Meet the Candidates Part 1: Green Party of Canada

Green Party of Canada

Leader of the Party: Elizabeth May

Here is her candidacy website.

Candidate: The Green Party hasn’t confirmed a candidate in this riding yet. According to Elections Canada, nominations close September 22nd and notice of riding candidates will be available September 25th 2008.

They quite likely won’t run a candidate, as May and Stephane Dion (leader of the Liberal Party of Canada) have an agreement not to run candidates against each others’ parties in certain ridings.

The Party Platform:

Green Values: Ecological Wisdom, Social Justice, Participatory Democracy, Non-Violence, Sustainability, Respect for Diversity

Global Greens Charter – 2001

Green Party Policy

News: The leaders of the Conservative and NDP and a “consortium” of major media players have blocked Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party, from participating in the televised leaders debate. This is the nasty side of politics and one of the main reasons why so few women get into the game. Politics are a blood sport after all. And it doesn’t bode well for the future either.

May is being blocked by the “Old Boys Club” and they are making the rules up as they go along. Many of us are seeing this as a direct attack on democracy and ever-increasing control of unelected shadowy media men who seem to think they know what’s best for us as citizens to see and hear. They can decide what leaders we should hear from too. Apparently they think they know best.

I think this issue has tapped into a zeitgeist of this time. Most of us of younger generations, or those of diverse backgrounds and cultures do not feel like we are represented by the same old, same old. The white men in suits are ubiquitous and we can’t get away from them anywhere, in politics, in the upper echelons of the corporate world, in academia, and elsewhere. The world has changed around them and Elizabeth May and her party are a glaring example of that. What’s been done to her has ignited the anger and indignation of generations of people and many others who do not feel we have a voice in how our country is run, who feel we simply don’t matter to those who sit in Ottawa and in those fancy boardrooms deciding who is fit to be seen and heard and who isn’t. And the who isn’t, is most of us. If the parties involved in this decision-making know what is good for them, they will back down and allow May into the debate, if they don’t, that is a loud slap in all Canadians faces and a clear message that a majority of Canadian citizens do not matter.

Blair Wilson, a Liberal who was kicked out of caucus became the first sitting Green party Member of Parliament when he joined the Greens in August 2008. According to past practices, this should have ensured that May, the leader of the federal Green Party should be included in the Leaders Debate. The Boyz don’t want May cutting into their time and they don’t want to allow a voice to a party that will appeal to young people and those voters who are disillusioned with the status quo parties. In their own words:

The Green Party is making waves -- and making news. We're the vibrant new voice in Canadian politics -- surging in the polls, demanding a place in the leaders' debates, speaking out on the issues that matter.

From the Green Party Blog:

Harper. Layton afraid of a Woman

Submitted by Tina Crouse on 9 September 2008 - 1:41pm.

If Stephen Harper's new 'I'm a good dad' ads are directed at women voters, then his fear of facing Elizabeth May should go down really well. 'Old Boys Club' should read 'Old Buzzards'. If women, as 50% of the vote don't get this one, they never will. Until the ability of men to silence women is ended, politics, life and government will remain as 'same old, same old'.

Greens are going to change that; we will. If not today and not this election, then before I die and that's because life has changed immeasurably in my lifetime due to political engagement - the Berlin Wall, Apartheid, the Battering of Women and even Saving the Whales. Forbidding women the right to speak and be heard because of the frailties of a few men is so old school. Thank God, school always ends.

Read more media & comments from hundreds of citizens of all political stripes are really angry about this exclusion:

May calls out Harper, Layton for boycott threats

Voters outraged by Greens' exclusion, May says

Greens can't participate in leaders debates, networks rule

Break up Liberal 'old boys club' New leader must bring more women into Parliament
Tom Axworthy. Nov 19, 2006.

Old Boys Media Club Scared of Green Party Leader
Paul Langan, Sep.08.2008.