Presidency of new riding association goes North

The presidency of the new Nipissing-Timiskaming Federal Liberal Riding Association has been won by a Haileybury woman.

Carol Lonsdale, pictured here, defeated Greg
Ducharme, who had been vice-president of the Nipissing Federal Liberal Riding Association before the two ridings were merged.

Liberals from the area voted for the riding association's executive at a meeting held Saturday at the Clarion Resort-Pinewood Park.

"Carol deserves credit because she was able to rally more troops than I was and in politics that's the name of the game," said Ducharme, a North Bay tax lawyer.

"I tip my hat to Carol because she won this thing fair and square."

Whoop of joy
Lonsdale, who had been president of the Timiskaming-Cochrane Federal Liberal Riding Association, had 127 votes to Ducharme's 88.

She let out a whoop of joy when the results were announced.
"I had to work very hard to win this," Lonsdale said.

About 50 Liberals from the Tri-Towns area and Temagami came down to North Bay for the meeting.

But Lonsdale's campaign for the presidency appears to have received a boost from Susan Church, one of four candidates for the new riding's Liberal nomination.

Church's supporters were given Monopoly property-sized cards which listed names next to positions.

Lonsdale's name was listed next to 'president.'

"I appreciate Susan's extraordinary organization," Lonsdale said.

Church said had the cards prepared for any supporter of hers who wanted Timiskaming-Cochrane Liberals on the association executive.

A source within the new association who asked to remain anonymous said Church did not break any rules or do anything illegal in producing the card.

"She's to be applauded for her initiative," the source said.
"Susan is a very smart and capable person."

Double loss
Four vice-presidents were elected for each region of the riding.

Don Curry, Church's campaign co-chair, beat out Paul Brazeau for the North Bay vice-president while Jean Trudel, Alain Perron, and George Onley were acclaimed for the Northern, eastern and southern vice-presidents respectively.

The Ducharme family suffered a double loss, with Ducharme's wife Margaret Reynolds losing to Gilbert Maille, of New Liskeard, for the general secretary position.

Garth Goodhew defeated Leon Ouellette for the membership secretary.

Goodhew also paid tribute to the late George Lowe, a prominent local Liberal organizer who died two weeks ago.

Lowe's son Michael was acclaimed as riding association treasurer.

Master those logistics
Lonsdale said as president she'll embrace "all of Nipissing."

Her first order of business will be organizing a nomination meeting to elect a candidate for the federal election expected this spring.

Church, Anthony Rota, Hugh McLachlan and Joe Sinicrope, all of North Bay, are the candidates.

The date of the meeting will be set by the Ontario Federal Liberal Party, based on local input.

Ducharme, who admits he wasn't able to bring out enough supporters to win the presidency, says the four candidates
should bear that in mind.

"I believe the events of today show that it is difficult to get a high percentage of your supporters out at a given moment in time," Ducharme said.

"And while selling a high number of memberships is good, the most important thing will be for the candidates to get their supporters out on nomination night. And the winner of the nomination will be the person who masters these logistics."