Nomination contestant: Charles Battershill

Charles Battershill is one of the two local Greens who will be contesting the Green Party’s nomination for Toronto-Danforth on Tuesday.  Here’s his bio:

I see the Green Party as the party of the people and of the scientists. Like you, I have grown increasingly alarmed at the environmental and social stress caused by our economy. We can no longer hope that our political leaders will do the right thing. Time has sadly proven they cannot. They largely ignore the scientists and only now are trying to use our collective anxiety as just another strategy to get themselves into power. It is time to assert what really matters to Canadians. Mankind can no longer foolishly imagine we are separate from nature.

My candidacy brings together the two parts of my life. I am a professor of social science at York University. I teach about global capitalism, technology and civilization, and industrial change. I received my Ph.D. in 1989, and taught until 1994. Then I spent the next seven years in the securities industry at King and Bay, learning about finance and investment. For the next three years I worked with start up companies in health care and internet marketing. I returned to teaching in 2003 wiser about the economic engine which drives social and environmental change.  As contract (non-tenured) faculty fortunately I have considerable freedom beyond my teaching time.

Due to the earned mistrust of politicians I have avoided politics. Yet the Green Party is not about politics as usual. What guides the Green Party is altruism, respect and care. Being a candidate is a chance to direct my knowledge and abilities with the bold Green initiatives towards our civilization’s biggest challenge.

I am delighted to be shepherded by Adriana Mugnatto-Hamu as campaign manager! I am comfortable delivering presentations to small or large groups, both as a professor and as a business man. If need be, I have suits to wear. I plan to campaign in the subway and door to door. I will speak at “All Candidates Meetings” and other events as Adriana advises. Fortunately, my time commitment to teaching is quite flexible from Sept to March, and the Spring/Summer term is even more accommodative.

In my daily activities, including walking my dog, I have found strong support for the Green Party. This energy drives my candidacy, and, I believe, will save our world.