THE LIBERAL LEADERSHIP

The view from the floor | Canada

WHOEVER SAYS the life of a reporter is glamorous, hasn’t spent eight hours standing on a chair waiting to catch the every utterance of the seven Liberal Leadership Candidates.

By CATHERINE McGHEE

For 72 hours, the Ottawa Civic Centre was alive with sweltering bodies writhing in ritualistic fervor, political junkies and jaded media types, all atttempting at once to inch their way towards the candidates. It was impossible to remain detached. Normal- ly sane individuals became hysterical, placard-waving zealots, frantically chanting ‘*Win with Turner’’, or ‘‘All The Way D.J.’’

It was an event comparable only to a frenzied crowd at a rock concert. There was drama, passion, joy and sadness — the gamut of human emotions, starting on Day One with the tribute to Prime Minister Trudeau.

Although the show itself was schmaltz, the film of the Trudeau years evoked memories of less cynical times. The dog-days of wage and price controls and angry confrontations with The West were set aside and in- stead, remembered with pride, was Trudeau defying the FLQ and tackling the Quebec Referendum head- on. °

When his young sons join- ed him to bid farewell to the multitude, there was scarcely a dry eye in the house. And, in typical Trudeau style, the 16th Prime Minister of Canada pirouetted off the stage to the thunderous cheers of the crowd — some applauding that he was final- ly going, while others saluted the man, his style and the era that was about to end.

Day two and there were demonstrations everywhere; brass bands, waves of red, white, yellow and green and more photographers. The foyer of the Civic Arena over-flowed with booths espousing the virtues of the respective candidates, Liberalism and Trudeau. There were books, buttons, visors, pennants, beer mugs, t-shirts and even teddy bears.

The atmosphere inside the arcna was somewhat relaxed, a notable lack of tension. The evening speeches were not cx pected to hold any surprises and didn't. Each candidate was alloted 22 minutes and the rhetomc was familiar

NEWS photo Catherine McGhee

Chretien spoke from the heart, but the tiredness was evident on his face and he had given better speeches. Turner gave the speech of his campaign and appeared to have won over many of the uncommitted delegates.

With the speeches over, supporters dispersed to the various parties — to Chre- tien’s red and white designer tents, where they wiled away the hours to Rockin’ Ronnie Hawkins, or to dance to Powder Blues at John Turner’s soiree at Confedera- tion Park. For the best time, those in the know fled to Don Johnston’s fete at Tabasco’s in Hull, and partied till dawn.

The result was lots of peo- ple suffering from hang- overs or looking like they'd been up all night, which they had, when voting day arrived.

Inside the arena the excite- ment was mounting. Turner aides were not’ giving anything away, but privately predicted a second ballot vic- tory. The Chretien camp was enthusiastic, but the can- didate was showing the strains of the long campaign

and appeared to know the fight was lost.

The first ballot results were announced and the Turner section exploded, knowing they could not be beaten.

It would take another two and a half hours to get the se- cond ballot results, but the outcome was never in doubt. The Turner camp, through its communications network, spotted undecided delegates whose leaders had gone to Chretien and moved in for the kill. Armed with Turner vests and buttons, they rounded up their prey who were welcomed by Turner himself.

1 resurfaced unscathed after three days of being trampled on and elbowed by mobile television units and over-zealous supporters. It was both an exciting and ex- hausting experience.

It gave a glimpse of the mechanics of politics, the strategies involved and the knowledge that the actual voting delegate, although necessary, 1s a minor player in the overall scheme of

things. Then again, maybe that’s the way they want it.

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JUST PRIOR to his victory, John Turner welcomes delegate — and his vote.

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Al? - Sunday, June 24, 1984 - North Shore News

RIVER WOODS HOUSING CO-OPERATIVE

More affordable housing is coming to North Vancouver thanks to the River Woods Housing Co-operative. This co- operative group begins construction of 90 units of family housing on Hamber Place, Sunday, June 24th at 4:00 p.m. with an official ground-breaking ceremony. CMHC is pleased to be a part of this development which helps the Government of Canada fulfill its commitment to improve housing for Canadians.

CMHC

Canada's Housing Agency

| Canada Mortgage Socete canadienne and Housing Corporation dhypotheques et de logement

Honourable Roméo LeBlanc Minister

COLLINGWOOD SCHOOL

North Shore independent Schoo! Society APPLICATIONS FOR SEPTEMBER ENROLMENT

This non-denominational coeducational day schoo! opens in West Vancouver

on September 10th, 1984, offering Grades 1 to 8 An additional grade will be added each year until the school offers Grades 1 to 12

“It ls our objective to give you a school where you can expect your child to be fully educated, where emphasis will be placed on English and Mathematics. where everyone will be involved in extra-curricular activities and where above all, there will be a happy triendly atmosphere and an environment of mutual

respect and trust''

For information and an application

David MacKenzie, Headmaster

Mr. David MacKenzie Collingwood Schoo! #102 250 18th Street Wes! Vancouver B C V7V 3V5

Telaphone 975.3331