Think rural, federal Liberals told
Last Updated Sat, 06 May 2006 17:34:30 EDT
CBC News
Federal Liberals have to shed their image as the party of big business and big cities, according to some Liberal delegates meeting in Toronto this weekend.

Paul Steckle was the only Liberal from a rural riding west of New Brunswick to be re-elected. (Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)

The Liberals won only a handful of seats in rural regions, such as southwestern Ontario, in the last election. Most of the party's seats were captured in Canada's three largest cities: Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.
Much of the work at the party's annual meeting of its Ontario wing has been devoted to rebuilding its base outside of Canada's largest cities.
That is not going to happen unless the party changes, said Tom Manley, who lost to Conservative Guy Lauzon in the eastern Ontario riding of Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry.
" There's a fear and anger out there in rural Canada," he said, rhyming off areas where Liberal policies are out of sync with rural voters, including firearms registration, land-use regulations and limited support for farmers.
Paul Steckle, the MP for the Ontario riding of Huron-Bruce and the only Liberal from an agricultural riding west of New Brunswick to be re-elected, also stressed the importance of rural policies.
" I can tell you that unless we're prepared as the Liberal Party of Canada to go forward with an agricultural policy where food security becomes as important as national security, we will never move forward."
Only one of the 11 leadership candidates, Nova Scotia MP Scott Brison, is from a rural riding.
Guy Chaplin from Renfrew, Ont., said that makes it all the more important for the party to pay more than lip service to rural issues. His own riding voted Conservative in the past two elections, after years of electing Liberals.
" Essentially in rural Canada, if you don't come knocking, take the trouble to knock on their door, they won't take the trouble to vote for you," he said.
All candidates under one roof
All 11 of the party's leadership candidates descended on Toronto Friday night, looking to win over a large gathering of Ontario party faithful.
About 1,400 party members attended as the candidates came together for the first time. Each had three minutes to make their pitches in English and French.
Many of the hopefuls predicted an election within a year and a swift return to power for the once-unbeatable party.
Former Ontario education minister Gerard Kennedy said the Liberals need to spare the country from another Harper election victory.
" We cannot let Stephen Harper do to Canada what (former premier) Mike Harris did to Ontario," he said.
Hockey legend and former minister Ken Dryden said Liberals need to adopt a positive attitude in order to prevent another Harper election win.
" We have to win. Not maybe win, not like to win. Win."
The Liberals will hold their convention to choose their new leader in Montreal in December.

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