Critics complain that this past weekend's Liberal convention in Vancouver failed to shed enough light on the party's policies under Michael Ignatieff. Liberals counter that they emerged from Vancouver united and invigorated, and that their once mighty organization is quickly being rebuilt under Mr. Ignatieff's leadership.
One Liberal integral to those rebuilding efforts is Navdeep Bains, the Member of Parliament for the Ontario riding of Mississauga-Brampton South.
As co-chair of the Liberals' renewal committee, Mr. Bains successfully campaigned for the party's switch from delegated conventions to "one member, one vote" for future leadership contests. And he is a leading advocate for a "308 riding strategy," which would see the Liberals focus their efforts on regions of the country where they have traditionally had little success.
How ready are the Liberals to fight the next election? How will they attract a broader range of Canadians than have signed up for their party in recent years? Will changing their leadership system really make them more democratic? What more should they be doing to become a more inclusive, grassroots party?
On Thursday, May 7, Mr. Bains joined us on globeandmail.com to address these and other questions from readers about the Liberals' attempts at renewal. Read your questions and his answers below.
First elected federally in June 2004, Navdeep Singh Bains was subsequently re-elected in January 2006 and October 2008. In October 2005, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister under the Rt. Hon. Paul Martin and sworn in as a Member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada.
Since 2006, Mr. Bains has been appointed the Official Opposition Critic for Public Works and Government Services, Treasury Board, International Trade and Natural Resources, respectively. He also sat on the Caucus Committees for Planning and Priorities, Canada and the World and Economic Prosperity. In January 2007, Mr. Bains was appointed to the National Election Readiness Committee as a Caucus Representative and in March 2007 served as the Youth Liaison to the Young Liberals of Canada.
In January 2009, Mr Bains was appointed Co-Chair of the Special Committee on Party Renewal and tasked with leading a comprehensive process to consult with the membership and create a stronger Liberal Party. In March 2009, Mr. Bains was appointed Chair of Platform Development and given responsibility for managing the creation of the party's next election platform.
Editor's Note: globeandmail.com editors will read and allow or reject each question/comment. Comments/questions may be edited for length or clarity. HTML is not allowed. We will not publish questions/comments that include personal attacks on participants in these discussions, that make false or unsubstantiated allegations, that purport to quote people or reports where the purported quote or fact cannot be easily verified, or questions/comments that include vulgar language or libellous statements. Preference will be given to readers who submit questions/comments using their full name and home town, rather than a pseudonym.
Stephen Wicary, globeandmail.com: Mr. Bains, welcome and thanks for taking the time to join us today. Several readers have already written, so let's get straight to their questions.
Dan Laurin from Windsor writes: Mr Bains I am very happy with the way our Liberal Party has turned itself around. I have been a Liberal party member and supporter since 1982 working on Mr. Axworthy's campaign in Winnipeg.
I believe Mr Ignatieff has chosen a perfect vehicle to cause an election. With almost 1.5 million Canadians out of work EI reform is an important issue and the Bloc and NDP cannot back down and support Harper over this. With the Liberal Party out of debt and the polls showing surging Liberal support will this mean that after the June Economic report card the government will fall and we will have a summer election?
