There has been a tremendous buzz around the supposed love-affair between Greens and Liberals.  The only hint of truth there is that Elizabeth May, and many others in the Green Party (including myself, by the way) recognize that all opposition parties are politically closer to the Greens than the current government.

The story seems to centre around Elizabeth’s announcement that she will run in Central Nova (currently held by Foreign Minister Peter Mackay) in the next election, which is viewed as some sort of overture to the Liberals.  What it really is is a gesture of courage and conviction from someone who doesn’t want to take the easiest path, but rather the path that feels most right.  Yes, she might have won more easily in a riding with a Liberal or NDP incumbent, but that would not deprive the current toxic government of a seat, and would force her to spend her time attacking the policies of parties more in line with her own.  She chose the harder route not to benefit any particular opposition party, but to focus her campaign on attacking the worst offender.     Read more »

Here’s a bit of background on why I joined the Green Party.  I moved into Riverdale in 2002 in part because our family was expanding with our infant son, newly arrived from Korea.  Just after we moved in, little Loren developed a rasp in his voice that concerned me.  He sounded a bit like my asthmatic eldest son had sounded when we adopted him in Brazil many years ago and before we were able to treat him.  In Loren’s case, the rasp was minor and disappeared over time, but I was not surprised to hear that the air in Riverdale is bad.  Toronto’s air is the worst in the country, with the most annual smog days by far, but Riverdale’s air is bad even by Toronto’s standards.

Which is really unfair.     Read more »