The NDP have now grown up into a mainstream, increasingly centrist party nickel-and-diming the poor for their vote and misleading on the environment. I’m deeply disturbed by their success in Toronto-Danforth.
Over a week has passed since the night while I watched in horror as the Harper government got its majority coupled with the relatively minor shock of seeing the Green vote collapse in Toronto-Danforth despite the widely acknowledged strongest campaign we have ever had.
Nationally I am most concerned about a majority government which clearly caters to oil industry priorities. In Toronto-Danforth specifically, I’m concerned about the success the NDP has had with convincing voters with timid and contradictory policies that will do little for climate change and will hurt the constituents the party has professed to care about in the past. I ran a campaign promoting the positive aspects of the Green plan without challenging the obvious defects of NDP policies. But it’s clear to me now that these need to be made explicit.
I had never expected to win in the NDP leader’s riding this time around, but I did hope for a strong Green vote to pressure Jack Layton and the NDP to improve their climate change policies and address some of the priorities of Green voters. That didn’t happen, so I need people who care about the Green Party, the thousands who told me that they were considering voting Green, to help put the pressure on the NDP to get it right.
It’s time to stop mincing words. The stakes are simply far too high. Read more »
Chris Kitching followed me along canvassing, and then wrote this article for CP24.com. It uses my experience as a jumping off point to delve into the various motivations for underdog candidates.
Adriana Mugnatto-Hamu, the Green Party's candidate in Toronto-Danforth, speaks to a man while campaigning for votes at Pape Station recently. Mugnatto-Hamu is in a David vs. Goliath-like battle against the riding's incumbent MP, NDP leader Jack Layton. (CP24/Chris Kitching)
Going toe-to-toe with an incumbent is always a challenge. The task is even more daunting when the reigning MP has a star profile that rivals that of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
So, why are these so-called minnows bothering to invest so much time, energy and money in a short-lived campaign when a landslide defeat is likely?
For Mugnatto-Hamu, a Green Party candidate, she relishes the opportunity to push the agenda of an emerging political party and engage voters on the topic that is most important to her — climate change.
“At one stage I realized that the threats to my children were far more serious, so I was compelled to run,” Mugnatto-Hamu told CP24.com recently as she campaigned for votes at a bustling Pape Station. “I want to change policy and this is one way to change policy.”
TORONTO, ONTARIO, MEDIA ADVISORY–(Marketwire – April 12, 2011) – Green Party candidate, Adriana Mugnatto-Hamu, issued a challenge today for NDP incumbent, Jack Layton, to attend an all-candidates debate in Toronto-Danforth. If he accepts the challenge, it will be the first time in three elections that Mr. Layton has participated in an all-candidates debate in the riding. Read more »
In clear pre-election mode, this last Wednesday evening, Jack Layton held a live over-the-phone “town hall” meeting, where he answered questions in real time and polled listeners on their priorities. It was a great way to outreach to the community and worked quite well. If elected, I’ll keep that in mind as a way to engage people who prefer the comfort of their own home. But I’d also like to have in-person town halls and simply attend meetings with local groups. Read more »
I voted Green for the first time in 2004, and the reason was because Jack Layton was running on a platform of keeping fuel costs low, and I knew even then that this was a disastrous direction. He’s at it again. Read more »
Yesterday I was nominated as the Green Party of Canada candidate for Toronto-Danforth for the next election. I’m honoured and humbled by the supporters in this riding and their enthusiasm for starting the campaign. Our success in the next election will depend on what the Green Party does best — building a community of people dedicated to building a better world and working respectfully together to achieve their goals.
In the next few months, I hope to be getting out and introducing myself to the neighbourhood. I’m asking everyone who is interested in learning more about the Green Party to do one or both of two things. Read more »
The Green Party of Canada supports the coalition of opposition parties currently in Parliament. Please visit this Green Party sponsored website for more information. Please see Elizabeth May’s statement below. Read more »
In our section of the riding-by-riding look at the GTA in today’s Star, Sharon Howarth was cited as Jack Layton’s biggest threat. Read the whole thing here. Read more »
An empty chair represents Jack Layton, who didn’t show up at his own all-candidates debate last night. Citytv reports on the feelings of local residents.
Last night I attended the all-candidates meeting held at Riverdale Collegiate. I expected to hear a reasonable, professional debate about the issues of the day. Instead, I was given a lesson in thug politics I’ll never forget. Read more »
TORONTO, ONTARIO – October 7, 2008 –Jack Layton, who only four weeks ago tried to deny the people of Canada the opportunity to see and hear Elizabeth May in the televised leaders’ debates, is again attempting to stifle democracy by refusing the attend his own all-candidate’s debate. Read more »
Leaders’ Debate Watching Party
Thursday, 2008 October 2, 7:30 pm
Maverick Pub, 804 Danforth Ave
(a few doors west of our campain office)
Join fellow Greens from all over Toronto as Elizabeth May makes history as our First Party Leader to participate in the televised Leaders’ debate. Read more »
Toronto-DanforthAll-candidates meeting
Tuesday, 2008 October 7, 8 pm
Riverdale Collegiate, 1094 Gerrard St East not: St Barnabas Anglican Church
Update: Now combined with Ralph Thornton debate, so some of the debate-format information below may have changed… Each of the candidates will be given 10 minutes to speak to the audience. There will be a 45-minute question and answer period and then each candidate will be given 2 minutes to summarize their position. Read more »
Homeless Response Alliance all-candidates meeting
Tuesday, 2008 September 23, 12:30 pm
WoodGreen, 875 Queen St East
Toronto-Danforth candidates to speak about homelessness and poverty, including the connections to immigration and refugees. Sharon Howarth will be there. For more information, contact Holly Kraer at 416-850-8785 or 647-222-4420.
Here’s Elizabeth May talking about poverty and homelessness:
And here she is talking about poverty and seniors:
edit: Less than an hour after I posted this, the Conservatives backed down and said they will allow Elizabeth to participate. Now they’re just trying some funny stuff about bringing McKay in.. anyway. Read below for an outline of the drama for democracy. Read more »
I’m beginning to get some real sympathy for Jack Layton’s Dion-bashing. I still don’t like the mocking tone, but the substance is true. And here‘s Mr. Dion, once again letting the budget slide without much of a peep. The funny thing is, I wouldn’t want Dion to do anything different. I just want a better explanation.
Truth is, if we had an election today, the Conservatives would win a fresh mandate, possibly even with more seats, and we would have wasted a lot of money just to end up with the status quo or worse. I’m assuming that’s Mr. Dion’s calculation, and he sees nothing to fight that would suddenly propel him to victory.
But if that is Mr. Dion’s calculation, I wish he would say so. I wish he’d say “I don’t particularly agree with this budget, but I don’t see the point of dragging Canadians through an election only to end up right where we already are.” Instead, he just seems kind of limp.
Update: Elizabeth May disagrees with me. She thinks the budget was a lot worse than mediocre, that it is leading to the militarization of Canada, and that Canadians deserve to be consulted on issues such as this. She is a wise lady, and in many ways much smarter than I am. But it’s hard for me to consider taking the risk of bringing in a Conservative majority.
Recently, I’ve received both posted and emailed messages from Jack Layton attacking Stephane Dion for abstaining from the vote on the Throne Speech. These attack are disingenuous and dangerous. Read more »
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Adriana has been knocking on doors, 
An empty chair represents Jack Layton, who didn’t show up at his own all-candidates debate last night. Citytv reports on the feelings of local residents.
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