Monday, August 28, 2006

Goin' Green...?

Well, I feel a little better about the state of democracy in the federation this morning. The Green Party has chosen for its leader Elizabeth May, an environmentalist, and an east coast woman who currently lives in Ottawa. May is also an immigrant — from the United States (couldn't help thinking of We Move to Canada's own Laura K. when I read this). She was born and raised in Connecticut, but her parents fell in love with Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia and the family moved there when Elizabeth was 17 or 18. May is in her early 50s, young as life goes for leaders of political parties in Canada, and could be a figure on the scene for quite a while.

I confess, I don't know much about the Green Party, but I'm curious now. I should probably go look them up. I don't like the Conservatives much at all, and while in my heart (like the heart of many or even most Canadians) the Liberals are the so-called "natural governing party of Canada", I think they're also naturally a lot of arrogant bagmen. I don't know why I can't get enthused about the NDP... they just seem so impossible. Why, then, am I suddenly interested in the Greens as an alt? It's probably the attraction of the unknown.

2 comments:

laura k said...

Hey LP :)

I don't know anything about the Greens here, although I've read good things about this person. So far I'm pretty happy with the NDP. From my newcomer's perspective, they look pretty great.

I have to tell ya, though, I'm a tad disturbed at your description of Elizabeth May as an immigrant. If her family emigrated when she was a teenager, and she's in her 50s now, surely she is no longer an immigrant?

And thanks for the link, of course. :)

Saskboy said...

I've been supporting the Greens the last two elections now, because as you say the Liberals have been bag men [and don't care about the West to boot], the Conservatives are fairly radical right wing on too many issues and have shown blatant hypocrisy since they came to power, and the NDP has worked over my home province so badly I'd be ashamed to support a party by the same name. The Greens care about the environment, and also improving the political environment in Canada so the other parties have to be more accountable to voters. By voting Green, everyone wins because you're moving Canada in a positive new direction away from the priorities of the past that have created today's scandals and smog. And nothing tells the other parties that you're fed up than voting for someone new.