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Ede says the NDP is only party with a social conscienceBy Dominik Kurekmuch in common with the Liberals and the As an example, he said young people cantOAKVILLE BEAVER STAFFGreens. I think what has happened is the afford to live in Oakville with a small job mar-Conservatives have shifted so much to the ket, so they move away.or James Ede, there is no party but the right, it makes it appear as though everyone He said there is a lot of added passion inNew Democratic Party. The 31-year-old else is the same, he said.this election as a result of the conduct of theFhas been politically active since his first Ede said the Liberal governments of Jean Conservative government, such as proroguingyear in political science at Western University Chren and Paul Martin have done little for Parliament twice, being found in contempt,and has always voted for the NDP, which he is social programs, while the Green Party claims withholding information, passing omnibusnow representing in the Oakville riding.to be socially conscious, but is fiscally conser-bills, feeding information to the Senate andI always wanted to be involved in trying to vative, which the NDP is not.much more. Though the number of electionschange the world for the better as well as to The NDP says we put people first and we can be fatiguing, Ede said it is important tostudy politics, the married, father of two said. will make sure that priority is above fiscal keep the government in check.His children are five and three years old.policy. Basically, the NDP is the only party for Ede also admitted there is a challenge toHe received his masters degree at York me.represent the NDP.University, where he is working on his Ph.D.He added, in the past 20 years, the parties Its difficult to face the prejudice and mis-He first got involved with the NDP when he in power have been saying they will address conceptions people sort of have against theand other teaching assistants were on strike in social issues when the economy gets better, yet NDP, he said. They think were some kind of 2009, during ugly negotiations between the it never happens.radical party, or Communist party. What weregovernment and teaching unions. Ede said he We have all these problems in this country proposing is a strategy to improve peoplesand his fellow teachers had worked for too and I dont feel like theyre ever going to be lives. Our platform is incredibly realistic andlong and too hard to be faced with the cuts dealt with under those two parties, he said.affordable.expected of them.Ede said there are problems with inequali-He said by eliminating corporate tax cuts,Everyone was out for out blood and the ty, poverty, environment, student debt, job the NDP would have a balanced budget at theprovincial NDP stuck up for us in Parliament, market and more, which the Liberals and same time as the Conservatives plan to, and behe said. They stood up for us and said theres Conservatives havent seriously addressed. He able to fund the start of various social pro-deeper issues related to the funding of educa-added the Liberals have taken on some of the grams, hire more doctors and nurses, provideMICHELLE SIU / OAKVILLE BEAVER tion, related to job security. That really issues the NDP have been fighting for, but a national childcare program and muchCAMPAIGN TEAM:Five-year-old Katrina impressed me.never as whole-heartedly as his party. more.Hope-Ede helps her father James Ede with his When his teaching contract was up that Those are but some national problems, but He said there are many families who areelection campaign at their home, which doubles year, he moved with his young family to Oakville has problems of its own.just scraping by, or are forced to use a foodas his election headquarters.Oakville where he got involved with the local Oakville may have some unique character-bank and the debt levels in Canada are enor-NDP in an executive position. Six months later istics, but it also has a lot of the same social mous, which his party could help resolve.away by the Liberals or the Green party, hewon the nomination to be its candidate.problems that other communities are facing, For more information, visit www.jamesede.said they shouldnt.When asked if possible NDP votes are taken he said.ca.I resist all suggestions that the NDP haswww.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, April 21, 2011 12