Home stretch update

Getting down to the wire now. Just a few days left in the campaign. Some great news, polls commissioned by the Green Party show Elizabeth May in first place in SGI by 8 points over the Conservative incumbent. (See http://greenparty.ca/media-release/2011-04-26/elizabeth-may-leading-saanich-gulf-islands for more details).

The NDP surge is also very interesting. Canadians are clearly saying "enough" of the same old, same old. Thank you, Canada!

Just finished our riding wide mailout. For most of our constituents, it will be the first time they will have seen a piece of literature from the Green Party and get to know who we really are! I am very excited that we have executed this plan, our most expensive campaign yet.

Whatever you believe in, take the time to vote on May 2. And whatever happens, it is bound to be very interesting!! It is time for your voice to be heard.

Jim

We should leave Helena alone

We are a country of caring, compassionate and fair minded people. Therefore, I think we should leave Helena Guergis alone.

I don't, for a second, believe the allegations that have been cast against her. These allegations have been kept in the vault waiting for the day when they can best be used against her. It is clear to me that the only reason that this information was released (they call it "leaked") is that she is doing pretty well in the polls as an independent, and was therefore hurting the Conservative candidate in that riding. The media has gone crazy on the feeding frenzy, yet, there is really nothing to talk about.

An allegation, that's all. Nothing sinister, nothing untoward, nothing to call the RCMP about. She is winning votes in her riding. And so, those in the know in the Conservative Party find it convenient to leak this memo about allegations which the RCMP have ALREADY CLEARED HER OF!! Start the story again, that's their strategy. Change the channel from all the allegations aimed at PMSH and the PMO. Find someone else to take the heat for a while.

I, for one, applaud Helena Guergis. She is one tough lady to fight through all of this unsubstantiated garbage being thrown at her. Decisions either have a basis in what is known at the time, or they do not. The Prime Minister has said there were problems, but does not identify them. Many in the caucus have said that she was pulling her weight there. My guess, is that she was simply inconvenient. Due to other allegations leveled at her husband, she was too close to the fire. Never mind her commitment to public service. Throw her to the hounds (I believe she used the term, under the bus!).

There is not one of us here who has not made mistakes in the past. The measure of our character is how we learn and grow from these mistakes. Helena Guergis deserves better, and so do the voters of Canada.

Helena, if you read this, know that you have a supporter who lives just north of London. Win or lose in this election, you deserve to be treated fairly. If I still lived there, I would be voting for Valerie Powell of the Green Party, but you have my respect as my number 2 choice! By the way, my great uncle George Johnston was the Conservative MPP in the southern part of Simcoe County for 25 years or so. Perhaps we can trade stories one day!

Regards,
Jim