Meeting Ken Dryden

On Friday, August 10, I spent the day with an amazing Canadian - current member of parliament, author, lawyer, former cabinet minister and hockey player - the Honourable Ken Dryden. We spent the day meeting with local service providers and Child Care agencies, discussing the urgent need to deal with child poverty. At the round table discussion, and at a press conference later, Mr. Dryden's sincerity and passion quickly became evident.

At the Comber Fair Ken took a tour of vendors alley, sampled the baked goods display, and learned about the local 4-H program from the members themselves. The new "trolley" in Essex picked us up in Comber and took us to Danielle's for a quick burger and shake, then off to the Youth and Family Resource Center in Harrow where Ken answered questions about his hockey career, his education, and his life as a member of parliament. A visit to a local winery explained the significance and the recent growth in the indusrty. It also allowed a bit of sampling!

At each stop throughout the day, Ken met many people, signed a few autographs and asked many questions. He was genuinely interested in learning about our Essex County. At a Liberal fundraising event in the evening he spoke of the Canada he knew growing up and warned of what was happening to our beloved country under the current government. And he spoke about the new group of Liberals who want to protect Canada and preserve our way of life. It is evident to me that Mr. Dryden and Mr. Dion and the rest of these new Liberals share something- a sense of dignity and an air of integrity that is sorely lacking in Ottawa with the Conservatives. We must put these people in office because they understand what Canada should be - a country for the people, for everyone, a country that is not divided, that is self-determining and independent. We have tremendous potential and after spending the day with Ken Dryden, and the previous afternoon with Stephan Dion, I know that I share the same vision for Canada, and I want to work with the new Liberal team and serve my country.

Wow, what a great day!

Talk to you soon.