Election 2008 - Day 1

Well, they really did it. Now we have an election that nobody really wants. It is a great opportunity for the Green Party, so I can't complain. It just seems to me that if you bring in legislation for a fixed election date, you should abide by the law. In the 2006 campaign, I heard the Conservative candidate repeat the phrase, "we support people who play by the rules". So much for that, eh?

The first day of the campaign was filled with angst. Are we ready to do this? It takes a huge toll on your personal life, your work like and your relationships. There is a lot to organize and execute, and there will be constant time demands from now until October 14th. Many people think that politicians are among the least trusted professions. So why do this?

Well, it is time for a change. Because we, the people, have the power, and we need to take our power back. If we vote for a party, and they lie to us, and then we vote for them again, we are basically saying, "go ahead, lie to me". If we vote for a party, and they cheat us and misappropriate our tax dollars, and we vote for them again, we are saying "go ahead and cheat us". If we continue to vote the way we have always voted, we will continue to get the kind of government we have always gotten.

Why do we do this? Well, many people believe that there is no alternative. In 2008, we have a viable alternative. The reason I joined the Green Party is because of their commitment to grassroots democracy .. that is, you represent the people, not the party. It is committed to ensuring that people have a place in governing their own country, that they have opportunities to express their views between elections, and have a say in how this country is run. That is the essence of democracy, not the multi-million dollar splash of policy conventions.

We are uniquely position in this election, as I believe many people are disappointed in the performance of the Conservative party, and for many of those people, a natural place for them to go is to the Green Party. We have many former Progressive Conservatives in our members, as many as from any other party, and we have conservative fiscal values. You can check out our Vision Green statement at http://www.greenparty.ca .

I look forward to this challenge. It is a worthy one.