As we previously noted, Ontario Education Minister Gerard Kennedy would be in Vancouver over the weekend to talk up Terminal City Grits. Accounts of his performance at a reception hosted by national party vice-president Mike Hillman differ - with some describing his speech as a bit flat and others saying they were impressed with the sincere answers he gave during a lengthy question and answer session. Attendees also reported the would-be leadership candidate impressed by showing up five minutes before the event began, presenting a bouquet of flowers to Mr. Hillman's wife Donna and greeting guests at the door as they arrived. But more interesting were the ten private backroom meeting Minister Kennedy scheduled earlier in the day at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. According to our operatives, each of those meetings included a similar number of movers and shakers, grouped by friendship or past allegiance. For example, former Rock machine sprockets were at one such schmooze session.