October 3, 2009

Crawford Acclaimed Federal NDP Candidate

(Kamloops) Kamloops Thompson Cariboo New Democrats decided Saturday that Michael Crawford will carry the banner for the New Democrats in the next federal election.

Crawford ran in the 2006 and 2008 federal election increasing the vote by more than 3,000 votes on each outing. He is chair of the social work department at Thompson Rivers University.

In his acceptance speech Crawford criticized the Harper government for failing to protect the environment, creating massive wealth for a few while creating record setting poverty for others, sending our soldiers to fight a war that can't be won at the point of a bayonet, and dumping a massive deficit on Canadians with an economic stimulus plan that will produce few permanent jobs and do little to move Canada into a sustainable economy.

"This is the most right-wing ideological Prime Minister this country has ever seen" said Crawford. "His aim is to fundamentally change this country through tax cuts to the wealthy, privatization of public services, and militarization - he must be stopped".

Crawford called on citizens to get involved with politics and to vote when the time comes to restore democracy to the country.

"It seems to me that citizens in this riding are tired of politicians that say one thing and do another after the election" said Crawford. "We have seen this Prime Minister break his own fixed election legislation by dissolving Parliament to force an election last fall and then a few months later prorogue Parliament locking out Parliamentarians and keeping them from doing their jobs - it is time to bring back some integrity to Parliament".

Crawford said his election readiness team is well prepared for the election if it comes this fall.

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