The Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry Provincial and Federal NDP riding associations elected their executive members for 2015 at their joint annual general meetings on March 11 at the Navy Veterans Association in Cornwall.  Brian Lynch was re- elected as President of both the SDSG provincial and federal NDP riding associations.

Also elected to serve on the 16 member local NDP riding associations’ executives were Carilyne Hebert as vice president; Paul Aubin, recording secretary; Elaine MacDonald, chief financial officer; Madeleine Lebrun, women’s representative; Marc Benoit, youth representative; Trevor Tolley, Darlene Jalbert, Marion Adams, Jack St. Thomas, Patricia Sylvia,  David Mcilveen, Ken Smith, Diane Marshall, Jean Patenaude, and Patrick Burger as members-at-large.  Brian Lynch and Elaine MacDonald were also elected as the local NDP provincial councillors.

Lynch told the meeting that the SDSG federal riding association’s candidate search committee has done an extensive candidate search in preparation for the federal election set for this October 19.  Lynch stated: “Once prospective candidates have been approved by the National NDP Nominations Committee, we will seek approval of the Federal NDP to hold our nomination meeting this spring.”

Lynch praised Federal NDP leader Thomas Mulcair for putting forward progressive policies to make life better and fairer for everyday Canadians such as a universal child care program, a $15 an hour federal minimum wage, greater support for seniors and veterans, generous transfers for healthcare, initiatives to create good paying jobs in manufacturing and the small business sector, and higher corporate taxes.  Lynch said: “When the federal election comes, people will see that the Federal NDP under the thoughtful, experienced leadership of  Thomas Mulcair is the real, progressive alternative to the heavy-handed, anti-democratic Harper Conservatives and the arrogant, unprincipled Trudeau Liberals with their lack of policies and record of broken promises.”

At the provincial level, Lynch indicated that the Ontario NDP was working hard at Queen’s ParK to hold the scandal-plagued Liberal Government to account, to protect public services that people depend on, and to help create jobs.