One of the interesting storylines in the as-of-yet unannounced forthcoming federal election (I know, that's a mouthful) will be whether the Green Party of Canada can send its first candidate to the House of Commons. It is generally assumed that the candidate with the greatest chance of winning is Elizabeth May, given her accomplished background and national profile. There's a somewhat smarmy article in today's National Post that assesses May's chances in the Vancouver Island riding of Saanich-Gulf Islands. Journalist Dan Arnold, a self-professed "active Liberal," devotes much of the article to mocking the Green Party before finally admitting that May's decision to contest this riding "was actually a fairly solid choice." Hardly a ringing endorsement, but one doesn't expect much better from the Post.
You can read the article here.
(Edit: Turns out that Arnold jumped the gun. According to this Canwest interview with May, published August 12, she has not yet decided where she will run in the next election. However, she claims to be "strongly leaning" towards the Saanich-Gulf Islands option. You can read a much more positive assessment of May's chances in this riding at Camille Labchuk's intriguing blog, found here.)
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2 comments:
I really respect May's decision to fight the last election in her home riding - and it would be fabulous to have both her and Megan Leslie sitting in the Commons for Nova Scotia - but I'd rather have her IN the Commons, full stop, regardless of riding.
I am hopeful that the Greens can start achieving a break through because I have a hard time stomaching the Liberals. . . I just don't see them doing what needs to be done on THE environmental issue of the day here and that is the Tar Sands.
But this is a North American nation and, as such, it doesn't get Green politics. . . YET.
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