I attended the SaskParty Leaders Dinner last evening. Reportedly, the 700 plus attendance was a new record for the party. I didn't take notes, so just a few general remarks from memory. The introduction by long time Liberal Bob McKercher, QC, who argued that it was time for Liberals to stop diluting the free-enterprise vote was well recieved.
I went to the event with an open mind and no expectations. I was pleasantly surprised - impressed, even.
Brad Wall is the real thing. A gifted speaker, he communicates with vision, optimisim, conviction, humour, self deprecation - and apparently, without notes. His pokes at the NDP and their proclivity for "investing" tax dollars in the wishful-thinking segment of the economy were well aimed and damaging - as was his criticism of the competence of the union-controlled NDP government in throwing grenades at the confidence of the business community.
"The left hand doesn't know what the extreme left hand is doing".
I divided my time listening to Wall, and watching the face of a well-known New Democrat, and former city councillor. Reading facial expressions and body language is an inexact science, but it was fascinating to watch the reaction. Restrained, below-the-tabletop applause when there was agreement, discomfort when he hit senstive nerves.
In conversation after the dinner broke up, I was a pleasantly surprised to meet a few people who knew of SDA. One amusing anecdote - someone laughed that he had been led to my site by a friend who sent him an email from "Izbecka-khazik-somewhere-stan". (I have no memory for names).
There were a handful who were aware of how powerful a role the blogsophere played in the re-election of Bush, and recognized that this medium is a tool that conservative policy makers in Canada should try to utilize - or perhaps more accurately, include.
We shall see. Hopefully, attendees with better memory for detail will drop in and add their observations of the dinner, the SaskParty, and Brad Wall, in the comments. Send me links to consider for the sidebar. If there's room for the Blogging Tories, there's room for the blogging SaskPartiers.
Do you have a Tory party anymore in SK? Where do the Grant Devine types go?
SaskParty is the heir.
I'm the guy from "Izbecka-khazik-somewhere-stan", which is really known as Tajikistan.
Normally I live in Regina, but I've been here for 3.5 months trying to help them develop their political system.
The blog about my trip is at http://www.farquhar.ca/blog.
I come home in a couple of weeks - it'll be nice to get home to my family and play with the kids.
Brad
I was close!
I'll add you to the sidebar, Brad, and hopefully it will continue to melt while you're gone.
I'm counting on the melting. It's been 20 degrees for a week here.