Talk of a federal election is in the air once again, and the Green Party in Ottawa Centre wants to be ready. That means planning for a possible campaign and reconnecting with our network of supporters.

Candidate Search
As some of you may already know, two-time federal candidate and former Deputy Leader David Chernushenko has taken a break from politics to return to the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy — recently in the news for their report advocating a carbon tax — and to pursue other projects, including his Living Lightly film and Web site. While David hasn’t discounted running again in the future, and he remains involved with and committed to the Green Party in Ottawa Centre, his current schedule prevents him from running in any election prior to September.

This means we are seeking a new candidate. Ottawa Centre is traditionally a strong riding for the Green Party, so we’re looking for a strong candidate. Ideally, that means being a resident of Ottawa Centre, bilingual, with strong community connections, a winning personality, and an understanding of and commitment to Green principles.

If you are interested in seeking the nomination, or if you would like to recommend someone who would make a good candidate, please let us know as soon as possible by contacting the Green Party’s Ontario Organizer, Becky Smit at beckysmit (a) greenparty.ca or 647-830-6486, or by contacting us directly.

Green Party members in Ottawa Centre will be able to choose the new candidate at a nomination meeting to be scheduled soon. We’ll keep you posted.

Memberships
You must be a current member of the Green Party of Canada and a resident of Ottawa Centre to vote in the upcoming nomination meeting. If your membership has lapsed or will expire soon, please consider renewing it online at www.greenparty.ca. Alternatively, you can contact us for assistance. If you’re not sure about the status of your membership, we can help you find out.

Database Updates
The Green Party of Canada introduced a new database last year that makes it easier for us to keep track of our local members and supporters, their contact information, and their preferred language and method of communication. Of course, it only works if the information is up to date! To check or update your contact information and preferences, please log in at www.greenparty.ca. If you don’t yet have an online Green Party account, follow the instructions. If you prefer to deal with a real person, please call the Green Party’s federal office at 613-562-4916, or contact us.

Help us Prepare for the Next Election
As always, we welcome volunteers and financial contributions to help us prepare for the upcoming election. To make a donation, please contact our new CFO, Guy Talevi, at 613-224-4438 or talevig (a) sympatico.ca.

We will need volunteers to fill all roles during the campaign: canvassing door-to-door or on the phone, putting up signs, organizing events, fundraising, data management and office work. If you have already signed up as a volunteer in the past year, thank you — we are keeping track, and we will be calling on you as soon we launch the campaign. If you are interested in volunteering but have not yet signed up, please do so online by clicking on the “Volunteer� link at www.greenparty.ca, or by contacting us.

Thank you for your support, and best wishes for 2008!

Sincerely,
Anouk Hoedeman,
CEO, Ottawa-Centre Green Party EDA

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