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Thanks,

Mark McCaw ~ twitter's @bigpicguy

Author of "Insights Inside a Mind" ~ blogging the big picture








Sunday 21 October 2012

Free Advice for @JustinTrudeau et al

     For the interested yet not-so-politically-savvy among those who may choose to read this, I feel compelled to explain, anyone who aspires to any kind of elected position depends upon advisers. The number of which depend heavily on the higher the office one seeks. No one does it alone. The more important role you seek, the more you lean on additional "experts" who provide (you hope) sound argument and good policy ideas that reinforce your own core values. This is your (I hate this term) "war room".

     The reason my headline includes Justin Trudeau is due to his entry into the race for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada. I know Mr Trudeau has read one or more of my blog posts and has tweeted it to get feedback. I am not a member of any political party and have made no monetary donation to any party or campaign. That's the extent of disclosure I can offer, I'm prepared to wait for all comers to declare and at some point I will make it clear who I support, and why. Exactly what I did when the NDP were choosing a succsessor to Jack Layton. It's no secret I hoped the NDP would be led by Nathan Cullen. That didn't come to pass but we accept the honest choices of those involved.

     My point is, I don't concern myself as much who runs for what position in which party, this advice should be taken very seriously by any candidate for any party, or non partisan candidate running for any elected position, and with more urgency exponential to the power of the office they seek. In my lifetime I freely admit voting for Progressive Conservatives (The old kind, not the Tea Party Conservatives currently in power), Liberals, NDP, and Independent candidates in both provincial and federal elections. I am also very honest in that I support people who understand we are all human and sometimes people need help, some more than others, and especially someone willing to say publicly we are rich enough to do it. We ask ordinary Canadian citizens to hand over a far higher percentage of our overall income than we ask obscenely profitable corporations to help us provide them with secure, happy, healthy, well educated workers, willing to support the capitalist system by being better consumers. That basic premise applies to every candidate.

     Now back to the advisers. Among the army of lawyers and economists and image consultants, you should all ensure you employ someone like me. Just an ordinary Canadian. Someone who wasn't advantaged in life. A person who has faced adversity, who has been a contributing member of society, has followed the political and geopolitical world for a long time. Especially someone who is going to honestly tell you the unpopular things others seem unable to utter. Someone who will give you real, down to earth advice about what will give hope to people, rather than serving the market masters. I truly believe most people in public office become disconnected from the neighbourhoods of the nation, it would serve them well to have an "ordinary" person there to present the case for a very important special interest group, people, who have to work hard, those who don't make enough, or can't find enough work, or get sick, or just keep their family afloat.

My suggestion is you not look for an education less than graduation from the School of Hard Knocks.

For the right price, I'm available, but for the sake of this country, at the very least, find someone.