Charles Battershill’s first interview

Charles Battershill has had his first newspaper interview after receiving the Green Party’s nomination in Toronto-Danforth.  The article, by Karolyn Coorsh in the Town Crier, discussed the Green Party in two ridings, Beaches-East York and Toronto-Danforth.  Here’s what was said about our riding:

The winds of change are blowing in Beaches-East York and Toronto-Danforth as the federal Green Party searches for a star candidate to replace former party leader Jim Harris and introduce a new candidate to the Danforth riding.

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According to recent polls, Green Party support nationwide has spiked to 10 percent.

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Meanwhile, the Toronto-Danforth Federal Green Party riding Association elected York University professor Charles Battershill as its candidate in early February.

Al Hart, the previous Green Party candidate for Toronto-Danforth, stepped down to focus on personal matters after the 2006 election, in which he received about 7 percent of the vote.

If an election is called shortly, Battershill will likely find himself running against NDP party leader Jack Layton and political veteran Deborah Coyne for the Liberals.

Battershill said while he sympathizes with some of Layton’s policies, Layton is viewed as part of a bigger political machine.

“They (the NDP) have a big vested interest, they are a huge political machine,” he said. “The Green Party’s only vested interest is our children and our grandchildren.”

“I think the people are smarter consumers of political advertising than ever before. I don’t think they’re going to be fooled.”

Battershill said interest in the Green Party is growing due to May’s profile but also because people are more aware of the global impact of the environment.

“You can’t deny it any longer that global change is happening,” he said. “Even the Conservatives are acknowledging that.”

But, he said, the Green Party has always been focused on the environment, while the other federal parties are “now playing catch-up just so that they can get their jobs back.”

Right now Battershill and the riding association are focused on finalizing his personal platform, which will likely include advocating for a reduction in pollution and encouraging small business owners to cut down carbon emissions and provide local products to avoid importing into the country.