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Saturday 7 March 2009

NDP Convention (3): Prue

Video presentation - shots of Regent Park with voiceover by Prue on growing up in a poor neighbourhood and the importance of making sure children have opportunity.

Talks about his success as mayor of East York, building community centres and daycare, paying down the debt without raising taxes.

I'm a consensus builder and have a plan involving the cities and towns of the province that will bring economic prosperity.

I've won 8 elections in a row including in places such as Leaside where New Dems haven't won before.

Have travelled the length and breadth of this province. I can represent all of the people of this great province and I will do so as Premier.

(Video ends)

Music and light show -

Prue comes to podium

Begins in French, not as loudly as Bisson.

It's taken me a lifetime to get here from Regent Park.

Tumultuous times for our province and party.

70 percent share our values but only 15 percent vote for us because they don't think we can win or manage the economy. But if we make the right choices we can matter again. If I'm leader we'll regain confidence, I will rejuvenate the party and make it into one that will win.

Separate out the rhetoric from the substance being presented.

3 qualifications needed - 1 proven leadership in governing. 2 Ability to attract support from a broad range of people. 3 Comprehensive and believable economic plan.

leader needs to know from experience what to do now. can't wait for someone to grow into the job (jab at Horwath?)

I won every poll as mayor of East York at a time when provincial NDP government deeply unpopular because a broad range of people were impressed by me. I filled vacant factories, had 5 balanced budgets, paid down the debt and never raised taxes. Built daycare and community centres.

Times demanded a leader of action with an economic plan and I did it with the rest of council, not one of whom was an NDPer.

We have that opportunity again today. I have a comprehensive economic plan.
1) direct investment that will accelerate recovery
2) Buy Ontario plan
3) Cities power region plans that will make us more competitive.

The past few days have been devestating to working families in Niagara and Windsor. I watched reaction of Steelworkers as they stared at prospect of lost jobs and crushed hopes. they are looking for answers and solutions and we can provide them.

It's essential that provincial governemnt play a role in critical industries. my plan recognizes the enormity of the task. we will provide the money but we demand shares in the companies, seats on the board of directors to protect jobs and direct recovery and significant role for unions.

Buy Ontario plan gives option to councils to award contracts to local suppliers provided the bid is within 10% of lowest tender. We must give this opportunity to Municipalities, Universities, Hospitals. Does not violate trade agreements.

We will give cities and towns tools and resources to build their own success. Eliminate OMB to restore municipal control of planning. give larger cities same powers as City of Toronto. Alternative to property tax is needed. These changes will give cities ability to build infrastructure - give Windsor option to build tunnel instead of highway. Give Toronto ability to build light transit and Thunder Bay ability to build new facilities for wood products.

Every town and city will be free to make strategic decisions to foster growth in target economic sectors.

This will generate tax base needed to do what we've dreamt with, eliminated economy, greening society, relief to students and justice for first nations.

Coming from Regent Park and being a proud trade unionist i've always dreamt of eliminating poverty. End clawback against the disabled. someone born with Down's syndrome is not given a fair shake in life, but Ontario claws back half of everything they earn. that's a disgrace. I will end that practice and allow people on ODSP to keep first $8,000 they earn so they can be above the poverty line.

Must shift to greener healthier province. I worked with Sheila Basra. We forged first anti smoking bylaw. we established the Toronto anti-smoking bylaw that was later adopted by the province. we were the first to ban pesticides. we stopped Toronto from dumping its garbage in Adams Mine. I will continue that fight as leader and as Premier i will stop construction of energy plants not being built with smart tech to reduce carbon emissions. will encourage use of biomass and create a renewable energy institute to develop new tech. i will give all municipalities the tools to go green and i will give assistance to homeowners to retrofit homes for alternative power.

to do this we need to win. Beginning tomorrow i will lead a 10 person caucus but i want our party to regain our confidence and allow us to form the next government. i have a detailed plan to revitalize party.

we must learn from Obama's 50 state strategy. we must not cede any ridings to other parties and run strong campaigns in all 107 ridings. we spent $4 million in last campaign but I want to ensure each riding has $10K so they can run strong campaigns. we can't just run in 20 0r 30 ridings and win 10, we have to run strong campaigns in every riding.

we need to change the funding formula. even in my riding we have no money in our treasury to do ordinary things like sponsor a kids baseball team or participate in local parades. if that's happening in beaches it's happening across the province and we need to change that. the current revenue formula is a disincentive to fundraising.

We need to bring in new faces. I will increase grant to ONDY and provide seed money for each campus club. we need an internship program for youth to bring the best and brightest to queen's park and party hq.

i will convince new canadians to join NDP, will reach out to their leaders.

I will bring unions like the CAW back into the NDP and unions that have never affiliated into the party.

I have experience in leading a government, managing an economy, attracting business and creating jobs. I couldn't have done that without the ability to attract votes from all places and classes.

If I could do that in east york i can do that across the province in 2011.

you have a choice - change that can bring results. i'm the only candidate with proven governmetn experience. i have run an economy during a recession without losing jobs. I am the candidate for poverty reduction and green energy. I have convinced non NDPers to vote for me in the past. I can revitalize the party and I'm the only candidate with a concrete plan to transform the party.

with your vote we can have results that we've never had before.
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