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By-election could change Canadian politics
Earlier this week, the signs went up all around Guelph, Ontario, where I live. The by-election was called.
For those who don’t know, a by-election is something that happens when there is a vacant spot due to illness, death, criminal conviction, etc., in a riding. The spot can only be vacant for six months, before a by-election needs to be called to fill the space.
In Guelph, the Green Party have a strong following. The Green candidate, Mike Nagy finished with nearly double the national average for the party in the 2006 federal election. The Ontario Green vote went from 2.8% in 2003 to 8.01% of the popular vote in 2007, described as a “protest vote” to send a message to the main parties. The Green Party is the 4th biggest party in Ontario with just under half the votes the NDP received.
Generally in by-elections, fringe parties get more votes and voter turn-out is lower. Apparently, if everyone who voted Green in Guelph in the last general election votes Green in the by-election, Mike will win, even if voter turn-out is above average for a by-election.
There is a strong chance that Guelph will vote in Mike Nagy in the by-election, giving the Greens their first seat in Parliament. The ramifications of this are huge. Canada’s traditional parties have a “no seats equals no podium” argument, which is currently keeping the Green Party leader, Elizabeth May, from speaking in the televised debates. If Mike wins the by-election in Guelph, Elizabeth gets to speak for sure, which will in turn help the Greens win more seats in the next general election.
In a recent poll, 62% of Canadian believe that Stephen Harper and Jack Layton are worried about facing Elizabeth May in the debates and 77.2% of Canadians polled want to hear Elizabeth speak in the next debates, even if they traditionally vote for other parties.
Below is a video of Elizabeth May being making a promise I think she can keep about the debates:
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Elizabeth May speak in Guelph a few times and she is the most forthright and fearless politician I have ever heard. The debates will be highly entertaining with her in them, possibly increasing voter attention and turn-out, which is currently at a record-setting low, with only 52% of eligible voters voting in the last election in Ontario.
No matter what your political beliefs, Green participation in politics is good for Canada and the environment. When you vote Green, the other parties green up their platform to try and win your vote back. Everyone wins.
I wonder what can be done to get the 48% of “apathetic” voters out and sending a message to the main parties by voting Green? Any ideas?
Petition to get Elizabeth May in the debates: http://www.letelizabethspeak.ca/
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August 1st, 2008 at 10:52 am
I suspect that the Green party will not get to speak in a debate unless:
* They achieve official party status (12 seats)
* The debate broadcasters (all of them, unanimously) state that she _must_ participate
If I was any of the sitting parties I would not allow an non-official party time on the debates. It opens the door to any old lunatic getting on the stage, as long as they have one seat in the house.
Popular or no, the Greens have to get seats before they get recognition.
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August 1st, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Umm, sorry, but I think that should be “by-election”.
You still write good, btw.
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August 1st, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Umm, sorry, you’re right! I can’t spell. It’s a known bug in my system.
Thanks!
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August 2nd, 2008 at 5:07 am
I wrote the ombusman, oh, 6 years ago about the fact that the Green Party was excluded from the televised debates. Heck I wasn’t even a Green Party member. I was just plain pissed and felt there was something wrong.I received back a five page explanation. Something like The networks go by the rules agreed to by the existing parties…something like that. But that was a long time ago. I’m now in web design and am online every day. II see incredible changes with technology and how our communication methods are changing. Just look at social networking, Youtube, blogs, stuff going viral etc. Grass routes campaigns now have a chance to break through. Look at how much Obama raised in the US just through small donations through the Internet.
There is still a lot of confusion about the Green Party in the general public at large. It’s a branding problem as people equate the green party with Green Peace and think they are socialist rather than conservative in their fiscal policy. They need a better communications strategy. So forget hammering the same old channels of communication. Perhaps they need to start thinking differently.They need a brand new way of getting power. Influence IS power and new comunication methods open up new opportunities and audiences. That’s true not only for the Green Party, but for all of them. Hope that makes sense. And I seem to have that same spelling bug LOL.
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August 3rd, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Guelphians(?), in the upcoming by-election, will help decide who should be our next prime minister … Stephen Harper or another Liberal from Quebec … regardless of the issues. Altruistically voting ‘green’ will make Guelph look rather ridiculous, particularly when the economy is being threatened by high oil prices, economic meltdown .. and even terrorists in our midst. Who can best manage the Canadian and Guelph economies best?
Are Guelphians sober thinking Canadians ..or just a bunch of immature asshats..??!!
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