David Forbes, a sitting MLA, endorsed Ryan Meili today adding to the momentum that the campaign is building heading into the final weeks of the campaign.
Buried near the end of the story is the fact that the local CTV affiliate took the opportunity at the press conference to ask a question about Ryan being arrested nearly a decade ago during a peaceful protest during the Summit of the Americas (for which he received an absolute discharge and had the conviction striken from his record a year later.)
I don't know if the journalist was trying to play a bit of “gotcha” journalism but for me, when I hear that, all I can think is: “Ryan Meili is the only candidate running for the leadership of the NDP who's actually had the balls to be arrested for standing up for his beliefs.”
I bet there are lots of NDP old-timers, unionists and activists who will actually be impressed knowing this little detail about Ryan's personal history.
Heck, even my son was impressed by Ryan's youthful arrest…
