GVP Ritchie at the Political Action Symposium: "Shameful" that only 50% of unionized households voted.
"There’s nothing magical about political action," said Canadian GVP Dave Ritchie. "You have to be persistent and repeat your message over and over until the voters think of it as their own."
Ritchie was speaking to over 90 delegates to the 2nd annual Canadian Political Action Symposium being held this week at the William W Winpisinger Education Center in Hollywood, Maryland.
"We’re building upon the foundation of our first symposium held last year," explained GLR in charge of Political Action, Gord Falconer. "We started from scratch last year and we have built up Local Lodge Political Action Committee across Canada. We’re motivating our membership to get involved politically and we’re hammering home the fact that their jobs are tied to politics."
Reports from committees across Canada reveal that politics has indeed entered into the conversations on the shop floor like never before. Canadians go to the polls on October 19th to elect a new government. Midway through the longest election campaign in Canadian history, there are indications that the New Democratic Party, currently the official opposition, could form the first majority socialist government.
"In the last federal election, 50% of unionized households in Canada did not exercise their right to vote," explained Ritchie. "I find that shameful and if we want to end a decade of repressive Conservative rule, our members and other Canadian trade unionists must get out to vote. I have been a card carrying member of the NDP for fifty years and we have never been this close before."
"We’re concentrating on four key issues in this election," explained Falconer. "Jobs, Healthcare, Childcare and Retirement Security are the concerns expressed most often in this election and the NDP has the answers Canadians are looking for."
"I know people will be hearing this slogan a lot in the coming weeks," said Ritchie. "Our time has come!"