Some very encouraging news from this week’s Hill Times:

The federal Liberals are looking to Canada’s ethno-cultural communities, as well as at state-of-the-art voter targeting software to sell more memberships and revamp their formerly moribund fundraising efforts.

New Liberal Party National Director Rocco Rossi, a longtime confidante of new Leader Michael Ignatieff (Etobicoke-Lakeshore, Ont.) and the former head of the Heart and Stroke Foundation, said the party is hoping to buy software similar to that used by U.S. President Barack Obama’s presidential election campaign.

My advice would be to not skimp on costs. Having briefly played around with some Obama database technology last fall, I saw first hand what a huge benefit it was for targeting and contacting voters and volunteers. I can only image how beneficial it would be when it comes to fundraising efforts.

The other thing to keep in mind, is that having the greatest database in the world in Canada among Canadian opposition parties doesn’t mean a lick unless you’re constantly using it and updating it with new information. Obviously, there are confidentiality issues to consider, but it needs to be something ridings, campaigns, and the national party can all take maximum advantage of.

But, without a doubt, this is very encouraging news.