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MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Professional Training for Local Campaigning July 14, 2014 – Victoria, BC – Candidates running for municipal office in Victoria will have the opportunity to get advice from professional strategists and campaigners this weekend. Municipal politicians play an increasingly key role in developing economically vibrant communities and as with any job, a solid base of training can make all the difference. To support anyone interested in running for office, the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce with the Manning Centre is holding a two-day campaign training session on July 19th and 20th. Guest presenters include renowned pollster Dimitri Pantazopoulos. Dimitri provided public opinion research and managed direct voter contact for the 2013 BC Liberal election campaign and received national accolades as the only pollster to accurately predict the outcome of the provincial election. Dimitri’s extensive research into public attitudes guided the formulation of the strategy and messaging that contributed to the successful election of Premier Christy Clark. Presenters for Campaigning on a Shoestring also include: Mike Martens, Bruce Hallsor, and Matt Gelinas. “We are pleased to have a great lineup of experienced campaigners for our training sessions,” said Frank Bourree, Chair of The Chamber. “This is the first time that subsidized training for municipal officials is being offered in Victoria. This training is also a great opportunity for anyone interested in running for municipal, provincial or federal office as well as anyone interested on working on a campaign.” Bruce Hallsor, partner at Crease Harman LLP, was the former campaign chair of the federal Conservative Party in BC. Bruce has worked on over 70 campaigns at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels. Mike Martens is the Director of the Manning School of Practical Politics, whose mission includes increasing the number and quality of political participants by filling gaps in training, research, and outreach. Mike has trained over 2,000 people and is a veteran political campaigner from BC. Matt Gelinas is a partner in Calgary-based strategy firm Act Digital Ltd. and a campaign manager in Calgary. Matt has a wide breadth of experience in many aspects of political campaigning and is an expert NationBuilder consultant. The Chamber is subsidizing over half of the costs of campaign training as part of its Our Vibrant Community Committee’s mandate to promote good governance in the region in view of the upcoming municipal elections. By raising awareness of the critical role that local government plays in our daily lives, The Chamber hopes to inspire greater community involvement and develop tomorrow’s leaders. For more information about Campaigning on a Shoestring, visit The Chamber’s website. -30- For more information contact: Janet Crocker Policy and Communications Manager Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce Email: jcrocker@victoriachamber.ca Phone: (250) 360-3476 Frank Bourree Chair Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce Email: chair@victoriachamber.ca Phone: (250) 383-4142 Olivier Ballou Director of Communications Manning Centre for Building Democracy Email: oballou@mcbd.ca Phone: (403) 536-8564 Cell: (613)720-0688
MEDIA RELEASE
July 14, 2014 – Victoria, BC – Candidates running for municipal office in Victoria will have the opportunity to get advice from professional strategists and campaigners this weekend. Municipal politicians play an increasingly key role in developing economically vibrant communities and as with any job, a solid base of training can make all the difference. To support anyone interested in running for office, the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce with the Manning Centre is holding a two-day campaign training session on July 19th and 20th. Guest presenters include renowned pollster Dimitri Pantazopoulos. Dimitri provided public opinion research and managed direct voter contact for the 2013 BC Liberal election campaign and received national accolades as the only pollster to accurately predict the outcome of the provincial election. Dimitri’s extensive research into public attitudes guided the formulation of the strategy and messaging that contributed to the successful election of Premier Christy Clark. Presenters for Campaigning on a Shoestring also include: Mike Martens, Bruce Hallsor, and Matt Gelinas. “We are pleased to have a great lineup of experienced campaigners for our training sessions,” said Frank Bourree, Chair of The Chamber. “This is the first time that subsidized training for municipal officials is being offered in Victoria. This training is also a great opportunity for anyone interested in running for municipal, provincial or federal office as well as anyone interested on working on a campaign.” Bruce Hallsor, partner at Crease Harman LLP, was the former campaign chair of the federal Conservative Party in BC. Bruce has worked on over 70 campaigns at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels. Mike Martens is the Director of the Manning School of Practical Politics, whose mission includes increasing the number and quality of political participants by filling gaps in training, research, and outreach. Mike has trained over 2,000 people and is a veteran political campaigner from BC. Matt Gelinas is a partner in Calgary-based strategy firm Act Digital Ltd. and a campaign manager in Calgary. Matt has a wide breadth of experience in many aspects of political campaigning and is an expert NationBuilder consultant. The Chamber is subsidizing over half of the costs of campaign training as part of its Our Vibrant Community Committee’s mandate to promote good governance in the region in view of the upcoming municipal elections. By raising awareness of the critical role that local government plays in our daily lives, The Chamber hopes to inspire greater community involvement and develop tomorrow’s leaders. For more information about Campaigning on a Shoestring, visit The Chamber’s website.
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