Hi folks, Wow, what a great first leg of my summer tour. I participated in the Miawpukek Powwow in Conne River, and travelled to Harbour Breton, Hermitage, St. Alban's, and Grand Falls-Windsor.
I met really interesting people doing great work in their communities. And of course some of the main issues people were talking about include the need for sustainable jobs in their communities, concerns about rising power rates, home care and long-term care for seniors, and many youth talked about not seeing a future for themselves here. I believe that many communities do have ideas on how to address these issues and want to be involved in the solutions. We'll keep talking!
Check out all the photos and follow along through the Facebook album here. You can also follow by Twitter and search #GerrysSummerTour2018 Here's where I'll be for the next couple of weeks. More details to come for August! Wednesday, July 25 – Port Blandford
First stop today is Port Blandford to meet with Mayor Chad Holloway and the town council.
Thursday, July 26 – Clarenville and Area
Looking forward to meeting with Clarenville Mayor Frazer Russell.
I'll also be meeting with Milton-George’s Brook Mayor Craig Pardy.
Next I'll be chatting with Andrea Sharpe and Richard Churchill and their Mental Wellness Warriors team.
Clarenville area members: Tomorrow evening you can catch me at the Clarenville Inn's Stellar Lounge from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Please drop by, bring a few people and we'll have a chat. I'd love to meet with you! Email us at info@nl.ndp.ca to let us know you're coming!
Friday, July 27 to Sunday, July 29 – Arnold's Cove & Bonavista
Then off to Arnold's Cove for a tour of the Icewater Seafoods Inc. plant with owner Alberto Wareham to see the innovative work they are doing there!
Bonavista is next! I'm really looking forward to the festivities in Bonavista Days this weekend and meeting with Mayor John Norman before heading back to St. John's.
Wednesday, August 1 – St. John's
It's the 200th Royal St. John's Regatta! Make sure you drop by the NL NDP booth lakeside and say hello or join us in the walk about.
Friday, August 3 – Gambo
Next up it's Gambo and Gambo Days. I'll be spending the weekend and early next week in Central Newfoundland. Contact me and let's get a few people together for a chat!
Wednesday, August 8 – Lewisporte
Then it's on to lovely Lewisporte for the 32nd annual Mussel Bed Soiree.
Thursday, August 9 to Sunday, August 12 – Eastport
On to Eastport for the Winterset in Summer Literary Festival.
Monday, August 13 – Woody Point and the West Coast
Next, the beautiful west coast and Woody Point and the Writers' Festival.
If you see I'm coming to your area, contact me, get a few people together around your kitchen table, as simple as that, and let's talk. Email info@nl.ndp.ca.
Looking forward to seeing you,
Gerry Rogers Leader, NL NDP
Meet the Executive Committee
We are profiling our recently elected executive. Meet Bill and Dana.
I am the current Labour Associate President and one of three Labour representatives who sit on the NDP Executive Board. I work at the NL Federation of Labour (NLFL) as a Safety Sector Advisor with a focus on improving occupational health and safety at the industry level.
I was instrumental in helping the Federation of Labour win an increase in income replacement rates for injured workers. Prior to my work at the Federation of Labour, I spent three decades employed with Oxfam Canada as a regional representative and as national campaigns coordinator.
Many of the campaigns I advocated for included improving worker rights in global sweatshops, promoting fair trade coffee, supporting women’s rights, and advancing basic public services such as water, sanitation, health and education.
In 2013, I was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for my many years of social justice activism. I am a long-time supporter, volunteer, and donor. I'm committed to seeing the party grow across all districts of the province.
I have worked with communities as a social worker, educator, and civil servant for over 30 years and I am a lifelong community activist. I grew up in Long Harbour, seeing both the benefits and downsides of living in an industrial town with a boom and bust economy.
Throughout my career, I've worked in community organizations, hospitals and the federal civil service (Department of National Defence), primarily in the areas of mental health, addictions, and violence prevention. My graduate research focused on using participatory research methods for community and organizational development and most of my work has since centred around building social policy, community, and organizational capacities to address these issues. I've spent most of my life in NL with about a decade away, living in both Ottawa and Zimbabwe, and I currently live in Norris Point. I am now back to my community activist roots and have been working on building networks and coalitions within the region and across the province. As a member at large, I look forward to working to build a stronger NDP organization with greater capacity to build a strong connection to our communities, especially those communities in rural NL.