Kevin O'Donnell for GPO Male Deputy Leader
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Kevin's thoughts on becoming Deputy Leader:
The position of Deputy Leader is an important one that I see as equal parts "deputy" and "leader".
The party leader cannot be everywhere at once, the job is too big for one person alone, so it is essential they be able to call upon others to help out. A Deputy Leader is precisely that: a deputy. Someone who can fill in for the leader from time to time, represent the Party and the membership to the public, and be a reliable substitute for the leader as needed.
A successful party, one that is growing, also requires internal leaders. These are experienced campaigners, organizers and consensus builders that grow the party from within through training, outreach and grassroots organizing. As Deputy Leader I see it as my responsibility to be a leader within the party so that we are as organized and capable on the ground as possible for the next election.
My direct experience within the party includes:
- Candidate, Ottawa Centre, 2011 Provincial election
- Official Agent, Ottawa Centre, 2011 Federal election
- Riding president, Ottawa Centre, 2009-2010
- Riding executive member, 2010-present
- Organized the backend telephone system for Elizabeth May's SGI campaign that delivered over 10,000+ Get Out The Vote calls on May 2, 2011, and over 25,000 during the election
- Developed the Google Maps and PDF Printing capabilities within the "GRIMES" canvassing tool
- Organized Earth Hour candlelight vigil on Parliament Hill 2009-present; total cummulative attendance now exceeds 1,000
- GPO Policy Coordinator, 2012
As Deputy Leader it's my intention to help ridings develop and be prepared for elections.
"Assist the Leader in his/her duties and responsibilities"
I'm a team player and that is an important quality for a Deputy Leader. For several years I have been an active Green volunteer in my area and have been complimented on showing leadership at the local level. I have brought my own suggestions to the table and worked to see them come to life.
But more importantly I have listened to other people's ideas and thrown my support into the wider effort.
The very first event I helped organize for the Green Party was the Earth Hour candlelight vigil on Parliament Hill in 2009. Between getting national TV coverage and having a few hundred people attend I was hooked on political engagement. I cannot lay claim to having the idea for the candlelight vigil, but I liked the idea, threw my support behind it, and the rest is history.
As Deputy Leader I'm ready to help Mike implement the party's great ideas.
"Serve as an alternate official Party spokesperson"
When the Liberal government announced pre-emptive changes to the MicroFIT program in 2010 the party launched a province-wide campaign to reverse the changes or at least honour the pricing for those on the backlogged waiting list. I was asked to hold a press conference in Ottawa and while my own statements didn't make it to the air one of the solar entrepreneurs I invited to speak made the local TV news.
Ultimately the Liberals honoured the original pricing for backlogged applications, though it is unfortunate they damaged overall investor confidence by changing the regulatory framework mid-stride.
In politics it is impossible to measure the weight any one action has on an overall outcome, but I believe our swift and strong response across Ontario played a significant role. I'm glad I was able to make a contribution and speak on behalf of the party in support of our solar entrepreneurs.
"Assist the Leader in communicating with Constituency Associations and General Membership"
I met our current Leader for the first time in Ottawa when Mike travelled up for the 2009 Ottawa Centre Federal AGM to speak with members. We had over 40 people attend that night in no small part due to Mike's attendance and his willingness to travel so far. Making personal connections at the local level is very important for the long term growth of the party. Once those connections are forged we can fall back to the telephone, email and even Twitter to get work done, but personal connections make all the difference in team building.
Before I got involved in the Green Party I naturally assumed organizing an event or running a campaign was an impossible burden to take on. But as I heard stories from other volunteers and learned from them I realized that it is not impossible at all. It is important that we connect and share our stories and ideas in order to bring people into the party as members and volunteers.
In March two Ottawa area ridings are holding their annual general meetings and I'll be attending to give the members an update on what's happening in the region and in my own campaign. I plan to share my own stories and convey my excitement about the summer of activities that are planned out already.
Helping our leader to forge these important personal connections is something I look forward to doing as Deputy Leader.
"Consult with the Leader and/or Issue Advocates before making public statements"
For me this requirement comes back to teamwork. As a party we need to be consistent in our message to the public or they will appropriately dismiss us as unprofessional. As a Deputy Leader I understand that before I make a policy statement, or state the party's position on an issue, I must first check in with those who have been entrusted with that expertise.
In real terms, consulting with the Leader on issues prior to making comments is something I have already done as critic for Municipal Affairs and Housing. Just weeks ago before publishing a blog on municipal campaign rebate programs I sent out a draft for comment, obtained consensus, resulting in a final product was even better as a result. Consultation is just another form of teamwork.
The Green party is unique in that we respect our membership adopted policies. We don't make policy up as we go along to suite the political winds of the day. Our adopted policies are an expression of our core values and as a Deputy Leader I am willing and able to respect that.
Kevin O'Donnell for Male Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Ontario
Thank you for taking the time to find out about what I will bring to the Green Party of Ontario as the next Deputy Leader. To learn a little bit more about me you can read my biography on my campaign website, call, or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you and I look forward to serving the party as Deputy Leader.
Cheers,
Kevin O'Donnell
kevin@kevino.ca
(613) 454-5306
