BY HEIDI ULRICHSEN
Sudbury New Democrat federal election candidate Gerry McIntaggart seemed almost surprised at how many supporters showed up to open his campaign office Tuesday morning.
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Howard Hampton, leader of the Ontario NDP, visited federal candidate Gerry McIntaggart Tuesday morning to offer his support. |
The small 109 Durham St. unit was packed with more than 50 well-wishers, including his election counterpart in Nickel Belt, Claude Gravelle, Nickel Belt New Democrat MPP Shelley Martel and her husband, provincial NDP leader Howard Hampton.
"I think the turnout is fantastic. The office is packed. I think only a couple of ants can get in now. It's amazing, because we decided to open the office at the last minute. We didn't have a lot of time to contact people," he said.
McIntaggart thinks the success of the opening bodes well for his chances in the election.
"My momentum has really taken off. I'm really pleased with it. Last time we went up substantially until we were in second spot, and the Conservatives were knocked down to third spot," said the candidate.
"We're within striking distance. A vote for a NDP member here in Sudbury is a vote for an NDP member in parliament."
Contrary to the polls, which show that federal NDP leader Jack Layton is losing ground, the party is also doing well nationally, said McIntaggart. He thinks the NDP will win more seats in the next election.
"I think Jack Layton is getting out there and fighting whole-heartedly for public health care. He actually asked Paul Martin to sign a document saying that $41 million would not go to private health care in any way, and Martin refused."
McIntaggart loves having his campaign office next to the downtown coffee shop Books and Beans. Incumbent Liberal Diane Marleau's campaign headquarters is also only a few doors away.
"When I came out of one of the shops across the street, I noticed Diane's sign in the window. I then looked up the street, and I saw Books and Beans there, and I said that's our kind of people," he said.
"They've brought coffee over. They've welcomed us. We're very pleased to be next door to them. We want to support small business, because small business is the life of the community."
Hampton said he came to support McIntaggart and Gravelle because it's time for to elect some federal New Democrats in the Sudbury area.
We need to give the Liberals the boot, he said, while holding up a spray-painted, orange boot he'd worn while working in the paper mills.
"Election after election in federal campaigns, people vote for Liberals, and then the new Liberal MP goes off to Ottawa and all of a sudden they become silent," he said.
"They don't raise our issues. They sit on the back bench and collect their pay. They take us for granted."
The Liberals have failed to stop the Americans from putting duties on our softwood lumber, which has been devastating for sawmills in the north, said Hampton.
"Do you know what New Democrats would do? We would say to George Bush, 'If you want to tax our lumber at the border, you want to disregard those trade agreements, we'll start taxing our oil at the border'."
To contact McIntaggart, phone 673-7881. Gravelle can be reached at 897-2148.
