'Open Platform For Liberals' by Kyle Harrietha

OPEN PLATFORM FOR LIBERALS
By: Kyle Harrietha

C A N D I D AT E : N AT I ON A L M E M B E R SH IP SE CR E TA RY
A PLATFORM FOR MEMBERS; BY MEMBERS This platform has been developed with the input of Liberal activists from across Canada, some of whom I know and some I just met. I sincerely thank them for their guidance and support.
www.KyleHarrietha.ca
KYLE HARRIETHA CANDIDATE: NATIONAL MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY
Election of National Membership Secretary of The Liberal Party of Canada

Dear fellow Liberal, My Open Letter to Liberals outlined why I was seeking your support for the position of National Membership Secretary of the Liberal Party of Canada. In that letter, I expressed my belief that: The Liberal Party is its membership; Organization begins with dialogue and relationship building; and Leadership requires responsibility, transparency and commitment. Im putting myself forward for this volunteer position to build the membership of the Liberal Party from coast to coast to coast; to support transparency and integrity in all Liberal Party processes; to stand up to those who would undermine the Party and its membership, and to work with Liberal members on developing the organization and tools required to compete effectively with our real opponents - the Conservatives, NDP, and Bloc. I am seeking the ideas of Liberal activists on ways that we can build a Party of which were all proud to declare I am a Member. My platform is designed to be the beginning of an earnest and open dialogue to work towards making that happen. Please take a moment to read my proposals where I speak to the following: 1. Values & Principles A plain language Red Book for Liberal members 2. Dialogue & Relationship Building A mentorship and training program 3. Transparency & Integrity The green light and candidate nomination process 4. Organization & Leadership The permanent campaign and the 36-36-36 approach. As always, your feedback on these platform proposals is appreciated. This work will require the support and dedication of Liberals across Canada. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours Sincerely,
Kyle Harrietha CANDIDATE: NATIONAL MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY n Telephone: 780-881-9859 n Email: harrietha@gmail.com n Website: www.KyleHarrietha.ca
1. Values & Principles
A plain language Red Book for members
The Liberal Party is bound by the constitution of Canada and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and is committed to the pursuit of equality of opportunity for all persons, to the enhancement of our unique and diverse cultural community, to the recognition that English and French are the official languages of Canada, and to the preservation of the Canadian identity in a global society. Preamble of the Constitution of the Liberal Party of Canada Sometimes the best ideas come from those who are new and can bring fresh insight to solving old problems. Sometimes the best reminders about what the Liberal Party stands for come from those who have been involved the longest. For me, the fresh insight was provided by Benjamin Miller, from Thornhill Ontario, who joined the Liberal Party just over a year ago. Benjamin put forward the idea of developing a Red Book for Liberal members. The reminder of who we are came in a thoughtful email by Graham Stewart; a long time member from Bath, Ontario. He emphasized the importance of leading with our values and principles and reminded me that while good organization is essential to win, it is not sufficient to win. I agree with Graham that we must lead with our values and principles and I believe that Benjamin has come up with an idea to help us get there. We must be clear about what our values and principles are when we are recruiting members to the Liberal Party. That is why this is the number one proposal in my platform. There have been many election Red Books for Canadians by the Liberal Party but never a Red Book for Liberals in the Liberal Party. The Red Book would sit at the core of all new membership introduction and retention efforts and would serve as a guide to the Liberal Party. It would require a dedicated group to collect, edit and format the relevant information and work with Liberals across Canada to refine it. It would, in plain language, include the following:
The values and principles of the Liberal Party as outlined in our Constitution An overview of the long and proud history of our Party Outline the structure of the Party in simple terms List the rights and responsibilities of Liberal members Clearly outline the responsibilities of those who hold elected office in the Liberal Party Provide contact information for Liberals to make inquiries on various issues. Outline donation options and what those donations are used for.
This Red Book for Liberal members is intended to serve as the basis for conversations about the Party and what we stand for. Canadians should not be expected to read the preamble of the Liberal Party of Canada Constitution to figure out what our values and principle are; it should be spelled out in plain language to assist members encouraging a friend or acquaintance to join our Party. If elected as National Membership Secretary I will work with the National Membership Working Group, the National Board of Directors and the Leader of the Liberal Party to develop and implement this proposal.
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2. Dialogue & Relationship Building

A mentorship and training program
Organizers build community by developing leadership. They develop leaders by enhancing their skills, values and commitments. They build strong communities through which people gain new understanding of their interests as well as the power to act on them. They develop a relationship between a constituency and its leaders based on mutual responsibility and accountability. Marshall Ganz, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy, Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations As we grow the Liberal Party it is not just about the total number of members we draw in or communicating our values and principles to them. It is about making the Liberal Party a learning organization, giving current and new members the mentorship and training required to be effective activists in whatever capacity they choose to participate. The Liberal Party has provided training in the past through Liberal University and ad hoc seminars. The Liberal Party has also put together materials on the various aspects of campaign planning and management. Based on the feedback I have received from members, it is clear that the Liberal Party must up its game in this regard. There are organizations like the Manning Institute that are identifying, developing, and supporting those who will advance the conservative vision of Canada while building a conservative farm team. At the same time the Conservative Party is providing comprehensive training to their candidates, campaign managers and volunteers. In this important area we continue to fall behind. In response I am proposing the Liberal Party, calling upon the internal, educational, and private sector training expertise within its ranks, embark on the following:
Undertake a comprehensive review of all inhouse training documents Review approaches and best practices of the PTAs and other political parties, across Canada and around the world. Develop an updated and far more comprehensive training curriculum for the various aspects of riding association administration and campaign planning and management based on the 36-36-36 approach outlined below. Develop an ongoing schedule for initiating a revised training program using a mix of online tools and in-person meetings that occur annually. Acquire the necessary tools and data for training such as micro-targeting and predictive voter modelling. Review, revise and develop templates for every aspect of campaign and riding management. Establish an online forum for sharing leading practices across the country. Use the PTAs to effectively implement the new programs without increased costs in Ottawa. Consider the creation of a small l liberal response to the Manning and Broadbent Institutes.
3. Transparency & Integrity
The green light and candidate nomination process
At its worst, [the nomination process] was a manifestation of all the shallowest perceptions people have of politics an opaque, manipulative and even cruel game turning both citizens and candidates away from the political process altogether Samara Canada 2011 Report: The Accidental Citizen? The Nomination: A Black Box
I believe the Liberal Party is at its best when a decision, such as the nomination of a candidate, is left in the hands of members. We, as Party members, are obligated to provide a fair and democratic nomination process, the integrity of which cannot be called into question. Those entrusted by Party members to oversee this process should use the power to appoint a candidate only in rare and exceptional circumstances. If elected National Membership Secretary, I will make it my goal to convince Liberals to reform the green light and nomination process.
The Nomination Process Through the fall and winter of 2009-10, a series of exit interviews was conducted across Canada with 65 former Members of Parliament from all parties by Samara, a charitable organization that studies citizen engagement with Canadian democracy. The report entitled The Accidental Citizen? outlined findings with respect to the nomination process that were deeply troubling. The report described the nomination process as perplexing, uncomfortable, exasperating, random, absurd, and at its worst a manifestation of all the shallowest perceptions people have of politics turning both citizens and candidates away from the political process altogether. If this is what retiring MPs are saying about the nomination process, what are the Canadians who signed up as members of a political party and participated in that process saying? Quite simply, the current process must be changed if we are going to advocate for transparency and integrity in the policies we put forward to Canadians and inspire confidence in our membership that we can fairly administer our internal party processes.
3. Transparency & Integrity continued
The Green Light Process At present Liberals interested in seeking the nomination to be a candidate must fill out a comprehensive questionnaire that is assessed by a Green Light committee, which reviews their application and conducts thorough background checks. Once approved the candidate is free to stand in a riding nomination contest, and a nomination date is set by the Election Readiness Co-Chair. This process sometimes happens close to the nomination date and there is no timeline for approval. It is a process that has proven to be a frustrating experience for many Liberals interested in standing as candidates for the Liberal Party. I am proposing the following: Begin the process of green lighting candidates on an ongoing and timely basis once members decide they are planning to stand and submit the requisite paperwork. Establish clearer guidelines for nomination candidates, apply the rules consistently and transparently across all ridings. The Green Light committee should approve applicants to be candidates for the Party in whatever riding they choose to stand in and not for a designated riding. Nomination dates should be set at least three months in advance with a published nomination form, submission deadline and membership cut-off deadline with rules that are applied consistently across Canada. Provide training opportunities and mentorship to green lit candidates on an ongoing basis over the next three years. Undertake an aggressive candidate recruitment campaign while promoting the fairness and transparency of a reformed process. Review the process for setting nomination dates and ensure those undertaking candidate recruitment are not the same people overseeing the nomination contest. Review the power of appointment of a candidate to a riding and, at a minimum, seek a commitment from the Leader of the Party that appointments will not be made once a nomination process has been formally initiated.
If we begin the process of recruiting and green lighting candidates now, we will ensure competitive and engaging races in many parts of the country where the Liberal Party of Canada is strong. Elsewhere, we will be better positioned to have more than a name on a piece of paper. Potential candidates will have the opportunity to engage their community well in advance of an election and training opportunities can be provided to prepare them for a the nomination and election campaign. It is time to re-establish the confidence of members and the public in one of our most important tasks. In the 2015 election, 338 members will have the right to stand as candidates for the Liberal Party of Canada.. We need to get this right and ensure our candidates are prepared.
KYLE HARRIETHA CANDIDATE: NATIONAL MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY 6
4. Organization And Leadership

The permanent campaign and implementation of the 36-36-36 approach to campaign organization
It is not enough to have good principles; we must have organization also. Principles without organization may lose; but organization without principles may often win. Wilfred Laurier, at the opening of the Reform Club in Ottawa in 1893 In order to build our organizational capacity we must apply the same discipline in planning, organizing, securing, and managing resources thats used in the private sector and by our political opponents. This requires a great deal of work by paid professional staff with the assistance of volunteers and it is necessary if we expect to inspire the confidence of those who are donating to our Party. The Permanent Campaign The permanent campaign has been an item of discussion among those who engage in campaign organization and was discussed in depth at the Canmore Summit. It was summed up succinctly by EdmontonSpruce Grove President Brian Gold in his document The Liberal Party of Canada and the Permanent Campaign. He states a significant reason the LPC has slipped to third place is its lack of basic permanent campaign tools and data. As National Membership Secretary I will advocate for the following actions: The purchase of micro-targeting data for the purpose of predictive voter modelling (PVM). Micro-targeting not only helps win campaigns, it boosts fundraising and pays for itself. The Liberal Party is the only major political party in Canada to not have fully implemented microtargeting. The implementation of a program of continuous voter research, including brand research. Undertake a systematic analysis of opponent intelligence and learn best practices from foreign parties and non-profit organizations. Institutionalize an open, data-driven, and competitor-focused organizational culture that knows our competitors better than they know themselves.
4. Organization And Leadership continued
The 36-36-36 Approach to Campaign Organization In organizing to make the Liberal Party relevant in communities across the country once again, a new organizational philosophy is required that can be applied at the local, regional and national level. The basic premise of the approach is to undertake election readiness and voter outreach activities with an increasing intensity over the 36 months, the 36 weeks and the 36 days preceding Election Day. This would be the basis on which riding associations, PTAs and the national office would plan and initiate voter outreach activities using micro-targeting, fundraising, candidate recruitment, planning meetings, and so on. Doing the work required for election readiness well in advance will also allow members time to receive the training and do the planning for a 36-day election campaign. To use an analogy, athletes do not win gold medals by heading to the gym once a week to train a year before the Olympics and candidates do not win campaigns that way either. If we are going to own the ballot box like Canadian athletes owned the podium it will take the same approach to planning and preparation.
I will advocate the following actions as National Membership Secretary: Development of an online Canada-wide schedule of yearly events that have national, provincial and local significance and are updated by riding association, PTAs and the national office. This will allow for forward planning of outreach efforts by MPs and Senators. MPs and Senators increasing communication across the country as part of a comprehensive and consistent plan that can be aligned with micro-targeting data, Liberalist and critic responsibilities. A detailed review and consultation on the LPC management structure including National Election Readiness Committee. Increased involvement and accountability of PTAs and EDAs as part of the planning and decision making in a focused election readiness effort. Thorough lists of the elements required for a comprehensive election readiness effort with the flexibility needed to adapt election readiness efforts to the local and regional political realities of Canada.
When all members of our Party focus on the objective we all share bringing a Liberal government back to Ottawa and when all members commit to the work required to accomplish our shared task, distractions and divisions will be replaced by a positive energy and work ethic that will inspire the confidence and support of Canadians. Thank you for taking the time to review and consider my platform. Your feedback on these platform proposals would be appreciated. Please contact me at Harrietha@gmail.com for more information or visit my website at www.KyleHarrietha.ca.

'Open Platform For Liberals' by Kyle Harrietha

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'Open Platform For Liberals' by Kyle Harrietha

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OPEN PLATFORM FOR LIBERALS

By: Kyle Harrietha