I received the dispatch a week ago from General Shaye, summoning the troops to a secret location somewhere in Oakville to receive our marching orders for the impending Battle to Re-Elect Garth Turner.
Pizza would be served. Outstanding.
I arrive promptly at 18:30 hours, but cannot access the building. I spot a suit and we exchange the secret handshake. "Do you have the pass code?" I ask. He checks his communique, but no indication is given.
On a whim I try pressing '187' (the code for "Party Room") and a voice comes on line. I cover the receiver with my hand and whisper, "Liberal Riding Association?"
"Yes", says the voice. "Please press 187".
Pause.
"Never mind", he says. "I'll come out".
______________________
So began my first experience as a volunteer with a Federal election campaign. A campaign that isn't a campaign yet, of course. Still, it sure felt like one sitting in that room eating pizza off of napkins, collating poll maps and listening to advice from the more experienced campaigners in the room.
Aside from the snafu at the door, the team seems to be one well-oiled machine. I think it had something to do with the unlikely camaraderie between the ex-Progressive Conservatives who stuck with Garth throughout his banishment and exile, and the long-standing Halton Liberals who welcomed them in from the cold.
The result is a passion for both the candidate and the cause that I doubt exists in any other riding in Canada.
I left the meeting totally stoked, with a box of envelopes to stuff and a renewed confidence in the outcome of the upcoming campaign.
So to those of you who are mired in doubt, who have surrendered to despair, I say to you: back away from your keyboard, get off your ass and JOIN THE FIGHT!
(HOLY CRAP! 231 page views?!? Oh, I see - Garth linked to me. Thanks for the bump, Garth!)
Who is Garth Turner expecting to battle in Halton?
ReplyDeleteAll right, I'll join the fight. I'm in the Hull-Aylmer riding in Québec, just outside of Ottawa.
ReplyDeleteWhere do I go to get my marching orders?
-R
Why would you help an ass hole like Turner get re elected. The man is so full of shit that he is about to burst. BTW, did you know that he voted FOR the income trust changes that he always rails about.
ReplyDeleteTurner can only serve one thing at his meeting, Hypocrisy.
Sadly I missed this show, damn. I was rather busy today, had a client that drop an IT Data Forensic Bomb on me on Friday afternoon, and it has completely screwed up my weekend schedule.
ReplyDeleteI normally love this type of work, but in this case it really sucks.
Rune, send me an email to fill in the tp secret scuttle butt I missed!
Anon, you're so full of shit. But what can one expect from an Anon comment who lacks balls to place a registered ID to their posts. BALL-LESS
RA - Still no word on who the Conservatives are going to run. But I'm sure Mr. Harper will let them know soon.
ReplyDeleteRob - Just contact Mr. Proulx's constituency office and ask to sign up as a campaign volunteer.
Anon - How's the weather in Edmonton? Given the class of people I seem to be attracting these days, I believe I will be disallowing anonymous comments from now on. You can go back to stamping your little feet over at Garths's blog now - but thanks for stopping by!