Allan Thompson to open campaign volunteer centre in Kincardine May 9

In another step forward in his bid to be the next MP for Huron-Bruce, Liberal candidate Allan Thompson will formally open his first campaign volunteer centre Saturday morning, May 9, in Kincardine.

The centre is located at 969 Queen St., at Broadway, just across from the downtown Tim Hortons location.
Thompson will be joined by campaign co-chairpersons, Murray Elston and Virginia Schenk, as well as other campaign team members, volunteers and friends for the official ribbon-cutting at 11 a.m.

The official opening of the volunteer centre is the latest development in a grassroots campaign that has been picking up momentum and recruiting scores of volunteers from across the riding, as well as high-level national endorsements.

“This volunteer centre will become a hub of activity for my campaign, especially in the Bruce County area,’’ says Thompson. “And we hope to open a second volunteer centre, in Huron County, as soon as possible. The key thing for me is to reach out to people, to let them know that they can get involved and be part of the change that is needed in Huron-Bruce and across the country,’’

Thompson says he has been trying to demonstrate to people that he has the kind of energy and commitment to be an effective and proactive MP, to be the voice of Huron-Bruce in Ottawa, not Ottawa’s voice in Huron-Bruce.

The 51-year-old journalism professor at Carleton University, was born and raised on a farm near Glammis, and is a former political reporter on Parliament Hill for the Toronto Star. He went to school at Bruce Township Central Public in Underwood and Walkerton District Secondary School, and began his journalism career as a reporter with the Kincardine
Independent and Teeswater News.

Thompson is committed to building the rural economy in Huron-Bruce and becoming a strong voice for farmers, as well as those who live in the riding’s small towns and surrounding areas. He believes that his farm upbringing combined with his deep knowledge of how Ottawa works, will help him to bridge the rural-urban gap. He is also committed to looking for ways to make settling down in the region a more viable option for young people who are drawn away to seek schooling and job opportunities.

Since winning the federal Liberal nomination in October, Thompson has been campaigning hard across the riding, attending dozens of community events and holding his own events to meet with potential voters. He routinely sets up in local coffee shops for what he calls the HaveYourSayCAFE, placing a sign on the table informing people that he wants to be their next MP and inviting them to come and tell him what is on their mind. He does the same with Pub and Politics events.

“It is very important to me to let people know that I am listening, that I want to hear about their concerns,’’ Thompson says.

While reaching out to potential supporters face-to-face, he also makes extensive use of social media platforms to share insights about his campaign. The main vehicle is his website, www.allanthompson.ca. He has also posted videos to a YouTube channel (www.YouTube/Allanthompson2015 ) and routinely writes blogs at www.allan2015.com about what he is hearing on the campaign trail. All events are also posted through www.facebook.com/Allan2015 and @ElectAllanT on Twitter.

His election bid has received strong endorsement from major national figures. Former prime minister Paul Martin drove through a snowstorm to visit Huron-Bruce in late February and spent a day on the campaign trail with Thompson.

"When I was in public life and he was a journalist, he was one of the most respected journalists in the country,’’ Martin told reporters during a stop in Kincardine on Feb. 25. “I think he is going to be a tremendous Member of Parliament. He’s got huge dedication and he loves this area."

May 15, retired general Roméo Dallaire will campaign with Thompson across Huron-Bruce, making stops in Walkerton, Clinton and Goderich before a major event that evening in Kincardine, billed as "An Evening with Roméo Dallaire." Tickets for the event, to be held at 7:30 p.m. at the Kincardine Legion, can be purchased on-line (events.liberal.ca/Event/anevening-with-romeo-dallaire.aspx?lang=en) or reserved by calling 519-386-1550.

Thompson’s campaign has attracted key supporters from across the riding, including former MP Paul Steckle and long-time MPP Jack Riddell, who have both been on the campaign trail with Thompson.