24 March 2015

Reminder: Invitation to Campaign Event - Wednesday, March 25 at 6 p.m.

This is a friendly reminder that you have been invited to a campaign event with me at Ricky’s All Day Grill tomorrow, Wednesday, March 25, 6:00-8:00 p.m.  The event will feature an appearance by special guest speaker John Milloy, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener Centre, 2003-2014, and Legislative Assistant to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, 1997-2002.  I am very honoured that John has recently endorsed me for the federal Liberal nomination in Kitchener Centre. 

Ricky’s All Day Grill is located at 751 Victoria St. South (Victoria/Westmount).  There is no admission fee to attend this event and you are welcome to bring guests along.  This would be a great opportunity for you to hear from me as I continue to lay out my vision for Kitchener Centre, meet other supporters and enjoy an evening of live entertainment and many other surprises.

Endorsements

I am honoured to share with you the latest endorsements that I have received from:

I have had the pleasure of working with Dr. Constantine Victoros for many years.  What inspired me about him is his commitment to public service and his deep affection and caring for his patients.  He has taught me that caring for people should be the cornerstone of public service.  I am deeply honoured to have this great community builder as a mentor and supporter.

I am very thankful to Dr. Bessma Momani for her heartfelt endorsement.  Bessma is a senior fellow at CIGI and an associate professor at the Balsillie School of International Affairs and the University of Waterloo.  She has been a visiting scholar at Georgetown University’s Mortara Centre and at the Amman Institute, a research centre to improve local governance in the Middle East.  Bessma is an expert on the Middle East, the Arab Spring and the global economy.

I have known Bessma for many years and have come to respect her knowledge and insight into foreign affairs.  Being a director at the Canadian International Council (CIC), I have had the privilege of listening to her advice and wise counsel over the years.  I consider Bessma not only a friend but an advisor who I shall rely upon during the campaign and beyond.  I am very humbled to be endorsed by such an eminent member of our academic community.

I have known Neena Gupta for many years as a strong supporter of the Liberal Party and the leader of the Canadian South Asian Club.  Through her advocacy work, Neena has contributed to the success of our community.  Her wisdom and knowledge of the community issues will contribute greatly to my campaign and her continued sound advice will help me become a great Member of Parliament.

I am deeply honoured to have Brad Svorkdal, Director with the Kitchener Centre Federal Liberal Association, as an integral member of my campaign team.  Brad’s experience working for the Liberal Party and Members of Parliament at both the federal and provincial level,  his judgment and wise counsel have helped enrich my campaign and will serve me well as your Member of Parliament.

I have had a chance to work with James Howe over the years on many causes and know that he is a man of integrity and a tireless advocate for our community.  I am proud to call James a friend and am honoured to have the support of a community builder like James.

I first met Maureen Flynn during the Kitchener Centre federal election campaign of 2006.  I found her to be very friendly, organized, and a real leader. Throughout our friendship she has been a great adviser and someone who really has the admiration and respect of her peers.  I am honoured to have Maureen’s endorsement and support.

Why we need a change in Ottawa

Click here to read my position on Universal Pharmacare

Building Momentum/Signing up new members

Thank you for your continued support.  As you know, everyone can make a difference in this campaign.  I would greatly appreciate if you would consider signing up a friend, a relative or a neighbor to support my candidacy.  

Please let me know if you sign up any new members so I can personally thank them for their support.  New members can register online by simply visiting this link or simply contact my campaign and we can deliver a membership form and submit them on your behalf for processing.

Please feel free to let me know if you wish to be excluded from the mailing list - I will not take it personally.

Once again, thank you for your continued support and friendship.

Kind regards,
  Raj

7 March 2015

Invitation to Campaign Event - Wednesday, March 25 at 6 p.m.

You are cordially invited to a campaign event with me at Ricky’s All Day Grill on Wednesday, March 25, 6:00-8:00 p.m.   The event will feature an appearance by special guest John Milloy, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener Centre, 2003-2014, and Legislative Assistant to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, 1997-2002.  I am very honoured that John has recently endorsed me for the federal Liberal nomination in Kitchener Centre.  There is no admission to attend this event and you are welcome to bring guests along.  This would be a great opportunity for you to hear from me as I continue to lay out my vision for Kitchener Centre, meet other supporters and enjoy an evening of live entertainment and many other surprises.

Ricky’s All Day Grill is located at 751 Victoria St. South (Victoria/Westmount).  Click here for a map of the location.

We would appreciate if you RSVP’d to info@rajsaini.ca, however, please free to attend even if you have not registered in advance.  I look forward to seeing many of you there.

Endorsements

I am honoured to share with you the latest endorsements that I have received from Ray Simonson, CEO of Coreworx Inc. and President of the Kitchener Centre Federal Liberal Association (KCFLA), 2008-2012 and Gary Bruce, Chair of the History Department at the University of Waterloo.

I am proud to have served as Vice-President of the KCFLA during Ray’s tenure as President.  Under Ray’s leadership, the KCFLA continued to grow and its members continued to remain active, despite the fact that the Conservatives held onto power nationally and took Kitchener Centre in 2008. 

Ray is also a successful entrepreneur and is well respected in the business community, helping to bring jobs to Kitchener when he moved Coreworx, a software company that builds project management software for large energy and mining construction projects around the world, from Toronto to Kitchener in 2006.  I am grateful that Ray has joined my campaign team.  If elected, I am committed to work hard to ensure that there are well paying jobs that can support families here in Kitchener.

Click here to read Ray's comments

I am very thankful to Gary Bruce for his heartfelt endorsement.  I first met Gary a few years ago when we both served on the board of directors of the Kitchener Centre Federal Liberal Association.  The first thing that struck me about Gary was his incredible knowledge and mastery of detail.  He has the ability to deconstruct complex issues and present them clearly and logically.  Gary is an Associate Professor and Chair of the History Department at the University of Waterloo.  His research and teaching interests include modern German history, the Holocaust and European history since 1945.  Gary’s friendship, encouragement and counsel have always served me well and I look forward to his continued support and guidance during the campaign.

Click here to read Gary's comments

We need a change in Ottawa for the economy.

Click here to read about the issues and my solutions

Building Momentum/Signing up new members

My campaign continues to build momentum and I endeavor to continue to work tirelessly right through to the end.  To continue this momentum, we need to sign up new members to support my candidacy.   I need your help to reach out to your family, friends and neighbours to encourage them to join the campaign.  Please let me know if you sign up any new members so I can personally thank them for their support.  Signing up for membership is easy, new members can register online by simply visiting this link.

Please do not hesitate to contact me at any time to share your thoughts about the campaign and the issues that matter to you.  Feel free to let me know if you wish to be excluded from the mailing list - I will not take it personally. 

Together, we can bring positive change that will strengthen our economy, guarantee a fairer society and opportunity for all.  Thank you for your continued support and friendship.

Best regards,
  Raj

February 2015

Dear Friend,

Take the Next Step

I hope that these regular email updates from my campaign are providing you with the opportunity to learn more about me and my candidacy as I continue to seek your support in my endeavour to become your Liberal Party candidate in the upcoming election.  If you have already decided to support my candidacy, which I am very grateful, I would greatly appreciate if you took the next step in this, our joint endeavour, and help me spread the message of change, hope and optimism by sharing this email with your family, friends and colleagues and signing up new members that would secure our victory.  Please let me know if you sign up a new member so I can personally thank them for their support!  Signing up for party membership to support my candidacy and our shared goal to influence change has been made very easy - simply visit this link and register online:  https://www.liberal.ca/membership/

Please feel free to contact me, as I would be more than happy to meet with you and your acquaintances to discuss my candidacy and answer any questions that you or your acquaintances may have.  Together, we can bring positive change that will strengthen our economy, guarantee a fairer society and opportunity for all.

Endorsements

I am truly honoured to receive the endorsement of John Milloy, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener Centre, 2003-2014 and former Ontario cabinet minister, and Marion Thomson Howell, an active community leader and a nationally recognized entrepreneur, in my race to become your Liberal Party candidate in Kitchener Centre. 

I have had the opportunity to work with John over the last number of years and witnessed first-hand his remarkable contribution to our community and his tireless service for the betterment of the lives of Ontarians.  I hope that, with your support, I will have the same opportunity to follow in John’s footsteps at the federal level and bring the same level of commitment and hard work to the residents of Kitchener Centre.  I am sincerely thankful that I can count on John’s advice and wise counsel on many important local issues.  His insight into our community needs and challenges will make me a stronger representative of Kitchener Centre.  I am proud to call John my friend, supporter and most importantly, my mentor.

“I am pleased to endorse Raj’s candidacy for the Liberal nomination in Kitchener Centre.  I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Raj for many years and have witnessed first-hand his strong commitment to the Party and our community.  Raj will work hard in the upcoming election and I am confident that he will impress the many voters looking for change at the federal level.  His experience, enthusiasm and energy will make him a fine Member of Parliament.”

John Milloy

Marion has served our community well through her work with St. Jerome’s University, St. Mary’s Hospital, Canadian Cancer Society, Waterloo Regional Catholic Schools Foundation and local school and parish-based committees.   She also served as Chair and trustee for the Waterloo Catholic District School Board.  Most recently, Marion successfully managed the mayoral campaign of Berry Vrbanovic.

I am truly humbled that Marion has agreed to become an advisor to my campaign.  I look forward to working with Marion to become your candidate so that I can focus on fighting for the things that matter most in Kitchener - jobs, infrastructure investments and healthcare.

“I am pleased to add my voice to others supporting Raj Saini as the Liberal Candidate in Kitchener Centre.  Raj has the skills and qualities we need to see again in our representative in Ottawa.  He has been a dedicated and effective leader in the Kitchener Centre Federal Liberal Association and understands how to make things happen on the political front.  His business experience and community involvement have helped him to understand first-hand the issues and priorities of people like you and me who are working to make our lives and those of our children better.   He has done his homework; it’s time for Raj to put his knowledge and skill into action on our behalf as our Member of Parliament.”

Marion Thomson Howell

Why we need a change in Ottawa: The electoral system!

I hope that in this and other subsequent segments, I can share with you some of my views on issues that I care deeply about and provide my thoughts that are aligned with the Liberal Party’s plan to strengthen our society and improve the lives of Canadians. 

I am sure that you will agree with me that we need to reform our electoral system to strengthen our democracy.  It is unacceptable that the Harper government can fundamentally damage our domestic and foreign policies when their changes are opposed by the strong majority of Canada, both on Election Day and later.

I fully support the Liberal Party policy resolution that calls for major reforms of our electoral system and the creation of an all-party commission after the next federal election that would be committed to reform.  I strongly believe that we need to consult the public and take an evidence-based approach before we embark on this profound democratic change.  That reform could be proportional representation or preferential ballots, the practice currently used in Liberal Party nomination meetings.  I personally pledge to support the recommendation of that commission as I am sure all Liberals will.

For more information, please find here the links on democratic reform resolutions adopted at the 2014 Liberal Party Biennial Convention:

http://www.liberal.ca/policy-resolutions/31-priority-resolution-restoring-trust-canadas-democracy/
http://convention.liberal.ca/emergency-resolution-restoring-electoral-fairness/

Liberal Party Caucus Members Visit Kitchener

I had the opportunity to meet a number of Liberal Party Caucus members who visited our region recently and discussed a series of current issues with them, including the state of our economy, affordable housing, mental health support, investments in post-secondary education and research, and the environment and climate change. 

Kingston MP Ted Hsu spoke of the need to make sure we were commercializing all of the research that happens in our universities.  He commented on the importance of having a strong relationship between the federal government and researchers.  Sadly, our government has not treated our scientists with much respect and it has led to a poisoned environment.  Mr. Scott Brison, MP from Nova Scotia, spoke of the importance of the economy in the next election ad how we are failing our young people.  He spoke of the need to make sure our manufacturing sector became more successful and the need to seek out new markets around the world.   Toronto MP Kirsty Duncan reminded us that women still to this day do not enjoy equal pay as men.  She also commented that the Harper government has let Canadians down by refusing to launch a nationwide inquiry into the tragedy of this country’s missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. 

Those who attended the numerous events organized in honour of our esteemed guests felt motivated and invigorated to help in our common cause to change the direction of our country.

Highlights from Raj's encounters with MPs Vaughan, Brison and McKay

Highlights from Raj's encounters with MPs Vaughan, Brison and McKay

Go Rangers Go!

A day following the visit of Mr. Ted Hsu, Kingston MP to our region, the Kitchener Rangers won their home game against Kingston Frontenacs by a score of 2-1!  I had agreed with MP Hsu that I would wear the jersey of the winning team the following day - I proudly wore the Rangers jersey to work all day following the game!

Get in touch with me!

I look forward to having an ongoing dialogue with you so please do not hesitate to contact me at any time and share your thoughts on the campaign.  Please feel free to read my email blog and share it with others.  If you wish to be excluded from the mailing list, please do not hesitate to let me know - I will not take it personally. 

Sincerely,
Raj

January 12, 2015

Dear Friends,

Happy New Year!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season.  The few days that I took off the campaign trail to spend time with my family and friends, allowed me the opportunity to also reflect on the year that 2014 was.  I remembered the many personal stories that people shared with me during the campaign, the many new friendships that I have made and the existing ones that I continue to cherish.  I also reflected and remembered the lost loved ones, and in particular Joan Euler, a best friend, who was the gateway to my further involvement with the Kitchener Centre Liberals many years ago. Joan's passing last year has left a huge void for all of us who knew her.

I consider 2015 to be a year for hope and optimism.  I pledge to continue to work harder, to meet many more concerned constituents and earn your vote as the choice to represent you and the people of Kitchener Centre as your candidate in the upcoming general election.  Together, we can influence change and elect a new government that stands for a stronger economy, a fairer society, and opportunity for all.

Campaign Brochure

To help you answer any questions that you may have regarding my campaign, I have enclosed a copy of my latest campaign brochure.  I hope that you will take the time to review it and provide any feedback that you may have.  Please feel free to share it with your family, friends and neighbours.

Click here to download: Get to know Raj brochure

Endorsements

I have the honour to share with you the latest two endorsements (see the Endorsements page) that I have received recently: Gabriel Tse and Marcus Shantz.  Both Gabe and Marcus are well respected and hard-working community leaders and long-time local Liberals.  Gabe was President of the Kitchener Centre Federal Liberal Association when I decided to get more involved with the local Liberals.  I got to know Marcus during the 2006 federal Liberal Party leadership campaign as we were both local organizers.  I have come to respect and appreciate his family's entrepreneurial drive and spirit, philanthropy and community involvement.  I am humbled and overwhelmed to have earned the trust and support of Gabe and Marcus.  Thank you.

New Year's Levee

I had the opportunity to stop by the City of Kitchener's New Year's Levee a week ago and catch up with our mayor,  members of Kitchener City Council and many constituents who came with their families to enjoy a fun line up of activities.  I wish all the best to Mayor Berry Vrbanovic and his team at the City.

Get In Touch With Me!

I hope that that by communicating with you via these regular email updates, you will learn more about me and my candidacy and will support me in our joint endeavour to influence change.  I look forward to having an ongoing conversation with you and please do not hesitate to contact me at any time.

Best regards,
  Raj