Ottawa 2012-05-08 newsletter

Ahoy there Ottawa-area pirates! It’s been entirely too long since I’ve issued a local newsletter, so I’ll try not to go on too long. There’s a lot that’s happened lately that local members need to know, so please take a read-through and mark your calendars. In this month’s newsletter:

Ottawa Events Calendar
May 2012

May 4th, 9:00am Nepean-Carleton Brunch Hard Stones Grill, 5511 Manotick Main St

May 15th, 7:00pm Ottawa Monthly Meeting Tim Hortons, Corner of Metcalfe & Slater

May 16th, 8:00pm PPCA General Meeting Online via IRC

May 19th, 9:00am Nepean-Carleton Brunch Hard Stones Grill, 5511 Manotick Main St

June 2012

June 1st, 9:00am Nepean-Carleton Brunch Hard Stones Grill, 5511 Manotick Main St

June 15th, 9:00am Nepean-Carleton Brunch Hard Stones Grill, 5511 Manotick Main St

June 19th, 7:00pm Ottawa Monthly Meeting Tim Hortons, Corner of Metcalfe & Slater

June 20th, 8:00pm PPCA General Meeting Online via IRC

Social Media & PPCA Branding
Recently the Political Council voted to change the official colours of the party, changing it to purple (#572B85). This move will help differentiate the party during elections, and puts us more in line with the Pirate Parties International standard. For those with PPCA-styled websites, please feel free to alter your theme from red to purple to help spread this alteration.

Additionally, the PPCA has been greatly expanding its social media usage. In addition to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, the PPCA has profiles on Identi.ca, Google+, Diaspora, and Flickr & Tumblr. Members are encouraged to contribute to the Pirate Party’s social media connections, and help spread knowledge. The PPCA is looking for additional members of its social media & blogging team, so if you’re interested in contributing, please contact our party leader, Shawn Vulliez (shawnvulliez@pirateparty.ca), for details.

Event in Review: Osgoode Home & Trade Show
On April 20th & 21st, there was a Pirate Party of Canada booth setup at the Osgoode Home & Trade Show. The booth was well-manned and served to discuss Pirate Party-related issues with constituents in a rural area. It was an overwhelming success, and several new members signed up over the course of the weekend. The Ottawa Pirates would like to warmly welcome those new members to the fold.

We’re looking to attend and promote the party at more events throughout the upcoming months. If there’s an event or trade show you believe would make a good fit, please let us know. A full write-up of this past event can be found on Through the Eyes of a Pirate, and a short series of photos are available on both the Facebook & Google+ profiles.

Local Candidates Update
During the April 18th General Meeting, the Pirate Party of Canada affirmed its first two candidates for the 42nd General Election in 2015. Both of these candidates reside within the Ottawa area and have been exceptionally active in growing our visibility locally. A congratulations are extended to David Ascroft, our candidate for Nepean-Carleton, and Robert McGrath, who will represent Ottawa-Orleans.

Pirate Party Platform Proposals
As the party continues to develop, it continues to examine ways to expand and cement its platform to better represent both its membership and the people of Canada. The issue is up for discussion on the party’s forum, with a handful of good suggestions already in place for people to discuss. Additionally, Through the Eyes of a Pirate recently issued some of their suggestions for the Pirate Party moving forward.

All party members are kindly asked to pass along their suggestions. It’s your party, and we need to represent you as we move forward. An apparatus will be put in place to make this easier in the future, but for now, the forum provides the best location for passing along suggestions and discussing those already made.

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