In close ridings we must work together to defeat sitting Conservatives. This means voting for the candidate from one of the other parties that has the best chance of getting elected. To the best of our knowledge so far, that means the Liberals, the NDP or the Bloc in every case. We are encouraging concerned voters in each of the close Conservative ridings to give us some solid, pragmatic advice which we can post on the web site.
What about the Green Party? The Green Party has the best climate policies of any of the federal parties. The Green Party candidates we've met are among the most passionate and concerned people we know when it comes to action on global warming. Unfortunately, given our current electoral system, voting for the Green Party in close ridings may have the perverse outcome of helping elect a Conservative majority government.
Is this the price we have to pay for the slow build to a Green Party breakthrough to representation in parliament? We think that we simply can't afford another four years of government indifference to the climate crisis.
The New Economic Foundation in the UK argues that we have 100 months to get the pollution that causes global warming under control, or we may well face runaway changes to the earth's climate. 100 months is two majority governments in Canada. Two Conservative majorities would take us off line and out of action until it was too late to make a difference.
We think the debate over voting strategically or voting Green boils down to the following.
If you want to elect a government that will start working hard to fight global warming:
- help to defeat the Conservatives by voting strategically.
If you care about the Green Party, support their policies and want to see them in government:
- work hard to bring proportional representation to Canada - go to Fair Vote Canada to find out more
- support the Green Party financially. Every party receives $1.75 per vote cast in their favour under Canada's election financing laws -- if you are voting strategically for another party, why not donate your share directly to the Green Party.
- if you are voting strategically but would rather vote Green, consider leveraging your compromise by swapping your vote with someone willing to vote Green in another riding. Google "Pair Vote" or "Anti-Harper Vote Swap" to check out groups running vote swapping campaigns this election. (Note: We have not looked into these groups and we do not vouch for their legitimacy.)
2 comments:
What about Central Nova? Would it not be best to recommend voting Green in that riding, considering the absence of a Liberal candidate and that the NDP candidate is new? In 2004 & 2006, the NDP ran the wildly popular Alexis MacDonald in the riding, but to my knowledge Ms. Lorefice is a political newcomer and likely will lose ground to Elizabeth May.
Just looking for your thoughts...I am not a Green Party member and I no longer reside in Central Nova, but as a former resident find the race very intriguing.
Personally we agree -- but we have been waiting to hear from voters in Central Nova before we post a recommendation.
Another riding where the Green vote has traction is Guelph. Enough to beat the leading Liberal?
Enough to keep the Conservative at bay? We're hoping people will let us know.
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