Regina South Nomination Meeting
7:10 For lack of wireless I've written this at the meeting for later posting. Turnout looks to be strong, with a lineup out the door to register starting shortly before 7. And now more chairs are being set up - which would seem to suggest more attendees than expected.
7:13 On a rough look Heather looks to have an edge in the sign department to go with a strong display - but we'll find out soon whether that will translate into votes.
7:27 Still a couple of dozen people in line to register, even as the room is rapidly filling up. If Heather's signs aren't yet being peddled for use as fans, they will be soon.
7:45 And we're underway as Donna Shire takes the podium and highlights the work both candidates have done in building the riding.
7:50 Jeff Grubb, the balloting chair, goes over the rules - noting in particular the constitutional amendment preventing nominations from the floor. But wouldn't this be far more fun if a new candidate could get tossed into the mix?
7:54 On to speeches, with Kent Peterson introducing Heather first and emphasizing the Andrew Thomson endorsement. Jennifer Tupper follows as the official nominator, discussing the need to challenge Bill Hutchinson and presenting Heather as a stronger contrast.
7:59 Heather's speech follows along the "clear contrast" message, then turns to a line that she communicates for a living, seeing that as the best way to make a difference. (That's contrasted against seeing election as a "stepping stone" to other goals.)
8:02 Heather turns to a discussion of an appetite for change from the spin of a Sask Party government which doesn't listen - using "if he'd bothered to ask" as a repeated line criticizing the Wall government's actions.
8:06 "Sask Party Kittens" is officially the joke of the night.
8:07 Heather finishes strong, going back to the contrast message but seeming much more comfortable as the speech went on.
8:10 Velma Wessel introduces Yens, noting his having stepped in on short notice after Thomson left suddenly shortly before the 2007 election - which definitely saps some of the power from Thomson's endorsement.
8:13 "He isn't a woman, but he is a feminist" among other lines about Yens.
8:14 Yens begins his speech saying "tonight, there can be only one loser - Bill Hutchinson".
8:16 Yens recounts his efforts in 2007, saying the lesson to take is that time on the doorstep matters both for winning elections and for learning about constituents.
8:17 On to a reminder of Yens' work as party president and leadership candidate, noting that he stayed involved in Regina South all along.
8:20 Yens talks up his membership sales, particularly highlighting a number of new young members before pledging to knock on every Regina South door twice before the election if he's nominated.
8:21 "The reason I'm running" leads into personal appeals to deal with climate change and child poverty - noting the importance of change even when it's difficult.
8:25 Yens jokes about how often he ends up asking for support, closing by tying that into a message about his experience and commitment.
8:26 And the turnout is...21 guests signed in (plus many not signed in), and 195 delegates. And now voting begins.
8:56 Dwain Lingenfelter finishes his stump speech, with the results to follow Trent Wotherspoon's financial appeal.
9:03 And the winner is...Yens, with the announcement followed shortly by Heather's motion to make the result unanimous.
Congratulations to both candidates for a hard-fought campaign - and the work that went into tonight will make for a great start on 2011.
Showing posts with label regina south. Show all posts
Showing posts with label regina south. Show all posts
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Regina South Nomination Wrapup
When the Regina South nomination race first got started, I figured both Heather McIntyre and Yens Pedersen would face some interesting choices as to whether to cast off their positioning from previous races. And both have done so with a vengeance.
After highlighting her ability to represent Ward 2 in last year's City Council race, McIntyre has made an explicit appeal to Regina South based on her being the "only candidate who lives in the constituency". Similarly, Pedersen has gone from emphasizing personal but unnamed endorsements as an outsider in last year's NDP leadership race, to presenting testimonials from the biggest names possible as part of an insider/frontrunner campaign.
So where have both candidates gone while distancing themselves from their previous messages?
On the bright side, both candidates presented some excellent ideas to spread messages which seemed to fit their image - but unfortunately, both allowed those to disappear during the course of the campaign. McIntyre's Coffee Talk seemed to be an effective way to take a conversational tone with possible voters visiting her website, but version One was never followed by a Two. Likewise, Pedersen put up a strong blog post on the WEPA when it was first announced which seemed to hint at more wonkish policy discussion than one normally sees in a nomination race - but he didn't follow up with a single post afterward, and his other communications through Facebook have focused almost entirely on photos and membership sales.
With those means of reaching potential voters falling by the wayside, the deciding factors look to be the traditional ones associated with any nomination campaign. And each candidate has had something to crow about lately: Pedersen his strong number of memberships sold, McIntyre her endorsement from longtime Regina South MLA Andrew Thomson. And the race has also become relatively chippy over the last little while (see the comment sections of my previous tagged posts) - which may be surprising based on the past connections between the candidates, but makes sense in a two-candidate race where there's no need to pursue later-ballot support.
So where does that leave the candidates going into tomorrow night's nomination meeting?
(Non-)Endorsement
I'll start by passing on what will become a regular feature in future nomination races. From the beginning of the Regina South race, I've been hesitant to get involved for or against either candidate, and I'll likewise hold off on making an endorsement either way.
Suffice it to say that both McIntyre and Pedersen are top-flight candidates with track records of involvement in the party and the riding. And whoever wins the nomination race should be an effective MLA for a long time to come starting in 2011.
Prediction
That said, I'll be less shy about predicting the outcome than trying to influence it. Both candidates have some obvious strengths they can point to - but the race will ultimately come down to who can bring out the most supporters tomorrow night. And the combination of a province-wide profile built during the leadership race and a high number of claimed new memberships looks to give Pedersen the upper hand against McIntyre's head start and high-profile endorsement.
With that in mind, I'll call the likelihood of winning the Regina South nomination at 60% for Yens Pedersen, 40% for Heather McIntyre. But in a race as close and as hotly contested as this one, neither candidate can take the outcome for granted - so tomorrow's nomination meeting (Sunset United Church at 7:00 pm, for those keeping track) should be a can't-miss for Regina NDP members.
After highlighting her ability to represent Ward 2 in last year's City Council race, McIntyre has made an explicit appeal to Regina South based on her being the "only candidate who lives in the constituency". Similarly, Pedersen has gone from emphasizing personal but unnamed endorsements as an outsider in last year's NDP leadership race, to presenting testimonials from the biggest names possible as part of an insider/frontrunner campaign.
So where have both candidates gone while distancing themselves from their previous messages?
On the bright side, both candidates presented some excellent ideas to spread messages which seemed to fit their image - but unfortunately, both allowed those to disappear during the course of the campaign. McIntyre's Coffee Talk seemed to be an effective way to take a conversational tone with possible voters visiting her website, but version One was never followed by a Two. Likewise, Pedersen put up a strong blog post on the WEPA when it was first announced which seemed to hint at more wonkish policy discussion than one normally sees in a nomination race - but he didn't follow up with a single post afterward, and his other communications through Facebook have focused almost entirely on photos and membership sales.
With those means of reaching potential voters falling by the wayside, the deciding factors look to be the traditional ones associated with any nomination campaign. And each candidate has had something to crow about lately: Pedersen his strong number of memberships sold, McIntyre her endorsement from longtime Regina South MLA Andrew Thomson. And the race has also become relatively chippy over the last little while (see the comment sections of my previous tagged posts) - which may be surprising based on the past connections between the candidates, but makes sense in a two-candidate race where there's no need to pursue later-ballot support.
So where does that leave the candidates going into tomorrow night's nomination meeting?
(Non-)Endorsement
I'll start by passing on what will become a regular feature in future nomination races. From the beginning of the Regina South race, I've been hesitant to get involved for or against either candidate, and I'll likewise hold off on making an endorsement either way.
Suffice it to say that both McIntyre and Pedersen are top-flight candidates with track records of involvement in the party and the riding. And whoever wins the nomination race should be an effective MLA for a long time to come starting in 2011.
Prediction
That said, I'll be less shy about predicting the outcome than trying to influence it. Both candidates have some obvious strengths they can point to - but the race will ultimately come down to who can bring out the most supporters tomorrow night. And the combination of a province-wide profile built during the leadership race and a high number of claimed new memberships looks to give Pedersen the upper hand against McIntyre's head start and high-profile endorsement.
With that in mind, I'll call the likelihood of winning the Regina South nomination at 60% for Yens Pedersen, 40% for Heather McIntyre. But in a race as close and as hotly contested as this one, neither candidate can take the outcome for granted - so tomorrow's nomination meeting (Sunset United Church at 7:00 pm, for those keeping track) should be a can't-miss for Regina NDP members.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Regina South and Regina Coronation Park - Virtual Document Drop Ahead
With two Saskatchewan NDP nomination meetings set to take place in Regina next week, there seems to be plenty of effort going into a final message from many of the nomination candidates. With that in mind, I'll plan to post Virtual Document Drops for both ridings next week so that readers can see what the candidates have put together.
For those candidates interested in having their materials included, please send them to the e-mail address in the right column. I'll plan to run the Regina South materials on Monday, and those from Regina Coronation Park on Wednesday.
For those candidates interested in having their materials included, please send them to the e-mail address in the right column. I'll plan to run the Regina South materials on Monday, and those from Regina Coronation Park on Wednesday.
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
Saskatchewan Nomination Roundup
A few notes on provincial and federal nomination races around the province...
In Regina South, Yens Pedersen has focused on membership sales lately, and is announcing that his campaign has brought in 65 new members as of last week's deadline. Meanwhile, Heather McIntyre is pointing out Kent's timeline of the race.
In Regina Coronation Park, last month's debate has been followed by a surprising lull in apparent activity. Roger Bucsis has yet to put up any apparent public presence, and Tory McGregor and Fred Kress have combined for a single Facebook wall post since then. That's left Jaime Garcia and Tamara Harder as the two candidates still making an effort to keep voters interested and informed online - though it's possible the others have simply turned their focus elsewhere.
But at least the NDP can claim that its provincial nominations are being contested. In contrast, Sean notes that city councillor Gord Wyant has been acclaimed as the Sask Party's candidate in Saskatoon Northwest.
Meanwhile, the Regina-Lumsden-Lake Centre continues to see plenty of online activity, as Brian Sklar is making an effort to match Don Hansen's steady stream of posts. But does anybody know exactly what Brian means when he says he wants to "elect the first "Western Senator""?
In Regina South, Yens Pedersen has focused on membership sales lately, and is announcing that his campaign has brought in 65 new members as of last week's deadline. Meanwhile, Heather McIntyre is pointing out Kent's timeline of the race.
In Regina Coronation Park, last month's debate has been followed by a surprising lull in apparent activity. Roger Bucsis has yet to put up any apparent public presence, and Tory McGregor and Fred Kress have combined for a single Facebook wall post since then. That's left Jaime Garcia and Tamara Harder as the two candidates still making an effort to keep voters interested and informed online - though it's possible the others have simply turned their focus elsewhere.
But at least the NDP can claim that its provincial nominations are being contested. In contrast, Sean notes that city councillor Gord Wyant has been acclaimed as the Sask Party's candidate in Saskatoon Northwest.
Meanwhile, the Regina-Lumsden-Lake Centre continues to see plenty of online activity, as Brian Sklar is making an effort to match Don Hansen's steady stream of posts. But does anybody know exactly what Brian means when he says he wants to "elect the first "Western Senator""?
Monday, May 31, 2010
Make haste, for the hour has grown late
For those in Regina Coronation Park and Regina South who haven't yet renewed or signed up for an NDP membership, Friday is the membership cutoff date for the nomination meetings later this month. So even if you haven't yet decided who to support, now might be a good time to pick up your membership so that you'll have the chance to vote.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Saskatchewan NDP Events Update
As Guest noted in comments here, there's another joint nomination meeting coming up for four of the Saskatchewan NDP's Saskatoon seats. With that in mind, let's note a few more of the significant events approaching in the next few weeks:
- May 26, 6:30 PM, Good Samaritan Parish Centre - Regina Coronation Park all-candidates forum.
- May 31, 7:00 PM, Royal Canadian Legion Hall (Saskatoon) - Saskatoon Riversdale, Saskatoon Fairview, Saskatoon Eastview and Saskatoon Centre joint nomination meeting.
- June 17, 7:00 PM,location not listed Sunset United Church - Regina South nomination meeting.
- June 19, 1:00 PM, Thom Collegiate - Regina Coronation Park nomination meeting. (This one isn't yet up on the party's events schedule, but will presumably be confirmed.)
Meanwhile, the policy review process looks to be taking a brief break after meetings the last two weekends. But I'll be sure to note when the next sessions are posted.
Update: Thanks to a reader for noting the location for the Regina South nomination meeting.
- May 26, 6:30 PM, Good Samaritan Parish Centre - Regina Coronation Park all-candidates forum.
- May 31, 7:00 PM, Royal Canadian Legion Hall (Saskatoon) - Saskatoon Riversdale, Saskatoon Fairview, Saskatoon Eastview and Saskatoon Centre joint nomination meeting.
- June 17, 7:00 PM,
- June 19, 1:00 PM, Thom Collegiate - Regina Coronation Park nomination meeting. (This one isn't yet up on the party's events schedule, but will presumably be confirmed.)
Meanwhile, the policy review process looks to be taking a brief break after meetings the last two weekends. But I'll be sure to note when the next sessions are posted.
Update: Thanks to a reader for noting the location for the Regina South nomination meeting.
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Saskatchewan NDP - Regina Nomination Roundup
To date, I haven't followed up much on the Regina Coronation Park and Regina South nomination races since mentioning the entry of each candidate. But now that the fields look to be fairly well set, let's take a closer look at what each candidate is currently doing to build support online.
Off the top, it's worth noting that each one of the six candidates has put together at least a reasonably well-updated Facebook group in support of his or her effort - not to mention that all six candidates attended the Prince Albert provincial convention to interact with the broader party. But it's worth also pointing out some of the creative steps taken beyond that strong baseline of activity for all of the candidates. So let's go through the candidates in alphabetical order by riding to see what they've been up to.
Regina Coronation Park
The first candidate to review also looks to be winner in the creativity department so far. Jaime Garcia's campaign has left no stone unturned in getting his name out into the public, with the efforts so far ranging from billboards to custom pop bottles in addition to active Facebook, Twitter and web presences. And the fact that he's also held a fund-raising dinner hints at how he's been able to afford forms of advertising not normally expected in a nomination race. About the only question I'd have about Garcia's campaign so far is his degree of focus on candidate branding over policy - but he's certainly done well in getting his name known.
The other Regina Coronation Park candidate with a complete set of online campaign tools is Tamara Harder, who likewise features regular Facebook and Twitter updates to go with the strongest web presence among the Coronation Park candidates. (Disclaimer: As mentioned before, I'm helping out with Tamara's campaign.)
Not surprisingly, Fred Kress is somewhat behind the younger candidates in his online presence, as he's the candidate with the longest gap in online updates (having last posted on March 21). Hopefully he'll get back in the habit of posting, as his earlier updates offered some sharper and more candid commentary than most of the candidates have provided.
Finally, Tory McGregor has also gone awhile since his last update on March 23. But it's worth highlighting a few of his earlier entries which reflect the most direct effort of any of the candidates to educate voters about an area of interest (that being the Sask Party's proposed changes to environmental regulation).
Regina South
As expected, both of the candidates in Regina South have maintained a strong online presence. But the most notable new development looks to be Heather McIntyre's Coffee Talk feature, offering visitors the chance to hear conversational interviews about Heather's campaign (with more apparently to come) to accompany her regular written updates.
Meanwhile, Yens Pedersen's campaign has provided updates primarily through his Facebook group, featuring a bevy of photos and outside links. It's worth noting that much of Yens' website (including the blog portion) has been pared down or cleared since last year's leadership race, and it'll be worth watching the extent to which he ends up offering less formal commentary on the nomination race to counter McIntyre's personal focus.
Update (April 9): To his credit, Jaime Garcia has been posting plenty of policy links and commentary over the past few days since I posted the above. For my next demand, I'd like to see a musical number.
Off the top, it's worth noting that each one of the six candidates has put together at least a reasonably well-updated Facebook group in support of his or her effort - not to mention that all six candidates attended the Prince Albert provincial convention to interact with the broader party. But it's worth also pointing out some of the creative steps taken beyond that strong baseline of activity for all of the candidates. So let's go through the candidates in alphabetical order by riding to see what they've been up to.
Regina Coronation Park
The first candidate to review also looks to be winner in the creativity department so far. Jaime Garcia's campaign has left no stone unturned in getting his name out into the public, with the efforts so far ranging from billboards to custom pop bottles in addition to active Facebook, Twitter and web presences. And the fact that he's also held a fund-raising dinner hints at how he's been able to afford forms of advertising not normally expected in a nomination race. About the only question I'd have about Garcia's campaign so far is his degree of focus on candidate branding over policy - but he's certainly done well in getting his name known.
The other Regina Coronation Park candidate with a complete set of online campaign tools is Tamara Harder, who likewise features regular Facebook and Twitter updates to go with the strongest web presence among the Coronation Park candidates. (Disclaimer: As mentioned before, I'm helping out with Tamara's campaign.)
Not surprisingly, Fred Kress is somewhat behind the younger candidates in his online presence, as he's the candidate with the longest gap in online updates (having last posted on March 21). Hopefully he'll get back in the habit of posting, as his earlier updates offered some sharper and more candid commentary than most of the candidates have provided.
Finally, Tory McGregor has also gone awhile since his last update on March 23. But it's worth highlighting a few of his earlier entries which reflect the most direct effort of any of the candidates to educate voters about an area of interest (that being the Sask Party's proposed changes to environmental regulation).
Regina South
As expected, both of the candidates in Regina South have maintained a strong online presence. But the most notable new development looks to be Heather McIntyre's Coffee Talk feature, offering visitors the chance to hear conversational interviews about Heather's campaign (with more apparently to come) to accompany her regular written updates.
Meanwhile, Yens Pedersen's campaign has provided updates primarily through his Facebook group, featuring a bevy of photos and outside links. It's worth noting that much of Yens' website (including the blog portion) has been pared down or cleared since last year's leadership race, and it'll be worth watching the extent to which he ends up offering less formal commentary on the nomination race to counter McIntyre's personal focus.
Update (April 9): To his credit, Jaime Garcia has been posting plenty of policy links and commentary over the past few days since I posted the above. For my next demand, I'd like to see a musical number.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Regina South: Yens Pedersen Enters NDP Nomination Race
Leftdog reports that Yens Pedersen has announced his plans for 2011, and has decided to seek a rematch against Bill Hutchinson in Regina South after suffering a narrow loss in 2007.
But of course, he'll face a challenge for the NDP's nomination first. And with Heather McIntyre already in the race, the nomination contest looks to be a fascinating one. And due only in part to the fact that the two candidates were fixtures in each others' inner circles in the races that each ran in 2009 (Pedersen for the NDP leadership, McIntyre for City Council).
Perhaps even more noteworthy, though, is the fact that some of the main messages used by each in their previous campaigns will now cut in the opposition direction. McIntyre, having fought a "doesn't live in the ward" message in her Council race, is now the candidate who would be tempted to run as the candidate who does live in the riding - while the experience vs. renewal dynamic from the leadership race may be reversed as Pedersen grapples with his status as the candidate who's run but lost in the riding before.
Either way, Regina South voters will be able to look forward to a strong NDP candidate in 2011. And when that's combined with the increased level of enthusiasm following a hotly-contested nomination battle, one has to like the odds of the NDP retaking the seat.
But of course, he'll face a challenge for the NDP's nomination first. And with Heather McIntyre already in the race, the nomination contest looks to be a fascinating one. And due only in part to the fact that the two candidates were fixtures in each others' inner circles in the races that each ran in 2009 (Pedersen for the NDP leadership, McIntyre for City Council).
Perhaps even more noteworthy, though, is the fact that some of the main messages used by each in their previous campaigns will now cut in the opposition direction. McIntyre, having fought a "doesn't live in the ward" message in her Council race, is now the candidate who would be tempted to run as the candidate who does live in the riding - while the experience vs. renewal dynamic from the leadership race may be reversed as Pedersen grapples with his status as the candidate who's run but lost in the riding before.
Either way, Regina South voters will be able to look forward to a strong NDP candidate in 2011. And when that's combined with the increased level of enthusiasm following a hotly-contested nomination battle, one has to like the odds of the NDP retaking the seat.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Regina South: Heather McIntyre to Seek NDP Nomination
With a competitive nomination race developing in Regina Coronation Park, it's fairly clear that the Saskatchewan NDP is on strong ground in replacing its retiring MLAs. But with the party obviously needing to win additional seats in order to form government in 2011, the next question is whether it might face any more difficulty recruiting strong challengers in seats now held by the Sask Party.
Fortunately, there's some great news on that front. After running a strong City Council campaign last year in Ward 2, Heather McIntyre is now aiming for the NDP's nomination in Regina South, making a direct personal appeal about the harm done by the Wall government:
Fortunately, there's some great news on that front. After running a strong City Council campaign last year in Ward 2, Heather McIntyre is now aiming for the NDP's nomination in Regina South, making a direct personal appeal about the harm done by the Wall government:
My grandmother lives in a Regina South nursing home with staff the government refuses to treat with respect. My daughter’s school may lose its teaching assistants and the value they bring to countless families. And soon my neighbours will be paying higher power bills. Everyone in Saskatchewan is being forced to pay for the Wall government’s mismanagement.With the 2009 City Council race giving her both plenty of recent campaign experience and a head start in parts of the constituency, McIntyre should be a formidable candidate for the nomination. But there's also talk that she may not be alone in pursuing a seat which saw one of the NDP's two narrow losses in Regina in 2007.
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