happy new year!

BEST WISHES FOR A SIMPLER, HAPPIER AND MORE PEACEFUL LIFE IN 2008

Letter from the President of the GPO

Hello and let me introduce myself.

I'm Lawson Hunter, newly elected GPO
President at the Nov. 24 Annual
General Meeting.  I hope to
communicate with all CA presidents
on a regular basis,to keep you
informed and up to date and to
give you a contact should
you need to share a thought or concern with the Provincial
Executive.  I'd also like you to make contact with the
Regional Reps from your Region.  I'm hoping that
you can establish a relationship with your Regional Reps
as part of their responsibility is to be a conduit between
your local activities and those of the central party.
It's about better communications and inclusivity.


More to come, thanks for your involvement in helping
the Green Party grow.

Lawson Hunter
GPO President


The GPO is hoping to fill some necessary positions from
the general membership.  If you could disseminate the following
message to everyone in your riding membership list, that would
be appreciated and save the centralparty from making a
massive email.


Call for Functionaries and committee members

The GPO Provincial Executive is now accepting applications
for the following positions to assist with the operations of
the Party and to fulfill specific roles as described by the
GPO Constitution.  Send names, contact info, and a brief bio
to Lawson Hunter, GPO President at lawson@electgreens.ca and
cc. Jessica Fracassi at gpoadmin@magma.ca

Communications Coordinator
Operations Coordinator
Fundraising Coordinator
Youth Coordinator
Information Technology Management Coordinator (website)
Male Provincial Secretary

Deadline will be December 14th

AGM Confirms De Jong as Leader

Frank De Jong, 52-year-old educator, who has headed the party since 1993, was confirmed as Party Leader this weekend when 71 per cent of 403 members voted against holding a leadership review. Party policy calls for a Leadership review when support for the leader falls below 2/3rds. The Green Party constitution requires a review vote every two years. This one came on the heels of the Party celebrating its best performance yet in a provincial election where the GPO tripled its popular share of the vote as well as its membership.

De Jong had strong support among the 115 party members at the meeting, held outside Perth on the Rideau River. But the outcome was uncertain as nearly 300 advance ballots were cast by those who couldn't attend.

Many delegates said the party should concentrate on strengthening its organization and raising money, rather than be distracted by a leadership contest. Most delegates felt Frank had only just become known to the public as the face of the Green Party in Ontario. For the first time, the AGM was extensively covered by the Toronto Star.

The GPO welcomes new President LAWSON HUNTER, a former Director of Communications for the GPO. Former Progressive Conservative Party of Canada Director DAVID SCRYMGEOUR is now Chief Financial Officer.

Other newly-elected members of the Executive include:

Eastern Region Female JEANIE WARNOCK

Eastern Region Male MARK MacKENZIE

Toronto Region Female CAROLINE LAW

Toronto Region Male SHAUN MERRITT

The meeting ended with a rousing speech by De Jong: “The future of Ontario politics is Green. We’re a burgeoning political force en route to electing MPPs in 2011...We are engaged in an epic battle to save the planet," he continued before receiving a standing ovation. "The enemy is us ... the battle is within each of us."

Shane Jolley, the bike shop owner who won 33 per cent of the vote in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, the Greens' best result in a Canadian election, is quoted in the Toronto Star as urging the Party not to become complacent.

"Now is the time to be more bold than ever before. ... We have to champion our policies and ideas in a way we have never done before," said Jolley, who is considered a strong future leadership candidate.

Members also celebrated their recent court victory obtaining a change in electoral law which required candidates who did not obtain 10% of the vote to lose their deposit fee with Elections Ontario.

“Every candidate who ran in the last election will get their deposit fee returned, regardless of how many votes they received and what their political affiliation,” says de Jong. “We are continuing to improve democracy in Ontario.”