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May 14,2006 - May 21,2006 |
Volpe challenges the Liberal establishment
Former minister of Citizenship and Immigration running for party leader
By Angelo Persichilli
Originally Published: 2006-04-30
Job creation, consolidation of economic growth and guarantees of social justice, but especially "giving the Liberal Party back to the people, retaking it from the usual backroom busybodies" are the main points of Joe Volpe's bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada.
The former minister of Immigration announced his intention to run during a crowded press conference held at Toronto's Columbus Centre.
"I've chosen to launch my campaign in this beautiful centre," Volpe said, "not only because it is located in my own riding but also because it is an institution with deep roots in the past, with its assistance to seniors, and looking ahead to the future for the attention it devotes to the youth."
The rotunda of the famous Italian-Canadian centre, located in the Eglinton-Lawrence riding that Volpe has been representing since 1988, was crowded with over 400 supporters who cheered the speech Volpe gave in English and French, with occasional forays in other languages - including, of course, Italian - that lasted a little over 10 minutes.
Volpe was introduced by former minister of Agriculture Bob Speller, who highlighted his skill "in being aware of the issues of big cities, as well as of those of rural areas."
Other colleagues of Volpe attended his conference. They included Jim Karygiannis, who is also the national co-ordinator of Volpe's campaign, and MPs Wajid Khan and Yasmin Ratansi from Toronto, Sukh Dhaliwal from British Columbia and former minister Joe Comuzzi from Thunder Bay.
Other MPs are expected to express their support, such as Massimo Pacetti from Montréal and Lui Temelkovski from Toronto.
Volpe's announcement came just two days after that of another Italian-Canadian MP, Maurizio Bevilacqua. Before them, Toronto lawyer Martha Hall Findlay, former minister Stephan Dion and MP Michael Ignatieff had already decided to run.
Other announcements have subsequently come from former minister Scott Brison, Toronto MP Carolyn Bennett, former Ontario NDP Premier Bob Rae (now a Liberal), and former Ontario minister of Education Gerard Kennedy.
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