Hajdu, Rusnak turn attention to party at Winnipeg convention

THUNDER BAY – This weekend’s Liberal Convention in Winnipeg is the first chance since last fall’s rousing election win for the party to come together as one and celebrate.  

But it won’t be all fun and games, said Minister of Status of Women Patty Hajdu. There’s plenty of business to attend to in the Manitoba capital.

First and foremost is approving a new constitution for the party, a move favoured by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Among the proposed changes is a move to allow anyone to join the Liberal Party free of charge, eschewing the traditional, though nominal, fee charged in the past.

But the proposals in place also include the removal of powers from the local riding association, instead handing it to the Liberal leadership.

Approving the constitution is the most pressing agenda at the convention, Hajdu said.

“We’ve done a lot of work making sure it’s streamlined, making sure it’s responsive and that it’s modernized,” the Thunder Bay-Superior North representative said on Thursday.

“We’re really looking forward to a positive response from our members. That’s really priority No. 1, and I think it would be for all of us.”
But it’s not the only issue on the table, the rookie politician added.

“The other thing to me is continuing the narrative that I’ve been tasked to have with Canadians and with the Liberal party in particular, as to how to get more women engaged, not just in politics but in the party in general,” said Hajdu, who plans to sit on a number of panels speaking about issues such as women in politics and leadership.

“That will be my own personal agenda there.”

Fellow Liberal MP Don Rusnak (Thunder Bay-Rainy River) also wants to celebrate and meet with people from across the country.

He too is supportive of the new constitution, but beyond that, he’d like to see policy put in place to support Ring of Fire development.

“There is a little bit of language in there that hopefully we can adjust or work through,” Rusnak said. “Our government is prioritizing infrastructure development for northern communities, not just focusing on one specific project.

“If we can work with the (economic development agencies) to focus on northern development and not just one project, that would be a success for me.”