Having abandoned any notion of voting for the Liberals in the next election, I find it irritating beyond expression to be constantly confronted by the binary thinkers among us who shrilly declaim that a vote for someone other than Trudeau is a vote for Andrew Scheer. This kind of absolutist thinking not only shows disrespect for our democracy, but it also suggests that we are doomed to always pick the least odious party when we cast our vote.
Well, it would seem there is now a new kid on the block called The Green Party. Fresh off its major gains in P.EI. and in tandem with the impressive performance of Green Ontario MPP Mike Schreiner, yesterday saw the election of Paul Manly in the Nanaimo-Ladysmith byelection, garnering 38% of the votes.
Manly will become the second Green Party member in Parliament, joining Leader Elizabeth May.Unlike the other conventional, tired parties, the Greens have a vision:
“This bodes well for the Green Party across Canada,” he said.
His victory shows the other parties that Canadians are serious about climate change, Manly said, adding he expects the Green wave of support to grow in the October election.
“How we can change the economy — that we are working in to protect the environment that we need for our health, for our children, for our grandchildren,” he said. “How we can do a better job of taking care of people who are less fortunate.”That's all I have time to post today. But for me, it is more than enough.
He said governments should stop subsidizing the “old” economy.
“We moved beyond the horse and buggy and its time to move beyond the internal combustion engine,” Manly said, as the crowd cheered.
It’s also time that the government stop giving foreign multinationals tax breaks that “frack our environment and expand oil production,” he said.
“Those days should be over. It’s time to move forward,” Manly said.
“I will not compromise on the future of our children and our grandchildren.”
I certainly had a sound sleep last night, Lorne.
ReplyDeleteSome pundits are saying Manly's win reflected a growing public concern about climate change. If there was ever an Achilles' Heel for the Conservatives, Liberals and, for that matter,the NDP, it is climate change.
Try as they might to pretend they are doing something significant, Mound, the Liberals are fooling less and less people these days. One hopes that those worried about our planet's future will pick the real deal at election times, not the counterfeits.
DeleteThe could, indeed, be a revolution on the way, Lorne.
ReplyDeleteWe badly need it, Owen, if we are to have any chance of survival.
DeleteI think it depends a lot on your riding. In London West this fall's federal election will likely be between the Liberals and Conservatives. It tends to be a bellwether riding so, although I would prefer to vote Green, I will likely have to hold my nose and vote Liberal. (Provincially, it went NDP in a by-election and stayed NDP in the latest provincial election. Because the NDP were strong in London West, and the PCs weak, I was able to vote with my conscience and vote Green.)
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I can appreciate you dilemma, UU. I have given it much thought, and even if my riding has little chance of going Green, I believe there is value in casting my vote thus anyway to add to the aggregate number. Even though we are still stuck with FPTP, perhaps a large number voting Green will send a message to the victorious party.
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