Wrapping the LPC(O) convention

It’s Sunday and I decided to sleep-in rather than catch the last morning of the convention. There wasn’t too much on the agenda and I needed a good night’s sleep.

The good

It was a good weekend. Over 1200 enthusiastic Liberals in attendance and even though we’re in a leadership race there was no tension or rivalry, everyone was feeling united and together, and energetic and enthused about the challenges ahead.

It was good to see a few friends I hadn’t seen in a few years, and it was also great to meet a number of fellow Libloggers, including Ted of Cerberus, Jason of Cherniak on Politics, Shosona, Zac of Behind the Headlines, and Vincent of A View or Two.

I liked Bill Graham’s luncheon speech and his expansion of the attack to the NDP, and I also liked Mike Eizenga’s call for a national membership list and a streamlined party bureaucracy.

The highlight though, without a doubt, was the leadership forum and the hospitality suites. It was great to hear from all the candidates and see them strut their stuff in person. While they don’t all have a chance, I was impressed with the quality of the group, and the warmth on the stage and in the room. I was at the leadership forum in Vancouver during the last leadership campaign, where John Manley, Sheila Copps and Paul Martin debated, and it was very much a different vibe.

The haters who bemoan the fact all the supposed big names dropped-out are full of it; this is a great group of candidates.

And while the forum helped me narrow my choices it was still a really difficult decision to decide whom to support. Saturday evening, before heading up to the suites, I sat in the lobby for 30 minutes mulling my two top choices, going back and forth. It wasn’t easy. That post is to follow though.

The needs improvement

The party needs to get better organized. While the Web memberships should help, it’s still too difficult to join the party. And it’s also difficult for them to get more involved once they do. We need better communication to members from the party and the riding associations, they need to reach out to the members more. And bloggers need to be recognized as part of the process.

My blog coverage of the weekend

Blogging the LPC(O), Night One: Leadership
Ground control to LPC(O): It's the 21st Century calling
Blogging the LPC(O), Day Two: Power to the people
Blogging the LPC(O), Day Two: Mike Eizenga and right-sizing the Liberal Party
Blogging the LPC(O), Day Two: Bill Graham, then desert
LPC(O) Day Two: Bloggers meet Ignatieff

Other Libloggers on the weekend (I’ll add to this list as I see more posts)

Cherniak on Politics
LPC(O) Leadership Panel
LPCO leadership beakouts
Final thoughts on the LPC(O) AGM

Take off, eh?
Michael Ignatieff - Blogger Chat

Best/Worst Times
Graham Speaking
Graham speech part deux

Shoshana
LPCO is a shambles after staff quit…
Highlights of the LPC(O) AGM
Leadership prediction from the LPC(O)

Bob the Red
Michael Ignatieff wears stylish re-soled, black shoes

Behind the Headlines
LPC(O)

A View or Two
A View or Two's Take On The LPC(O) AGM

The Steel City Grit
LPC(O) AGM-Leadership Impressions

The "What Do I Know Grit"
Victory at Last!
Maurizo Bevilacqua Wins

Cerberus
LPC(O) AGM

An Younger Liberal
LPCO AGM

Yappa Ding Ding
Liberal Leadership Debate
Reforming the Liberal Party (Mike Eizenga's LPCO talk)
Environment Forum (More LPCO notes)
Forum on Urban/Rural Issues and on Energy (Yet More Notes from the LPCO)

University of Ottawa Young Liberals
LPC(O) AGM

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