What an amazing evening! We held the first town hall meeting of the campaign tonight in Pictou, Nova Scotia. There were over 100 people in attendance. We gathered at the Pictou Fire Hall. Sam Turton came to play guitar and sing. The reception was warmer than anything I could have expected or hoped for.
Today in Halifax, we released our official election platform. The essence of it is to highlight the measures we would be able to take right away if Greens were elected in sufficient numbers. Along with all our goals and policies, our platform is fully costed. We released today the economics of Green policy, analyzed by an independent economist. We have a balanced budget all ready if we were to be put in Government tomorrow. But unlike other parties, we are not hinging our policies on the prospects of electoral success. In the same way that the Liberal Party adopted part of our Green Tax Shift, I hope governing parties will “borrow” our most sensible approaches. From Poppies for Medicine to 1% of GST dedicated to municipalities, the Green Party is willing to take political risks to advance solutions. These are ideas whose time has come. It is only a matter of time until more of our platform is in the hands of elected parties.
That is not to say that we will not or do not need to elect Greens in this election. With the likely outcome of the next election being a minority government, the Green Party will have an excellent opportunity to influence Parliament with only a few seats. I strongly believe that a caucus of 12 Green MPs could make a difference in the House of Commons. Green MPs would work to improve the quality of discussions in Parliament, would work to reach cooperative agreements with other party representatives. The Green Party’s commitment to the issues means that we will never sacrifice a policy gain for a political gain. Green MPs will be able to lead the way in high-road politics. By setting a strong example and raising the bar, Green MPs will force other politicians in the House to put a good face on politics and show more respect for Canadian institutions, like Question Period!
I have in mind at least twelve ridings where Greens can be elected on October 14. One of them is my riding in Central Nova. I’m getting very tired of discussing my electoral prospects with national media who talk to me as though I’m delusional or ignorant. Frankly, I have been working in Central Nova for the past two years, and I’ve been enjoying a groundswell of support. If my chances in this riding are so poor, explain why Peter MacKay has been campaigning here non-stop. If I have no chance of unseating Peter MacKay, explain why my signs have outnumbered his from day 1. If there is no hope for this region, explain why our office talks to new supporters and volunteers every day.
Tonight, over 100 residents of Pictou joined me for a town hall meeting. Every question asked was an invitation to share ideas, and the response to my words was overwhelmingly positive. Overall, the turnout, the energy and the dialogue were an encouraging end to the day. Forty people left the event with Green Party lawn signs. We’re in the process of ordering more of these because we’ve nearly run out. Local journalists were impressed and stuck around for personal interviews later on. The fresh and refreshing enthusiasm is like a fresh breeze after the rain. The air is invigorating. The winds of change are blowing.