Last updated: May 17th, 2010

Promotion

Fundraising

A fundraising letter went out with our nomination meeting notice in September 2009. Funds were also collected through our reminder phone call to our membership.

Every month we receive a regular amount of donations through our PAC monthly donation program.

Our annual fundraiser was held again on February 5th, 2010. The issue-theme was First Nations issues. We raised over $2,000 that night through ticket sales, donations, a silent action, and book sales (thanks Turning the Tide.)

The Executive has committed to sending three fundraising letters in 2010: one along with the AGM notice (April), one when Parliament starts sitting after summer which will include policy and local updates (September), and one at the end of the year.

As of January 2010 we are able to accept donations online.

We have established the Youth Empowerment Fund. Any donations written to the Saskatoon Wanuskewin NDP with "Youth" written in the memo of the cheque will go towards it. The Fund will be used to cover as many costs as possible for young, eager New Democrats to attend Federal Convention (who otherwise could not.)

In March 2010, we sent a personalized letter, hand-signed by Allan Blakeney (former SK premier), to over 100 past donors and contacts of John. This is in conjunction with the Federal office's "Local Victories Challenge," by which we receive an additional 50% from them for all donations we receive in March and April 2010. Including the rebate, we raised over $9,000.

At the 2010 Annual General Meeting, we raised just under $1,000.

Communications

We regularly send letters to our membership.

The riding maintains and updates this website.

Last year (2009), we have started to announce certain events by placing ads in rural newspapers, in order to better connect with our rural areas.

We are currently developing a media strategy for our new candidate, John Parry.

Our e-newsletter, e.SWNDP, is being revamped this year. An issue will be sent within a couple of months.

John Parry will soon be sending a pre-recorded phone update every month to members.

This spring, members of the Executive will be calling all of the youth members in the riding to discuss their priorities and what they'd like to see happen in the riding association.

Membership and Growth

Along with the Council of Federal Ridings (Saskatchewan), we are planning outreach to First Nations communities for 2010.

Our February fundraiser will include a youth-oriented fundraising component: we will be raising funds to send as many youth delegates to the next federal convention (2011), all expenses paid (if necessary.) We will also have a lower ticket price for youth.

The Executive will hold a free social for members and volunteers to gather and reconnect between elections. We will aim to hold it on or near June 21st, 2010, summer solstice. 

Pre-election door knocking will commence this spring.

The 2010 Annual General Meeting took place on May 16th at the Wanuskewin Heritage Park. We implemented an experimental format to promote time management (the meeting took less than 40 minutes) but at the same time was informative, inclusive, and participatory. A facilitated strategizing session followed the meeting.

The Executive is looking at how we can make NDP membership in the riding more appealing and rewarding.

Strategic Planning

Rural

We have begun announcing our events in rural newspapers.

On December 14th, 2009, we will host our first rural town hall forum in Rosthern to better connect with residents.

A second Town Hall was held in March in Langham.

John Parry intends on door-knocking in rural towns starting in the spring. He will likely go out with a team to cover as much territory as possible.

The SWNDP will host several BBQs in rural communities in the summer of 2010 in order to connect with residents in an informal setting.

Our next electoral campaign, running John Parry, will have a much greater focus on campaigning in the rural area.

Election Planning

Our Election Planning Committee (EPC) is now formed.

The Riding Association has bought its own laptop computer, thus avoiding the need to rent costly computers at election time.

A campaign manager has been hired.

Candidate Search

In August and September 2009, we conducted a candidate search. At one point near the October 7th meeting we had three candidates vying for the nomination; however, two of them were forced to back down for family reasons.

Involvement in the Federal NDP

We continually send delegates to the biannual federal convention.

We are actively involved in the Saskatchewan Council of Federal Ridings.