July 24, 2012
The by-election in Kitchener- Waterloo is just around the corner. This will be an important by-election for OPSEU. Liberals hope to achieve a majority while Hudak’s Conservatives are trying to retain their seat. The NDP hopes to break through in this conservative area. OPSEU members should keep its eyes on the hard realities of this race.
Which party will build a province that respects working people? Which is best when, in coming months, we bargain collective agreement; fight to retain pensions and work to save jobs? Which will help build a province where normal folks can prosper and unions are not always the enemy?
We can see that the Liberal Party has not earned our support. They turned their back through their 2012 budget and attack on pensions. At the same time Tim Hudak directs his attack on unions, union membership and working people.
What of the NDP? During the recent Ontario budget debate that party worked to protect public services, jobs and the middle class. This is why, in Kitchener-Waterloo, we are encouraging OPSEU members to attend the upcoming NDP nomination meeting on Thursday, July 26th. Andrea Horwath, with members of the Ontario NDP, will nominate their by-election candidate at that time.
Catherine Fife is the declared candidate. Catherine has served as chair of the Waterloo District Public School Board and President of the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association, where she has took leadership on portfolios including youth mental health and technology in education.
It is important to note that Andrea Horwath and MPPs like Cheri Di Novo and Peter Tabuns were first elected in by-elections. Catherine Fife could be another great addition to the team. She would be a friendly voice at Queens Park while depriving the Liberals of a majority and signalling to Ontario that the Conservative agenda has failed. That would mean a lot to OPSEU members.
Join this effort and help take the K-W by-election up another notch. Attend the nomination meeting this Thursday, July 26th at Knox Church, 50 Erb Street West, Waterloo, Ontario. (Registration is at 6: 30 p.m. with the call to Order at 7 p.m.)
Please RSVP by calling the NDP KW Community Office at (519) 725-4888.