Collin Potter Bonar for External Communications
Hello, my name is Collin Potter Bonar and I am running for the External Communications position on the YGC Youth Council. I am a student at Concordia University in Honours Western Society and Culture and majoring in Political Science. I feel uniquely qualified for this position because I am an award-winning writer and speaker, I have done a lot of work in communications, and I have gained invaluable experience while I worked as Official Agent for Green Party Candidate Leo Williams during the last General Election. I think, among other things, that the Green Party needs to broaden the scope of its message. That is to say, We are not a single issue party and we should not act like one.
Moreover, I think the YGC is in a unique position to attract Canadian youth because young Canadians recognise that we need a stronger, healthier earth for our generation and those to come. However, in order to attract a lot of people to the greens, I think we have to do more than that. We cannot rely upon GPC environmental policy when our party has so much more to offer. We discuss other issues upon which the GPC has a strong and viable plan. For more information regarding the GPC platform and to see the issues that are important to you, check out http://www.greenparty.ca/platform_2006.html?&MMN_position=141:141.
Furthermore, it is our responsibility to demonstrate that youth are not only valued by the GPC, but are priceless to our organisation. To do this, we need to broaden the scope of debate by championing youth issues, holding GPC events for youth, embarking upon educational campaigns that target youth, and by fielding young candidates. When was the last time that a candidate under 25 ran in a general election? When was the last time such a candidate has a fighting chance? We need to field younger candidates because without them, the young demographic will forever feel ostracized from Canadian politics.
The Green Party is in a position that is unique in politics, we are members of an international Green Party network whose members share common ideological goals and basic values. I plan to work with the other Green Parties around the world to solve problems that affect all of us. There are 3 National Green Parties in N. America and 55 state/provincial Parties. In S. America there are 16 National Green Parties and In Europe there are 31 National Green Parties. There are also Green Parties in Africa, Asia and Australia. I know we can work together on global initiatives that will benefit all of us. I plan to also find out how other Green Parties recruit and fund-raise. This may dramatically help us work efficiently domestically and abroad. I am not sure if we will be able to take a leadership role, as we are a new organisation, but will work with the other Parties regardless and take a leadership role if necessary.
I have also developped a strategy to launch the YGC. I took it upon myself to create a plan to spark debate because this year's council has an awesome responsibility and an even larger symbolic duty to both the Green Party and to Canadian Youth. Those elected to the council are responsible for launching the Young Greens and will therefore set the tone of policy and shape the perception of Canadians. My plan is a preliminary one and I look forward to working with other council members to create a more comprehensive one. If you have any questions or comments, they would be greatly appreciated.
The Strategy:
1) Councillors and volunteers should visit YGC Campus Clubs, and other like-minded youth organisations (like campus clubs representing other organisations, NGOs for example) as soon as possible. This will allow the newly-elected representatives to practice addressing groups before a friendlier audience, while furthering the YGC's PR goals. Presentations should outline the purpose and objectives of the YGC, introduce the council, provide contact information, and outline the year's foreseeable goals.
2) A press-release should be issued as soon after the election as possible. This release should outline the purpose and objectives of the YGC, introduce the council, provide contact information, and outline the year's foreseeable goals. I think all press-releases should be sent to campus newspapers and the newsletters of like-minded organisations, as well as to the mainstream media.
3) Councillors and volunteers should call representatives of the local media, introduce themselves and provide information regarding the YGC. This is a free media grab. As such, Council representatives should emphasize local points of interest; outline YGC strategy and how it would benefit locals; outline the national benefit such an organization will have for Canadian youth, who are more frequently embracing para-political organizations instead of traditional ones; and emphasize our relationship with the GPC, and Green Parties around the world.
4) Councillors and volunteers should make informative speeches and/or rent booths at local high schools, CEGEPS (in Quebec) and Universities. We should also examine other means through which we can increase student awareness, as our organisation is aimed at students, and they represent a vital demographic for the GPC.
5) An email should be sent to all GPC members informing them of the YGC, its purpose, objectives and the like. We should concentrate on positives - the benefits.
6) We should ask Elizabeth May or another high-ranking GPC member to announce the YGC and any relevant information pertaining to it in a speech or address ('relevant information' could very well equate to reiterating the aforesaid). The Co-Chairs should participate in this event.
7)A press/volunteer lunch would increase ou rapport with the media and would increase awarnes amoung volunteers and others. Moreover, we can use this opportunity to further our agenda by telling everyone about our raisson d'etre and launching our campaigns
8) Two more press-releases should be issued in short order. They should reiterate what was said in the first, and express new YGC initiatives and/or reactions to recent events.
9) Continue to issue press-releases as a need a rises, though more frequently at first.
10) Ensure an active and consistent YGC presence at campuses and in the media.
If anyone would like to comment or has any questions, I would be more than happy to address them. I can be reached via email: collin.potter.bonar@gmail.com or you can check out my website: http://collingyccouncil.spaces.live.com. You can also check out mystuff on FaceBook by going to: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2220578987 (you may have to create an account).
Happy Holidays,
Collin Potter Bonar
Candidate for YGC External Communications
Moreover, I think the YGC is in a unique position to attract Canadian youth because young Canadians recognise that we need a stronger, healthier earth for our generation and those to come. However, in order to attract a lot of people to the greens, I think we have to do more than that. We cannot rely upon GPC environmental policy when our party has so much more to offer. We discuss other issues upon which the GPC has a strong and viable plan. For more information regarding the GPC platform and to see the issues that are important to you, check out http://www.greenparty.ca/platform_2006.html?&MMN_position=141:141.
Furthermore, it is our responsibility to demonstrate that youth are not only valued by the GPC, but are priceless to our organisation. To do this, we need to broaden the scope of debate by championing youth issues, holding GPC events for youth, embarking upon educational campaigns that target youth, and by fielding young candidates. When was the last time that a candidate under 25 ran in a general election? When was the last time such a candidate has a fighting chance? We need to field younger candidates because without them, the young demographic will forever feel ostracized from Canadian politics.
The Green Party is in a position that is unique in politics, we are members of an international Green Party network whose members share common ideological goals and basic values. I plan to work with the other Green Parties around the world to solve problems that affect all of us. There are 3 National Green Parties in N. America and 55 state/provincial Parties. In S. America there are 16 National Green Parties and In Europe there are 31 National Green Parties. There are also Green Parties in Africa, Asia and Australia. I know we can work together on global initiatives that will benefit all of us. I plan to also find out how other Green Parties recruit and fund-raise. This may dramatically help us work efficiently domestically and abroad. I am not sure if we will be able to take a leadership role, as we are a new organisation, but will work with the other Parties regardless and take a leadership role if necessary.
I have also developped a strategy to launch the YGC. I took it upon myself to create a plan to spark debate because this year's council has an awesome responsibility and an even larger symbolic duty to both the Green Party and to Canadian Youth. Those elected to the council are responsible for launching the Young Greens and will therefore set the tone of policy and shape the perception of Canadians. My plan is a preliminary one and I look forward to working with other council members to create a more comprehensive one. If you have any questions or comments, they would be greatly appreciated.
The Strategy:
1) Councillors and volunteers should visit YGC Campus Clubs, and other like-minded youth organisations (like campus clubs representing other organisations, NGOs for example) as soon as possible. This will allow the newly-elected representatives to practice addressing groups before a friendlier audience, while furthering the YGC's PR goals. Presentations should outline the purpose and objectives of the YGC, introduce the council, provide contact information, and outline the year's foreseeable goals.
2) A press-release should be issued as soon after the election as possible. This release should outline the purpose and objectives of the YGC, introduce the council, provide contact information, and outline the year's foreseeable goals. I think all press-releases should be sent to campus newspapers and the newsletters of like-minded organisations, as well as to the mainstream media.
3) Councillors and volunteers should call representatives of the local media, introduce themselves and provide information regarding the YGC. This is a free media grab. As such, Council representatives should emphasize local points of interest; outline YGC strategy and how it would benefit locals; outline the national benefit such an organization will have for Canadian youth, who are more frequently embracing para-political organizations instead of traditional ones; and emphasize our relationship with the GPC, and Green Parties around the world.
4) Councillors and volunteers should make informative speeches and/or rent booths at local high schools, CEGEPS (in Quebec) and Universities. We should also examine other means through which we can increase student awareness, as our organisation is aimed at students, and they represent a vital demographic for the GPC.
5) An email should be sent to all GPC members informing them of the YGC, its purpose, objectives and the like. We should concentrate on positives - the benefits.
6) We should ask Elizabeth May or another high-ranking GPC member to announce the YGC and any relevant information pertaining to it in a speech or address ('relevant information' could very well equate to reiterating the aforesaid). The Co-Chairs should participate in this event.
7)A press/volunteer lunch would increase ou rapport with the media and would increase awarnes amoung volunteers and others. Moreover, we can use this opportunity to further our agenda by telling everyone about our raisson d'etre and launching our campaigns
8) Two more press-releases should be issued in short order. They should reiterate what was said in the first, and express new YGC initiatives and/or reactions to recent events.
9) Continue to issue press-releases as a need a rises, though more frequently at first.
10) Ensure an active and consistent YGC presence at campuses and in the media.
If anyone would like to comment or has any questions, I would be more than happy to address them. I can be reached via email: collin.potter.bonar@gmail.com or you can check out my website: http://collingyccouncil.spaces.live.com. You can also check out mystuff on FaceBook by going to: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2220578987 (you may have to create an account).
Happy Holidays,
Collin Potter Bonar
Candidate for YGC External Communications
posted by Collin Potter Bonar for External Communications @ 4:53 PM
1 Comments:
At 11:26 AM, December 22, 2006,
Cam Stiff said…
Hey Colin-
i'm totally following you on this and think it would be good to meet up and talk politics and everything else. I also live in Montreal (though am in Toronto for the holidays). Send me an email at cameron.stiff@gmail.com if you're interested. I'd love to talk about Concordia specifically too - I worked on a lot of sustainability initiatives over the past three years there and am advising on some amazing stuff happening in 2007.
Take care and talk to you soon!
Happy holidays-
Cameron
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