Top 10 Reasons To Vote Green On Monday

Question: Where does the Green Party form government?

Off the top of my head, they have been (but not nessecaraly still are) in power in: Germany, New Zealand and South Africa.

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"If you must kill a man, it costs you nothing to be polite about it." Winston Churchill

Greens are also getting elected at the local level here in Canada.

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If there was ever a time for Canadians to become pushy - now is the time - for time is running out on this nation called Canada.

Je prévois voter Vert. "Strategic voting" blackmailing did not work on me.

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"We are all in this together somehow, some more than others somehow"

As a note, I did try finding such "top 10 lists" for the other parties, but all I could find were lists of reasons *not* to vote for <insert party here>. If anyone wants to submit such a list for the various other parties, please do so.

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"Beer Garden'? You mean, a real garden of beer? I thought they only had those in Canada!" --Largo

An important statement from a former Green leader:<br />
<br />
Machine Green <br />
<a href="http://www.thecoast.ca/1editorlettersbody.lasso">http://www.thecoast.ca/1editorlettersbody.lasso</a> <br />
<br />
Having been active in Green politics for over 20 years, it is with a <br />
great sense of sadness that I agree with your editorial "Up for <br />
debate" (Dec. 15). Under Jim Harris's leadership, the Green Party <br />
has largely abandoned the Global Green Charter's commitment to <br />
a sustainable environmental future based on non-violence, social <br />
justice and grassroots democracy. At best, the party pays lip <br />
service to these fundamental green principles. It is for this reason I <br />
resigned as the Party's education shadow critic and withdrew my <br />
candidacy for Halifax. <br />
<br />
It's not so much Harris "taking a softer approach" but actually <br />
throwing away many traditional Green policies, such as free post-<br />
secondary education for students, a guaranteed annual income to <br />
eliminate poverty, a mandated reduced work week to reduce <br />
stress and create employment, withdrawal from NATO and <br />
remaking the Canadian military into a true peacekeeping force. <br />
Instead, the party has supported Canadian military participation in <br />
Afghanistan, despite revelations of U.S. torture and the fact our <br />
troops free up American forces for their illegal and immoral war in <br />
Iraq. <br />
<br />
As well, the party has tacitly supported the illegal coup against the <br />
democratically elected President Aristide in Haiti. This is <br />
inexcusable for a party that claims non-violence and respect for <br />
local democracy among its core values. <br />
<br />
But the most disturbing has been the watering down of the <br />
traditional green approach to corporate polluters, strict regulation <br />
and polluter pay legislation, in favour of a "national emissions <br />
trading system" and "tradeable pollution permits based upon tax <br />
breaks for compliance with emission targets* This will likely prove <br />
disastrous, since scientific findings indicate we need to reduce <br />
carbon emissions by about 90 percent by 2030. <br />
<br />
This free market approach to carbon trading may turn out to be the <br />
new stock market bonanza with lots of money being made by <br />
some at the expense of the planet. <br />
<br />
This is quite consistent with Jim Harris's philosophy, given his day <br />
job as a corporate motivational speaker. While Harris' corporate <br />
clients may like this message, the rest of us—people, animals and <br />
plants—have not the time to wait. <br />
<br />
Michael Oddy<br />
Leader<br />
Green Party of Nova Scotia<br />
December 22, 2005<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />

Wow NDP Mary I am so surprised to see you chuck dirt!</sarcasm alert>

Notice how the Greens don't go writing a "ten reasons to not vote blah blah" lists? That is part of our core values, and why we will gain more voters each election.

Mary I remember you going hog-wild about the NDP getting better reports on their environmental platforms. Well it now turns out the Greens have a more green platform:

"It must be said that it is unacceptable that party platforms are unavailable until less than two weeks before voting day," said Elizabeth May, Executive Director of the Sierra Club of Canada. "The Liberal and New Democratic platforms were released on January 11th, and the Conservative platform was unveiled on the 13th -- only ten days before the election." According to the Sierra Club of Canada, only the Bloc and the Green Parties released their platforms in a timely way to allow voters a chance to read and compare the party positions.

Party scores were as follows: Green Party 97, NDP 91, Liberal 53, Bloc 46, and Conservative 31.

We did it without the big money, big union and corporate backing of the others. We also released it before the others - we have nothing to hide!

We are Canada's only true grassroots party that does more with less.


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If there was ever a time for Canadians to become pushy - now is the time - for time is running out on this nation called Canada.

Green = conservative. Nuff said.

... when the "traditional approach" was all there was.

For years the federal platform read like an angry kick in the pants, and seemed determined to marginalize entire voting sectors, who needed a viable political alternative, not admonishment. The influence of party radicals was obvious, as was the influence of hard left ideas on the supposed "green vs. grey" approach. There seemed to be plenty of people that would develop almost instant distaste and decry "watering down" when the platform attempted to evolve into something politically viable, like popularity was a contraindicator of success. It was a waste of resources: that kind of activism belongs as organized factions within the other parties (green NDPs, green Conservatives, green Liberals), not party whose candidates stand for election.

The maturing of the party and platform is a welcome thing, and has thankfully translated into improved performance at the polls. How odd that the aforementioned Jim Harris, criticized for his "watering down" of the "traditional" platform, is one of the few who has spent significant time and personal mentoring with successful Green parties internationally. And with a message and platform that might seem palatable to the business sector? Heaven forfend! Greens are anti-business!

Not. Best of luck, Mr. Harris.

Roy Whyte, you idiot:

I've never written ANYthing about the NDP's environmental
platform, much less did I "go hog wild" (whatever that means).
Stick to the facts, OK?

BC Mary, keep it civil. If you get accused of something, correct the confusion, but do not start insulting people.

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"Beer Garden'? You mean, a real garden of beer? I thought they only had those in Canada!" --Largo

I don't agree with everything in the Green policies and I agree with some of the points mentioned by Mr. Oddy. That does not mean that I will not vote for our Green candidate. I think of my vote as not being against my Liberal MP, who I believe has been a good representative for our riding, but for the development of an alternative. Even if I have problems with Harris' leadership or some of the policies at this point in time that is not a real issue. The real issue is that we desperately need good alternatives.

Top Ten Reasons to Vote For CAP on January 23!<br />
Before You VOTE Your Checklist to Compare<br />
<a href="http://www.canadianactionparty.ca">http://www.canadianactionparty.ca</a><p>---<br>If I stand for my country today...will my country be here to stand for me tomorrow?

Jesse:

You think I wasn't insulted by being accused of "going hog
wild" and writing things I never wrote? I mean, how exactly does a
person "go hog wild" in print? Pretty un-civil, if you ask me.