RICHMOND—CUPE BC’s 2014 political action conference—Walking the Talk—kicked off last night in Richmond with a keynote address by Jeremy Bird, a key campaign official on US President Barack Obama’s two election campaigns.
Bird shared examples of how the Obama campaigns combined “old school” traditional organizing with modern technology, but stressed that no technology can replace hard work and old fashioned door-to-door campaigning.
CUPE BC President Mark Hancock said in his speech that “when we work together to elect progressive candidates, we get kinder, gentler governments that truly understand how to build our communities and make them better places.”
The conference continues today and Friday with panel discussions, presentations and workshops on a wide range of political action.
“This conference couldn’t be happening at a better time,” said Trevor Davies, CUPE BC general vice president and chair of the political action committee. “With local elections right around the corner in November, we’re going to be sending more than 100 CUPE activists back to their communities, and they’re going to get involved in electing a record number of progressive candidates all over the province.”
Click here to see a gallery of photos from the opening night.