De-brief, March 10 Meeting (email sent to supporters)

Thank you for the interest you have shown in my effort to introduce the dual political notions of peak oil, and the bioregional and political labeling of Atlantica via the medium of my independent’s campaign in Central Nova. The challenge remains to tap unexplored political turf. It is a daunting undertaking.

The poor turn-out at my nomination meeting of March 10 left me not so much disappointed, as it did perplexed. The poor turn-out (result) must be seen within the context of “marketing” initiatives (action) undertaken over several months: reasonably good positioning in the local print media to familiarize my name and the peripherals of my position (most residents of rural Central Nova are not online); both up and running web and blog sites for those who are online; hard copy announcement of the meeting on bulletin boards a week in advance of the meeting; two shotgun email announcements (300 plus) of the meeting sent to the business communities of New Glasgow, Antigonish and Guysborough, with the request to further the announcement to the recipients’ email contact lists.

Standard and very conservative "marketing" numbers should have delivered an attendance of at least 50. This was sadly far from the case. Based on the result relative to the input, I am left pondering the following: the political culture of Central Nova (and other rural ridings in Nova Scotia) is so closed as to not allow for the consideration of political alternatives, let alone the limited adoption of such alternatives; political identification with standard parties is so unquestioningly and parochially accepted and locked in to as to not allow for alternative political interpretations; the pending economic and social “hurt” that will be accompanied by peak oil is the only reasonable and hard motivator that will at least nudge people’s minds to consider political alternatives.

It has been suggested to me that a bearer of bad news cannot expect to get very far politically. Such is the standard and true. From my perspective, however, what is being delivered is not so much bad news, but the option for beginning the political undertaking and creation to counter the bad news. I maintain that this is a noble and positive political undertaking. The challenge becomes somewhat paradoxical, yet do-able.

I welcome your input and thoughts. Thanks for your attention.

(See March 11 coverage by The New Glasgow News, "An Independent Approach")