Crewson: “I am going to serve you”

February 18, 2015 · 0 Comments

“An energy powering us to victory” – former Liberal MP Murray Calder
Excited Liberal members filled every banquet table at Mono Centre Community Centre on February 17th to see Ed Crewson, former Mayor of Shelburne, accept the Federal Liberal candidacy nomination. The mere mention of Crewson’s name set off triumphant hoots and eager thumps on the tables. As former Dufferin-Caledon Liberal MP Murray Calder later said, you “could feel the electricity in the room…an energy powering us to victory.”
Crewson was acclaimed to the candidate position, as his only opponent, Bill Prout who ran in the last Federal election, withdrew from the race stating personal and business reasons. There was no voting required.
The short, but enthusiastic meeting began with Toronto Liberal member Asquith Allen as Chair calling the members to order with a bang of the gavel at the podium. Policy Chair Andy Pried, from the Candidate Search Committee, gave an opening introduction to the acclaimed Crewson, calling the evening “the start of the Crewson era in Dufferin County.” He spoke of Crewson’s many accomplishments in municipal politics and said, this combined with his supportive family made Crewson a living example of his campaign motto – “Together we can do better.”
Pried said Crewson embodied Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s slogan of “Hope and Hard Work” and was the “tier one candidate” that the Liberal party had “hoped” for in Dufferin-Caledon. Pried told the crowd that Crewson would “represent the people of Dufferin Caledon to the government,” not the other way around. “With Ed Crewson as the Liberal candidate,” Pried called to the members as he nominated him, “Dufferin-Caledon is now a swing riding.”
The nomination was seconded by Lynda Kee Director of the Dufferin Caledon Federal Liberal Association, who called Ed Crewson “the candidate Dufferin-Caledon deserves.” Ed Crewson came to the podium with a standing ovation. He thanked his team and supporters, spoke of his Liberal roots, and promised “to work hard everyday” as witnessed in his 26 years in municipal politics. Crewson outlined his position for the future which included a focus on good Canadian jobs, fiscal responsibility, better treatment for veterans, environmental stewardship, and safe keeping the “social safety net carefully constructed by successive Liberal Governments.”
Reflecting on the success of his nomination night, Ed Crewson said “I am excited that things have started very enthusiastically and that we are attracting new people to Team Crewson. I hope to build a successful campaign on that to become the next Member of Parliament for Dufferin Caledon.” Crewson said earlier, it had “been a great experience to meet and talk with so many local community members over the last number of months. Now we begin the campaign to show our riding that Liberal values are Dufferin-Caledon values.”
Asquith Allen then declared Ed Crewson “the Liberal candidate in Dufferin Caledon in the next Federal election,” ending the meeting as it began, and starting the race for Parliament Hill, with a loud bang of the gavel.

By Marni Walsh