www.pcparty.ns.ca. I encourage you to read it and provide feedback on how we can build on the conclusions of Outlook 2014 and make its recommendations a reality.
The Winning Goal
Have you - or someone you know - ever wanted to own a Sidney Crosby Team Canada jersey from the Vancouver Olympics? Now you have the chance to do just that.
Our party is selling a limited number of tickets on a lottery draw for a series of prizes, including Sidney Crosby Team Canada jersey, an original framed Sidney Crosby artwork and a mounted copy of The Chronicle Herald's front page celebrating Team Canada's Gold Medal Men's Hockey victory at the Olympics. Each ticket costs $50 and is available online at (www.pcparty.ns.ca) or by calling PC Headquarters at 1-800-595-8679 (TORY).
An early bird draw on The Winning Goal will be held October 30, 2010, at the leadership convention for a #87 Team Canada jersey. There will be three draws at the 2011 Annual General Meeting in February. The first prize winner will also choose a constituency to be awarded $2,010.
With the leadership race settled, we now must focus on building our party's war chest for upcoming by-elections and even the next general election.
Participating in The Winning Goal is one way to do that - buy a ticket (or sell some to your friends, family or fellow PCs). Only 2,010 tickets will be sold.
Keep In Touch
I love hearing from, listening to and speaking with Progressive Conservatives - by email (robert.batherson@pcparty.ns.ca), phone (home - 902-454-7436) or in person.
Robert Batherson
President
PC Party of Nova Scotia
