Green and growing

My story about being a Green politician in Canada, and why it was the best thing I ever did.

Monday, October 09, 2006

Enthusiasm, support and momentum

There is a lot happening in the Green Party these days. The national convention energized a lot of people, and Elizabeth May has infused a new optimism and focus to the party.

Elizabeth is a down to earth person. She is genuine, hard working, and communicates simply and clearly. We are very fortunate to have her with us.

Now, it is my turn to be enthusiastic and get moving on developing our community support. My riding is large and diverse. There is a lot of agriculture, and still more rural dwellers .. people who live in rural communities, and work in nearby towns and cities. People like me. It seems hard to reach all these people, so we will need to be creative.

There have been some interesting polls out lately. A study by SES Research showed that over 34% of Canadians voted or considered voting Green in the last election. That's enough to win this riding hands down. The key is to convert that 34% into actual ballots. The missing element is the support and momentum within the community .. the proof to the voter that the Green Party is a part of their particular neighbourhood .. that there are other Green voters nearby, and that we can and eventually will win.

It's a good thing enthusiasm is contagious.