Ontario Young Liberals
Encyclopedia
The Ontario Young Liberals (OYL) is the official youth wing of the Ontario Liberal Party
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...

, and the Ontario wing of the Young Liberals of Canada
Young Liberals of Canada
The Young Liberals of Canada is the national youth wing of the Liberal Party of Canada. All members of the Liberal Party, who are aged 25 and under, are members of the Commission of the Young Liberals. The Young Liberals of Canada are the largest political youth organization in Canada...

. All members of the Ontario Liberal Party, or the Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario), who are aged 25 and under are members of the OYL. The OYL is the largest provincial young liberal organization Canada.

History

OYL was known as the Ontario New Liberals until the mid 1980s.

OYL (and its predecessor) has proven to be a training ground for budding politicians and political organizers. Many elected officials played a prominent role in the party’s youth wing. They include:
  • Michael Ignatieff
    Michael Ignatieff
    Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...

    , Former federal leader
  • Dwight Duncan
    Dwight Duncan
    Dwight Duncan, MPP is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He has been a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1995, and is the Minister of Finance in the government of Dalton McGuinty...

    , current provincial minister
  • Rob Oliphant
    Rob Oliphant
    Robert "Rob" Oliphant is a Canadian politician and a United Church minister. He served in the House of Commons as a Liberal Member of Parliament for the Toronto riding of Don Valley West from 2008 to 2011.- Personal life :...

    , Former federal MP
  • Bonnie Crombie
    Bonnie Crombie
    Bonnie Crombie is a Canadian politician. Formerly a Liberal Party Member of Parliament for the electoral district of Mississauga—Streetsville, in Ontario, she was elected to Mississauga City Council in a by-election in September 2011....

    , Former federal MP
  • Ruby Dhalla
    Ruby Dhalla
    Ruby Dhalla is a Canadian politician. She represented the riding of Brampton—Springdale in the Canadian House of Commons from 2004 to 2011 as a member of the Liberal Party...

    , Former federal MP


Since the Liberal Party allocates specific number of delegate spots for campus liberal associations at its national convention, key players of the OYL wielded unique influence in the party’s leadership selection as its has the largest number of campus associations under its jurisdiction. OYL had been a fierce battleground during federal leadership races from the early 80s to 2006. The Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....

 leadership campaign was particularly notorious for hostile take over of campus liberal associations leading up to the 1990 and 2003 contests.

Structure

The OYL executive is made up of 16 OYL members elected to one-year terms by the membership at the OYL Annual General Meeting. The structure of the Executive consists of a President, Executive Vice-President, Vice-President of Federal Affairs, Vice-President of Provincial Affairs, Treasurer, Riding Director, Student Director, Policy Director, Communications Director, Recruitment Director and 6 Regional Coordinators.

Affiliated clubs

The OYL is composed of riding and student clubs. Riding clubs are based in each federal or provincial electoral district
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...

. Student clubs are located at universities and colleges in Ontario.

Each club has a constitution that follows the constitutional requirements of the Liberal Party of Canada, the Ontario Liberal party and the OYL. Each club has executive, members and conducts activities such as social events, policy meeting and assists in campaigns during federal or provincial elections.

OYL Summer Fling

In the summer of 2002, the OYL created a new signature event in Summer Fling, which was held at Wilfrid Laurier University the inaugural year. OYL Summer Fling includes a volunteer appreciation dinner, the annual policy conference and many guest speakers.

Summer Fling locations
Year Location Region
2002 Wilfrid Laurier University South Western Region
2003 University of Ottawa Eastern Region
2004 McMaster University South Central Region
2005 University of Western Ontario South Western Region
2006 Trent University Central Region
2007 Nipissing University Northern Region
2008 University of Guelph South Western Region
2009 Brock University South Central Region
2010 Queens University Eastern Region
2011 Laurentian University Northern Region

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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