On Thursday, August 16, NDP Candidate Catherine Fife launched her campaign in the Kitchener-Waterloo byelection with outstanding support. Nearly every Ontario NDP MP and MPP attended her campaign kick-off to a cheering crowd of more than 200. OFL Vice-President Irwin Nanda joined the campaign launch to bring labour support. After the launch, hundreds of volunteers flooded the riding in a mass-canvass that is part of a strong voter outreach campaign.
Ever since Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty woed Tory MPP Elizabeth Witmer to accept a plum government appointment with the WSIB Board, the riding has been up for grabs. No doubt, the Premier’s motivation was to secure the one extra seat needed to establish a majority government, but a Liberal victory in the riding is far from certain. Tumbling from an initial lead, recent public opinion polling pegs the Liberals in a virtual tie with the NDP and the Conservatives holding the slightest of leads. Constituents appear to blame McGuinty for the spring budget blunders and resent his refusal to accept the minority government that voters handed him.
In contrast, the NDP, who traditionally do well in byelections, are riding high on strong voter support for Leader Andrea Horwath. However, the selection of star candidate Catherine Fife to head up the fight in K-W gives the party a strong grounding in the riding. Fife is a long-time education activist and regional School Board Chair. Her deep roots in the community and credible leadership in the riding make her an ideal candidate to take on a government that has chosen to start to war with teachers while leaving parents and children behind.
With the September 6 election day fast approaching, this campaign needs the support of every labour and community activist.
Get to KNOW Catherine: CatherineFife.com
LIKE Catherine in Facebook: Facebook.com/CatherineFifeNDP
FOLLOW Catherine on Twitter: Twitter.com/@CFifeKW
VOLUNTEER for Catherine: 182 Weber Street North, Waterloo, ON or 519-725-4888 or catherinefife@on.ndp.ca
