NDP Leadership Hopefuls Meet and Greet Islanders
Two high-profile New Democrat leadership candidates are meeting Islanders on Friday, January 27th in Charlottetown, PEI. Paul Dewar and Nathan Cullen are looking forward to hearing the ideas of Islanders as they go into the leadership race later this Spring. Both candidates are considered front-runners and see the Island as an untapped resource of progressive thought.
WHAT: A Q&A session with Nathan Cullen followed by a meet and greet, and a meet and greet with Paul Dewar
WHEN: January 27th, 2012 3:30-4:30pm (Q&A with Nathan Cullen)
5:00-7:00pm (Meet and Greet with Paul Dewar)
8:00-10:00pm(Pub Night with Nathan Cullen)
WHY: The NDP of Canada are holding a leadership race after the passing of Hon. Jack Layton. An important component of the NDP’s philosophy is to hear the voices of all Islanders and a cornerstone of each candidate’s campaign is to meet as many Canadians as possible.
WHERE: The meet and greet with Paul Dewar is at the Gahan House in Charlottetown, PEI.
The Q&A session with Nathan Cullen is in the Murphy Centre, with a meet and greet later in the evening at the Pourhouse (above Old Triangle).
DETAILS: Islanders are invited to meet with NDP leadership hopefuls to discuss issues that are important to them.
Paul Dewar has always taken a people-centered approach to politics and to leadership. A seasoned Member of Parliament at the age of 48, his knowledge of the issues, communications skills, and commitment to working with others have made him an effective parliamentarian as well as a respected community leader.
Born in Ottawa, Paul grew up steeped in social democratic politics. His mother, Marion Dewar, was a popular mayor of Ottawa who taught him early on the importance of social justice and grassroots democracy.
After graduating from university, Paul’s passion for international affairs took him to Nicaragua where he volunteered as an aid worker. He returned to Canada to become a public school teacher at two Ottawa-area schools, noted for his award-winning work in the area of special needs education and became the vice-president of Ottawa Carleton Elementary Teachers’ Federation.
Paul was first elected to Parliament in 2006, after the retirement of NDP stalwart Ed Broadbent. Paul lives in old Ottawa East with his spouse Julia Sneyd and their two children
Nathan Cullen is the longest-serving MP running for leader. He grew up in Toronto and attended university in Peterborough and Waterloo, Ontario. After graduating, he worked abroad, in Africa and South America, helping communities come together—by establishing women’s shelters, financial services and the basic infrastructure most Canadians take for granted.
In 2003, Nathan decided he’d heard enough from his local Conservative MP. So he ran for the NDP in the riding of Skeena—Bulkley Valley, which is about the size of Norway. He won the 2004 election—making him the only leadership candidate to defeat a Tory MP. By working with others, and taking a new approach to politics, Nathan has increased his margin of victory in each of the three elections since.
Nathan lives in Smithers, with his wife Diana, and twin sons, Isaac and Elliot.
-30-
For further information contact:
Chris van Ouwerkerk: (902) 314-0725 communications@ndppei.ca
