Michael Ignatieff greets Eleanor Sorbara at the Elliot Community in Guelph, Photo: Georges Alexandar
This morning, Michael Ignatieff met Eleanor Sorbara.
Mrs. Sorbara is a resident at the Elliot Community in Guelph, a retirement and long-term care residence. She’s also the mother of Patricia Sorbara, the Chief Operating Officer in Michael Ignatieff’s office.
“I never saw such activity around here,” Eleanor said, looking around the crowded room where Michael Ignatieff was having tea with her neighbours. “I think it’s great.”
Michael Ignatieff was at the Elliot Community to talk about the Liberal Party’s support for caregivers, and the millions of Canadian families that care for ageing loved ones at home.
Like her daughter, Eleanor Sorbara is a life-long Liberal.
“I used to follow politics a lot more than I do now,” Eleanor confessed. But politics haven’t stopped following her — a meeting with Eleanor Sorbara has become a rite-of-passage for Liberal leaders.
“I’ve met Lyn McLeod and David Peterson and Paul Martin,” she said.
One of the privileges of being on the Liberal Express tour is meeting the everyday elders of the party. People like Eleanor Sorbara have built the party in their communities for decades.
So what does she think of Michael Ignatieff?
“I’m going to vote for him,” she said. “He’ll make it with Pat’s help.”
- A.G.
Adam Goldenberg, Michael Ignatieff’s speechwriter, will be blogging from the Liberal Express (almost) all summer. For up-to-the-minute reports from the bus, follow him on Twitter. Email him at adam@email.liberal.ca.
