Election fever gets a head start in the Northwest

There is just the hint of a federal election in the offing, the next likely event to trigger the speculation the Federal budget set to be delivered in March. With all the wild theories about going to the polls, it seems that the local political class is getting its ducks in a row to be in place should a writ be dropped.

The latest to the speculate about a possible bid for political office is Prince Rupert resident Maatje Johanna Piket, who announced her intentions over the past weekend. Her decision to run for the nomination makes her the first name in what is expected to be a list of several Northwest residents looking to be the Liberal standard bearer in the Skeena-Bulkley Valley riding. A riding that hasn’t voted a Liberal into office since Iona Campagnola held the riding back in the days of Pierre Trudeau in the mid seventies.

Since then the riding has been in the hands of the NDP, with occasional appearances by parties of the right hand side of the spectrum, such as the Reform party or the old Canadian Alliance party, both forerunners of today’s Conservative party.

Nathan Cullen is the incumbent MP and will be contesting the seat once again for the NDP, the Conservatives have yet to announce a candidate as well as the Green party which is still seeking a break through entry into Parliament.

Piket will be picking up the political torch in the family, she is married to Gordon Stamp-Vincent who ran last time for the Liberals. She certainly can't say that she doesn't know what she is getting into, as the last campaign was full of controversial moments across the Northwest, as the three different party candidates strived to attract attention to their message. Emotions at times boiled over as the heat of the campaign increased as the polling day neared. In the end Mr. Stamp-Vincet finished third, collecting 12.6 per cent of the vote. Whichever candidate picks up the Liberal nomination will have a fair amount of work to topple Cullen who received 48 per cent of the vote in the last election.

The Daily News provided a bit of background to her candidacy for the nomination in Wednesday’s paper. The next step on her bid for elected office comes March 3 in Terrace at the Liberal Party Annual General Meeting scheduled to be held there.

Would-be MP first Liberal to seek nod
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Wednesday, February 21, 2007

The first contender in the race for the Skeena-Bulkley Valley Liberal nomination stepped forward last week.

Prince Rupert resident and long-time federal Liberal, Maatje Johanna Piket, announced she is seeking the federal Liberal nomination for the next federal election at the Rally Against Child Care Funding Cuts held in Prince Rupert last Tuesday.

Piket was invited to address the crowd of parents, children, and child care workers after a private meeting with organizers of the rally against the child care funding cuts proposed by the provincial Ministry of Children and Family Development.

The child care issue has particular resonance for Piket who raised her two children as a struggling, single parent with limited means. As a federal Liberal who had to stand by and watch Ken Dryden’s Early Learning and Child care Agreement dismantled by Stephen Harper’s Conservative government, she is appalled to see the impacts of the government’s decision affect people so adversely in the Northwest and across the country. This is clearly unacceptable, she said, and only a symptom of what she believes would occur if Stephen Harper was to form a majority government with the assistance of the NDP.

“As a Liberal who supported Ken Dryden’s Early Learning and Child Care Agreement and a potential female candidate for the federal Liberals in Skeena-Bulkley Valley, I commit myself to helping finding a solution to this crisis — starting today,” she told the crowd.

Piket has been a grassroots Liberal organizer in the Lower Mainland and Powell River for many years before moving to Prince Rupert in the fall of 2005. She is a marketing and communications consultant who has done business with the private sector, non-profit societies, and government agencies.

Piket lives with her partner Gordon Stamp-Vincent, who was the candidate in 2005/6 and has his full support and encouragement. They will soon be splitting their time between Terrace and Prince Rupert due to work considerations but Picket feels their dual residency will help greatly in the outreach process across this vast riding.

Piket noted that she is very concerned about the push to the extreme right and left seen in the Conservatives and the NDP and believes that in all things a balance must be struck in order to preserve fundamental Canadian values.

A self-described moderate in her perspective on politics and business, Piket is against uncontrolled development but in favour of supporting businesses, particularly small-to-medium sized enterprise that form the backbone of the country.

“The climate change issue is one that needs to be dealt with in a realistic manner that does not destroy our economy while we seek to bring down our greenhouse gas emissions,” she said.
She is also passionate about the need for social justice particularly for First Nations people whose voices need to be heard.

She invites disenchanted voters in Skeena-Bulkley Valley to discuss the issues with her and find out how a Liberal MP can and will make a real difference in Ottawa.

Picket will be among several people interested in the nomination at the upcoming Skeena-Bulkley Valley Liberals Annual General meeting in Terrace March 3.

“We do have a few others interested but I am not at liberty nor would I take the liberty to say who, because that’s a timing thing for any of the candidates,” said Bruce Martindale, speaking on behalf of the federal riding association.

“There is a lot of work being done right now across Canada by all the parties to try and prepare for an inevitable election and I can only say that the Liberal Party of Canada is working to be better prepared than they were last time.”

Martindale said anybody who is interested in running and those who have already declared themselves are encouraged to attend the AGM at the Coast Inn at 7 p.m.

“They will be expected to introduce themselves to the hoards of Liberals who be there in attendance,” he said.