Tories hold campaign training conference, Liberals nominate candidates
Hey, remember that bullet that we thought we dodged in June, when Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff cut a deal with the Conservatives to join forces and save the employment insurance system, thus sparing the country from having to trudge to the polls this year? Turns out the celebrations may have been premature. The Hill Times reports that the Conservative Party has plunged ahead with plans to hold a two-day candidate training conference this week in Ottawa, which will school political hopefuls in “social media, voter contact methods, fundraising and dealing with the media,” among other things. Meanwhile, the Liberal Party has laid down the law in a letter to local riding associations, who have been instructed to hold at least one fundraiser this summer, and ensure that all currently vacant nomination slots are filled by fall.