That is what I was coming to myself - the way we sell this to the Conservatives is by saying that we would do the same for them - what is key is building bipartisan support - the Conservatives should welcome this because it protects them from Liberal attack re: a) the market opening policy initiative, and b) ties (via contributions, fundraising, etc) to big energy. But I also know that some one like Wilson  can be particularly vindictive and may not respond well.  Will review with today with Sasha, who sits on the Tories' fundraising committee. 

 -----Original Message-----
From: 	Steffes, James D.  
Sent:	Wednesday, September 19, 2001 8:55 AM
To:	Dadson, Aleck; Shapiro, Richard
Subject:	RE: Liberal Party

Sounds good to me.  Any thoughts to have Milnthorp support the Conservatives and Devries (or someone else) do the Liberals?

Jim
 -----Original Message-----
From: 	Dadson, Aleck  
Sent:	Wednesday, September 19, 2001 7:19 AM
To:	Shapiro, Richard; Steffes, James D.
Subject:	RE: Liberal Party

Yes I think we can through Sasha J.  - and will do so - 

 -----Original Message-----
From: 	Shapiro, Richard  
Sent:	Tuesday, September 18, 2001 7:00 PM
To:	Dadson, Aleck; Steffes, James D.
Subject:	RE: Liberal Party

Key is Conservative party reaction since they are the governing party..can you gauge this ?

 -----Original Message-----
From: 	Dadson, Aleck  
Sent:	Tuesday, September 18, 2001 5:21 PM
To:	Shapiro, Richard; Steffes, James D.
Subject:	Liberal Party

As you know, one of our key efforts in Ontario is to build bipartisan support for opening the market in early 2002. That largely involves firming up the position of the Liberal Party (currently in opposition but in a strong position to win in the next election) in support of moving forward with competition. The Liberal Party has asked me whether Enron (really someone like Rob Milnthorp or Paul Devries) might consider being the co-chair of a fund raising event for the party in November 2001. The event would be timed for the Independent Power Producers Society of Ontario conference (the largest annual energy conference in Canada) and would be targeted at people in the Ontario energy sector. Dalton McGuinty, the leader, would speak at the event.  I didn't dismiss the idea out of hand because it may have merit if : a)  through such an event, we can secure true bipartisan support for moving forward.  (In other words, if we were to do this, the material would have to state that Rob or Paul is acting as co-chair in recognition of the bipartisan support for the deregulation initiative and how such bipartisan support is good for the Province etc); and b) we were satisfied that doing so would not alienate the governing Conservatives. (The Conservatives have always encouraged us to do what we can to keep the Liberals on side and I think they would be sophisticated enough to appreciate that efforts would involve participation in such fund raising events - particularly if the material used did not endorse the Liberals and merely recognized their support for moving forward). Let me know what you think.  Aleck (having said all this I should admit to being a Liberal)