I'm not a secretive guy. Never have been. Family and personal issues aside I am willing to discuss and share most anything, including my mistakes and failed attempts. It is in that vein that I bring up something I just discovered while organizing some of my MacBook files. You may remember that I actually took a shot at the Leadership of the Liberal Party of NL a while back, before the election. Well I had an opportunity to speak to the Board before they made their decision and I prepared a speech that I will print here today for you. It serves no point other then to reflect how I felt at the time and how I still feel that the Liberal Party will lead the next Government.
At any rate here is my presentation to the Liberal Party of NL Executive Board on August 14, 2011. Brace yourself it's a little long and keep in mind these were my speaking notes.
Introduction
Ladies and gentlemen of the
Executive Board. I want to thank you for the opportunity to speak with you
today and for allowing me to elaborate on why I should be the next leader of
the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador.
In a short 58 days from today
the people of this province will head to the polls to select the next
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. In the short time between now and then
we must convince them that it is the Liberal Party that can embrace change and
adapt to the evolving state of our province. We must tap into their pride as
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and we must recognize the frustrations that
they have felt with past governments.
The Liberal Party needs a
leader who is not afraid to challenge the status quo, and who can shape a new
party and a new government, which will respond to the needs of its citizenry
and inspire a new generation of liberal thinkers. That leader is me.
My Experience
Lets talk about my experience
and my credentials. I have degrees in NL History and education, but they merely
provide the foundation for the real work experience that has prepared me for
this position. It is my experience across various sectors that gives me the
advantage to be able to speak intelligently about many areas of concern for
residents of NL.
My upbringing has provided me
with an appreciation of hands on work. Because I grew up in a resourceful home
with little money to spare I learned to be a carpenter, plumber or a mechanic
depending on what any given situation required. I have worked minimum wage jobs
cutting grass and pumping gas, and I am often humbled by the people who provide
those necessary services with the utmost dignity and respect.
After spending 4 years as a
teacher at the front of a classroom, I moved into the environmental not for
profit sector. There I served on Provincial advisory councils and submitted
environmental commentary on protected lands and on the environmental impacts of
large projects such as the nickel processing facility at Long Harbour.
For a while I was responsible
for policy development and communications for the provincial tourism
association Hospitality NL. This position provided incredible insight into a
growing industry that has become a significant part of our provincial economy. But it is my work in the last
5 years that has been the ultimate proving ground for the position of Liberal
Party Leader.
As a community cooperation
professional with Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador I came to know the
community leaders from around the province. I heard their issues, and helped to
develop policy, and on the ground solutions to their growing list of concerns.
I was eventually recruited by the Department of Municipal Affairs where I
developed, and delivered the provincial standard for community sustainability
planning. And finally I left my government position to start my own business,
working with communities and economic development agencies to forward the goals
of regional development around the province.
One of the criticisms levied
against me is that I am new to the political arena, that I don’t have the
experience to lead a political party. The truth of the matter is that my lack
of political experience is not a challenge to overcome, but a characteristic to
be embraced. The people of Newfoundland and Labrador are crying out for a new
brand of politician, one that finds new solutions and is open to new ideas.
They have been very adamant that the old school ways of politics in this
province will not be supported. And the results have been evident in poor voter
turnouts over the past number of elections.
And while I am new to the
Liberal Party, in the past 2 months while working toward earning a seat in the
district of Bonavista South I have been engaged in policy development with
opposition office staff, and I’ve been publicly promoting the Liberal ideals on
twitter, my blog, my website and the call-in radio programs.
With regard to my leadership
abilities you need only look at the examples that I have set in my life. I
challenge people to ensure that only the best possible ideas move forward. I am
outspoken both in favor of good ideas, and against poor ones but always
understanding that everyone has a right to take part in the conversation.
I am a good communicator and
I have been engaged in public speaking and debate for more then 15 years. I am
passionate, organized, and a decisive decision maker. I plan my actions
carefully, take responsibility for my mistakes and most importantly I am a good
listener.
The Need for change
Listening to the people of NL
one thing is blatantly clear, they are ready for real political change. They
want a leader and a party that is willing to make difficult decisions. They
want a transparent and accountable government, and they want to be engaged in
the process of setting policy and making decisions. These kinds of change can
only be accomplished with a fresh start from a new kind of leader.
We need a young leader who
can engage the youth of this province and lead by example. The Liberal Party
must focus on valuable consultation processes that utilize every possible
method to engage the public. The current administration has been so secretive
and selective in it’s consultations that we now have the opportunity to highlight
our plan for community and individual engagement.
As a party we cannot just
speak of this change we wish to see, we must embody it. As Leader of the
Liberal Party I would represent the kind of change that this party embraces and
celebrates. The kind of change that people demand, and the kind of change that
will draw voters to the polls in October.
Setting a new course
If we are to differentiate
ourselves from the other parties we have to begin with a vision that outlines
where a Liberal government would take the province. This vision must include
the issues that have meaning in the lives of regular NLians. We must look to
develop healthy sustainable communities, safe drinking water, the best possible
healthcare, a strong and diversified economic base and a transparent and
fiscally responsible government.
Of course to accomplish a
vision we must develop tangible mid range goals to ensure that we are
constantly moving toward that vision. The goals of the Liberal Party have to
include building capacity in small communities, developing a modern energy
plan, rebuilding a sustainable fishery, and creating a responsible government
that engages its citizens in meaningful consultation.
There are also short-term
actions that will establish our commitment to our goals and our vision. We can
reduce the number of provincial electoral districts, and therefore the required
number of MHA salaries. We can also reduce the size of cabinet and eliminate
unnecessary departments, branches and divisions. We can develop legislation to
require a minimum number of days that the HOA will sit, in an effort to better
serve the people of NL. We can immediately implement a province wide 911
service, and create a single information contact number for government, similar
to the 311 service of the City of St. John’s. We can improve the legislation to
allow local governments to manage their affairs and provide them with the
appropriate resources to do so through a program such as a percentage of the
provincial income tax, or a local version of equalization payments.
In the end, the Liberal Party
has to develop a plan that has input from all who wish to contribute, a plan
that identifies where we need to go, and just as importantly, how we’re going
to get there.
Securing Victory
In two months the people of
NL will take to the electoral battlefield and only one party will emerge
victorious. If that party is to be the Liberal party then we need to reach out
and engage new voters as well as hold on to the party faithful. But make no mistake
that the tried and true Liberals will vote liberal, the hard core tories will
vote PC, and those looking to cast a protest vote will select the NDP. Our most
important task is to convince the swing voters, those who vote based on
candidate, policy, and party leader that the Liberal Party has heard their cry
for change and is looking to build a party and a government that can inspire
them all the way to the polling booth.
One group of potential voters
that could easily swing the election are those 35 and under. The common theory
is that young people don’t vote because they don’t care. I challenge that idea.
Being one of those young people, I can say that younger voters sometimes don’t
vote because they don’t see the difference between the major parties. They
don’t see a party that understands their needs, only parties who have written
them off as a lost cause come election day. The Liberal Party has a very unique
opportunity to engage the younger voters, an opportunity that has not existed
in this manner before.
As the Party Leader, I would
engage younger voters with a voice that they can relate to, and through the
mediums that they understand and use everyday. I understand all too well their
challenges of finding sustainable employment, struggling with student loans,
and feeling disenfranchised from government and the political system. They need
someone to inspire them. We saw just how important the youth vote was during
the Obama campaign in the US, and in the success of the NDP during our last Federal
election a few short months ago.
And it is not just the
younger voters who see the need for a younger face at the helm. Over the past
two days I have received a great deal of very positive feedback from senior
citizens who have said how happy they are to see a younger person become
involved. And they all have wished me the best of luck. We must listen to the
people of NL and put in place a new, young and dynamic leader who can help to
engage and inspire young and old alike.
Why me
To the Liberal Party of NL, I
bring the promise of change. The promise of new ideas, and new approaches to
old problems. I will lead a party that is not only not afraid to ask people to
become involved in decision making, but a party that prides itself on engaging
average people to solve everyday problems.
I bring a young ideal that
will appeal to both young and old, and voice that is already tempered through
the use of traditional mediums such as call in radio shows, and through
emerging mediums, such as Facebook, twitter, blogging and youtube. It is this
combination that will allow us as a party to reach new members and new voters.
It is this approach that will see us victorious when the dust settles on
October 12.
To the Liberal Party I bring
experience across a broad spectrum of topics and many years of professional
public speaking to the table. I have worked with various Ministers and
bureaucrats, and my experience working inside the system has taught me how
government really works. I have seen the flaws in the system and the many
loopholes that allow good policy to become poor actions. And I have seen the
rank and file of a public sector that will not speak out for fear of serious
and swift reprisals.
We need to plan for, and
build a transparent and accountable government where the objective is not
secrecy and protection, but communication and cooperation. I will lead a
Liberal Party into a government that understands how to reform the system to
make it function properly and effectively, through appropriate planning and an
open and accountable environment.
I have little doubt that some
of you look at the list of contenders for this position and you see some safe
bets and you see some unknown faces. I challenge you today to make the first,
difficult, but correct decision, that will lead this party to becoming the
voice of NLians. I challenge you to put aside the traditional political choice,
and instead show leadership that demonstrates that this is the party of the
future, and not of the past. And finally, I challenge you to make the decision
that so many hard core Liberals and undecided voters would like you make.
I ask that you take this
opportunity to show NL that the Liberal Party embraces change, and is now ready
to move forward and build a party with a new, vibrant, passionate and young
voice at the helm. I ask that you select me, Ryan Lane, as the next leader of
the Liberal Party of NL. Thank you very much.
