Burlington Federal Liberal Association

Photo album from Michael Ignatieff's recent visit to Burlington. Thanks for the outstanding images to Bill Warren, and to Eric Harrison for adding them to Flickr!

Click on any image to see a larger version.

Large crowds are turning out for Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff across the country as the Liberal Express goes from town to town, and yesterday in Burlington was no exception.

Well over two hundred people turned up at the Williams Fresh Café on Appleby Line at 9 in the morning as the leader of the opposition made his first stop of the day in Burlington and Halton Riding. Michael Ignatieff spent over an hour meeting and talking to supporters and local residents, before stocking up on muffins and hitting the road again on the way to Hamilton.

Also meeting the crowd and talking to constituents were Deborah Gillis, who will be running as Liberal candidate in Halton at the next election, Liberal finance critic John McCallum, Bonnie Crombie, MP for Mississauga-Streetsville and Navdeep Bains, MP for Mississauga-Brampton South.

• Watch CHCH's coverage embedded in the video above, and see if you can spot our very good friend Gertrude Gottfredson as she speaks to the Liberal Leader! See CHCH's coverage at http://chch.com/index.php/k2/item/523-ignatieff-bus-tour-rolls-into-region.

The Burlington Post also published an extended article covering Ignatieff's warm reception, and his impassioned speech to the crowd, about the attacks on our democratic traditions launched by the Conservative government, and Liberals' need to reach out to voters from all sides of the political divide who are looking for accountable and honest government.

"Don't just talk to Liberals, reach out to Progressive Conservatives who wonder where the 'progressive' went, reach out to Conservatives who wonder where the fiscal responsibility went, reach out to Conservatives who wonder where the accountability and honesty went in Conservative government, and then reach out to the Green voters and NDP voters."

• Read full coverage in the Burlington Post.

Kirsty Duncan, MP for Etobicoke North, spoke to the Burlington Federal Liberal Association at a lakeside dinner on Wednesday June 30.  Dr. Duncan spoke with eloquence and passion on the eve of Canada Day comparing the country of her youth to the state of the country now.  Her Canada was one of peacekeepers not ‘limited actions’, of signing the Kyoto Accord, not being an international embarrassment at Copenhagen.  Dr. Duncan stated emphatically she wanted her Canada back. 

She went on to list some disturbing statistics concerning the record levels of children receiving school breakfasts or going to school hungry, of low levels of public health funding, and the high level of incarceration particularly of the Aboriginal population.  A repeated reassurance throughout her speech though was that the Liberal Party has a leader who listens and is determined to provide opportunities, starting with improved funding for education and financial aid for students. 

But Dr. Duncan showed her lighter side by making an amazing effort to learn the names of all 50 people in attendance within an hour!  A beautiful setting, great food, a stirring speech and everyone on a first name basis in record time made a wonderful evening.

Diane Elliott. 

You can make a difference: there are lots of ways to get involved with the Liberal Party, locally, nationally and online.

Strength in numbers is the cornerstone of our Canadian democratic system. Canada is a better country because of Liberal strength in numbers, which created many Liberal governments. In opposition, Liberals must continue our strength in numbers.

Your Burlington Federal Liberal executive has started an initiative to double our membership and you can help.

To become a member please follow the link and sign up today! Liberals need strength in numbers to form the next government for a better, just Canada. Everyone makes a difference, take the first step today!