Debate This!

Well, it's happened again. The MSM has decided not to invite Elizabeth May to the debates. Deja Vu! The call went out last night through social online media and the response was overwhelming "Let Elizabeth Speak!" With 1 in 10 people voting Green last time around, it's unbelievable that we aren't allowed to debate, with the other leaders, the future direction of the country. The reason why? Because we Greens don't hold a seat in Parliament. The reason why? We don't employ Proportional Representation as an electoral process. The "first past the post" system has done well by the old parties and until we change that, we'll continue to fight this up hill battle. Based on a metaphor for horse racing, it encourages tactical or strategic voting where voters vote for one of the two parties most likely to form the government. The fall out in our case is that Green voters may vote Liberal in an attempt to "dethrone" the Conservatives. That said, given we received over 930,000 votes in 2008, one can only wonder what kind of numbers we would have amassed if that fear didn't exist!

Off and Running

Well it's an election I didn't expect, despite all the noise on Parliament Hill. That said, I've entered the fray with renewed enthusiasm to share the Green Party vision for a new Canada. Looking forward to working with everyone who has come to the table to help out and spread the message. I'm always looking for input and ideas as to how to engage and inspire the electorate and we've got a mere month to do it. With voter apathy so high, it may be a good chance for Greens to get people to the polls who normally feel it wouldn't matter if they did vote. I'm anxious to defeat the Conservatives here and would do my best to take Peterborough's message to Ottawa. This is our chance to turn the attentions of the country towards our city and turn the light on all those who make it one of the best places to live.

Now, off to collect those final few signatures and deliver them to the returning officer to officially get this ball rolling!

Go Greens!