Apr 14, 2011


Photo:  Liberal candidate David Remington greets voters in Sharbot Lake

Prior to the first all-candidates’ meeting in Kaladar, LfL&A Liberal candidate David Remington took to the streets of downtown Sharbot Lake in an effort to get to know those living in rural communities. “So far I've knocked on a couple of thousand doors in rural areas in an effort to meet people and show them my style of politics, which is to be accessible and in the community. I've been doing so for the last year and a half now, not just since the campaign started, partly because I strongly feel that you can't get an idea of someone’s personality just from a sign.” He laughs and adds, “And I'm also willing to take more than five questions a day.”

Asked what he's hearing from people, he replied, ”One big concern is making sure there is a plan to get more doctors into rural communities, and jobs of course is a big concern. As a small business person myself for 20 years I think these communities need more small businesses, which really are the backbone of our economy. It's organizations like the Frontenac CFDC and their federally funded loan programs that are helping. I want to see more of that and want to work with the business community to see what it is they need and how we federally can help.”

Remington also attended the Verona Community Improvement Plan meeting on April 5. “I wanted to listen to what people are saying and to find out how can we help.” Remington sees the role of an MP as “to try to help communities, which in some cases means getting out of the way, and in other cases is by offering funding for specific projects.”

Liberal signage was up first in the Sharbot Lake and surrounding area and I asked him how it was that the Liberals were out of the gate first in that respect. He replied, “I think we've been first out of the gate on many things. We've been organized and working really hard for the last year and a half to try to earn respect and votes and a big part of that has been by not taking anything for granted.”

How is he feeling? “I am feeling confident, and having run in the 2008 campaign I now feel that I have a benchmark of what to expect. I'm getting a very good response. This time around there are fewer people sitting on the fence and more people willing to say, 'You are our guy.” People now know me better now than they did in the last campaign and that's the result of a lot of hard work over the last year and a half.”

What else has he been hearing? “People talking about the attack on democracy by the Steven Harper government as something they do not want. Instead they want a government that is more open, more transparent and willing to work with people. People want a government that will not kick people out of rallies. We're seeing that people really care and want to be active. People want a leader that will take any question. That is democracy.”

For those feeling lack-lustre about the election and having to get out to vote, Remington had this to say. ”If you look around the world right now at countries like Libya, Egypt and others, where people are literally dying for democracy and the right to vote, you realize that we have to exercise that right. I don't think that it’s too much to ask. I'm asking people to look at me, my platform and the liberal platform and to make an educated decision on who best would represent you and we're getting a very good response.”

David Remington will appear next at the all-candidates’ meeting at the Verona Lions hall on Wednesday April 20 at 7pm.

 

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