Nakoda, Dryden Territory - With the mid-May federal election fast approaching its deadline, MPs and federal candidates running for Prime Minister are now making jet streams as all candidates have been flying to either end of the nation to try and graps those final votes before May 18th comes around. The recent AMC polls show Prime Minister Joseph Hendrick and the Progressive Conservative Bloc in the lead with 35%. What has been making headlines lately however, is the race to the opposition between the Liberal-Democratic Party who stand with 27% national support and the True Akwesasnan Coalition who stand with 25% of the national vote - nearly neck-in-neck. The Reformist Alliance follow with 17% support, which is higher than previously expected for a young party, and finally, the People's Libertarian Union sit at 8%. For this edition of AMC, we've been following each party and their leaders to get an inside look at what their platforms actually are and what these public figures stand for. This is the result that we've aquired:
The Progressive Conservative Bloc - PM Joseph Hendrick: "Following Prime Minister Hendrick was like being on tour with a country star. He truly loves his job, he does care about Akwesasnans united and most of all, he enjoys every minute of being in front of a crowd." - Marcy Walsh, AMC journalist
Nationally and internationally known for his striking charm, tough policies and small-town values, Prime Minister Joseph Hendrick, at the age of 67 years old, has proven that he still has some fight in him when it comes to campaigning. The slogan printed on the side of his tour bus says it all: "Same tough talk, same old leader". After being elected as Prime Minister in 2005, Hendrick has managed to bring forth the Optional Healthcare Plan, boost the nation's exports by 15% and introduce Akwesasne to the European Defence Federation among other democratic allies fighting for peace and freedom world-wide. The Progressive Conservatives themselves are a party which were brought together by the former Conservative Party and Progressivist Bloc in 2002 when Hendrick became leader of the united Progressive Conservative Bloc. Claiming to be fiscally conservative, traditionalist but not closed-minded, The PCB's main concern in this election would be to cut or lower the taxes that his current minority government hasn't been able to pass. "A majority would be a wonderful thing to be frank. I tried my best with these parties across the floor, but some of them just won't listen. There has to be more than one side willing to cooperative in a true democracy." The Prime Minister told AMC yesterday.
Liberal-Democratic Party - Tom Leclair: "When Mr. Leclair speaks to you, it's almost as if you two have become the only people in the room. On an intellectual level, he's brilliant. But Tom Leclair the man is like a warm father figure who reads his papaer like everyone else." - Mario Bourassa, AMC journalist
Tom Leclair is a career-politician born and raised in the Territory of Lanaudiere - which is the territory with the most English and French speaking mix in the United Territories of Akwesasne. After studying Law & Justice at the University of Mauricier he jumped into politics which he claims has been his passion and calling since a young age. Since high school, this political mind had already set in stone what his future would be like after first being elected as High School President. A firm believer in individual rights, equal rights (especially for women, French-Akwesasnans and Native-Akwis) and liberalism in general, Mr. Leclair climbed the ranks of his party's ladder to become its leader in 2008 after the LDPs former leader Marie-Lyne Drummond stepped down. The Liberal-Democratic Party is Akwesasne's oldest party, technically. After the quiet Liberal Revolution in Akwesasne in the 1960s, the LDP had really begun taking off after an era of being considered unpopular and laissez-faire. But now, healthcare and immigration tops this party's chart with its leader at the helm and not ready to back down.
True Akwesasnan Coalition - Phillip Gouldhawk: "There comes a time in one's life when you meet someone who thinks so differently that it not only makes you want to get involved in debate, it also makes you want to sit and learn more from someone elses' point of view. Phillip Gouldhawk is one of those people." - Toby McGrath, AMC journalist
An inspiration, a mentor and a hero to some. But controversial, a revolutionary and a radical to others; Phillip Gouldhawk is not only a politician to watch out for in Nakoda, but he is a page-turner when it comes to media exposition and his vision for the United Territories. Gouldhawk is a Native-Akwi man (as is most of the TAC) who's policies stem from Native-Akwi values and traditions but mixed in with a center-right perspective when it comes to immigration and the economy. He has rallied the most support nation-wide for the TAC since its formation in the 1980s mostly because of his moving speeches, his public elegance and of course his leading numerous protests against the current PCB government at Parliament's doorstep - where he works. The True Akwesasnan Coalition holds most of its support in the south and southeast. Tallcree and Membertou have the highest population of Akwesasnans who consider themselves die-hard TAC voters, most of them all Native-Akwi. Though their closed-border policies on immigration is what drives them to controversy, they have managed to climb up at 25% in national support making them almost neck-in-neck with the LDP and could creep up into becoming the official opposition if the PCB were to remain on top.
The Reformist Alliance - Wanda Duplessis: "When it comes to running a campign with grace and style, then travelling with Mrs. Duplessis has been by-far an adventurous experience. She's truly a strong woman who believes that this country needs a woman's touch for change." - Amy Wallace, AMC journalist
Wanda Duplessis has had a rich and fulfilling life as she would tell you in her very own words. After having followed a rewarding career in education as a teacher, guidance councilor and school principal, Mrs. Duplessis made her way to becoming the Dean of the University of Mount-Nouranda - one of the nation's most prestigious academies with some of the nation's highest marks and success rates. She married Michael Duplessis, a High Court judge in 1983 and has raised three children with her husband all the while balancing her career. With change in her heart and an idea in her head, Mrs. Duplessis decided that upon her resignation as Dean she would act on her beliefs instead of sitting down like the rest of us and became involved in social activism and then finally as leader of the Reformist Alliance. The name says it all really, the Reformist Alliance is a left-leaning federal party bent on changing most social and political aspects of Akwesasne "One Territory at a time".
People's Libertarian Union - Ronald Bourne: "Even if you're not a socialist, you have to admire this man's courage for sticking his neck out and supporting an idea which has never been really popular in the United Territories. I commend him for it." - Daniel Van Hughes, AMC journalist
Being the leader of an unpopular idea known as socialism, or communism, can't be an easy thing to pull off in Akwesasne. The United Territories have always been very conservative and rather centrist or center-right on the spectrum according to the international community. But still, Ronald Bourne managed to scrounge together 8% of the current popularity vote which is more than the PLU has ever really aquired. This time around however, it's looking like they may have a chance in getting into Parliament if they heard and keep their support afloat until May 18th. This could be a difficult task to complete, but perhaps a commuist bloc in Parliament would be needed to keep the other boys and girls on their toes. "If people don't like me, they don't have to look at me. If they don't like what I say, then they don't have to listen. But I will never be silenced as long as I live in the United Territories of Akwesasne."