Oct 03, 2008 - 03:56 PM

By Jillian Follert

OSHAWA -- It was 40 years ago that Ed Broadbent was first elected to the House of Commons to represent Oshawa, in a victory that was anything but a landslide.

"In 1968, I won by 15 votes," he told a crowd of NDP supporters in Oshawa Friday morning. "Well, on election day, I had only won by nine votes and that's when we had the recount and I increased by 100 per cent almost. The point I want to make is that every vote matters."

The former NDP leader was in town this week to bolster Oshawa NDP candidate Mike Shields in a race that many anticipate will be a narrow one between the former CAW Local 222 president and the incumbent, Conservative Colin Carrie.

The past two federal contests have seen the Oshawa NDP put up a valiant effort, but fell short on election night.

In 2004, Dr. Carrie captured the riding with just 463 more votes than NDP candidate Sid Ryan and in 2006 he was victorious again, that time with 2,752 votes between them.

"The big difference this time is that our campaign is stronger and the Liberals have a weak campaign nationally and locally," Mr. Shields said, when asked if it's likely the NDP will be able to bring home its first Oshawa win in decades. "We have more volunteers than we've had in the past, a couple hundred at least, and we're seeing the momentum building here at the doors and nationally especially after Jack Layton's performance last night (at the leader's debate)."

There was a strong CAW presence at Friday's rally, including Local 222 President Chris Buckley who talked about the state of the manufacturing industry and local job losses.

"From 1975 to 1989, we had a great leader in Ottawa representing the working class people of the City of Oshawa, but since that time, Oshawa has been ignored," Mr. Buckley said. "Now, we have a great opportunity in this election again to send a working class hero to Oshawa, in Mike Shields."

After being introduced as "Oshawa's favourite son," at Mr. Shields's campaign office, Mr. Broadbent told supporters the NDP is gaining ground across Canada and that many people who have never supported the NDP are considering the party for the first time -- in particular, leftists who are disenfranchised with the Liberal record.

"There is one leader and one party that tells the truth frankly, doesn't pretend to be all things to be all people, doesn't pretend to have perfect answers, but does have answers for ordinary families and that's Jack Layton and the NDP."

Mr. Broadbent was leader of the federal NDP from 1975 to 1989 and led the party to a record 43 seats in the 1988 federal election.

He retired in 1989 after 21 years as Oshawa's MP, but returned to politics in 2004 after a successful campaign that won him a seat in the riding of Ottawa Centre.

In May 2005, he announced he would not seek re-election in order to take care of his wife, Lucille, who was suffering from cancer. She died in November 2006.

Mr. Broadbent was one of the first inductees into Oshawa's Walk of Fame in 2006.

After the rally, he and Mr. Shields planned to visit laid-off workers at the Lear Seating Action Centre and do some door knocking.