GK: A Campaign Of Leaders

In 2006 Gerard Kennedy was the dark horse, the long shot of the Liberal Leadership. After a few months of introducing himself to Canadians, with his message of change, Kennedy garnered substantial support from Liberals like you.

He rose to challenge those campaigns that had more old party insiders, more money, and more of the same. After the second ballot he withdrew and supported Stephane Dion to prevent the party from being divided between Bob Rae and Michael Ignatieff.

In 2008 with Stephane Dion announcing his resignation the party faces division between those two older men again. Already both have their organizations in place, their strategies planned, and their deals made. Already these candidates have created their campaigns based on themselves, and not on Liberals.

Gerard Kennedy has not entered the race, he has not created some campaign designed by old party organizers telling you what you want to hear. Gerard Kennedy's campaign begins with you. With Liberals who want change, with Liberals who will lead where others follow.

Those people who speak to doubts about Kennedy's ability to win the leadership, speak from the very attitude which is destroying the Party, that attitude of doubting the power of the individual, the power of Liberals to act, to lead this Party instead of merely following it.

Gerard Kennedy's campaign begins and ends with you. It is not going to win because of a few organizers in Ottawa and their network of connections, it will win because Liberals across Canada will choose to do what others can't, they will choose not to merely support a campaign, but to be the campaign.

This idea is not from any organizer, this idea is not from any leadership campaign, this idea is from one Liberal who wants a Party that leads instead of follows. And it is this idea that will challenge those same old campaigns, because it demands the recognition the power to decide the future of our Party and of Canada does not come from them, it comes from us.