Gearing up for the October 19, 2015 federal election, the Greens are hoping to run a clean campaign.
During an open house meet and greet in Powell River on Sunday, March 1, Sue Moen, chief executive officer of the Green Party of Canada North Island–Powell River electoral district association (EDA), outlined her party’s strategy in the lead-up to the election.
Moen said everything the party undertakes is through the glass of the environment. She said it has been stated that the economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment.
“Every decision we make, every policy, is filtered through that first, but we are not a one-issue party,” Moen said. “Part of our challenge is communicating that.”
The EDA held its founding meeting on November 6, 2014, and has since been gearing up the election apparatus.
Moen was the Green Party candidate for the Vancouver Island North riding in the 2011 federal election.
“We ran a really good campaign,” she said. “We are quite successful at fundraising and the people that were involved are still involved.”
The Green Party has two members currently sitting in Parliament. Leader Elizabeth May was elected as a Green in Saanich–Gulf Islands and Bruce Hyer, who was initially elected to the House of Commons as a New Democratic Party MP, became a Green MP in December of 2013.
Moen said May is the party’s biggest asset. “She’s crazily, scarily intelligent with a memory that astounds me,” Moen said. “She has a background in law, she’s been with the Sierra Club and the ministry of environment. She’s very well spoken and inspiring.”
Moen said the pillars of the Green Party include a green economy, which is something that most people want to talk about because it’s about their survival and about them thriving.
Building and maintaining strong communities is another pillar. “The Green Party has wonderful policies and a platform to build resilience into communities to support municipal government instead of downloading services and cutting them off,” Moen said.
True democracy is another pillar that has been stated by the party.
The Greens want to run a successful candidate search for the 2015 federal general election. Whoever is elected by the membership as the candidate will receive 100 per cent support from the EDA.
Moen said the party is working out the logistics to ensure every member has the opportunity to vote on candidate nominees. Travel can be a barrier so efforts are being made to ensure the most efficient method for participation.
Moen said nomination papers have been taken out but have not been filed. “We want the best candidate possible and the most robust campaign,” she said. “We really believe with the momentum in BC, and particularly on Vancouver Island, the Greens have a good chance in this riding.”
Moen said the Green Party is determined to win at least 12 seats for official party recognition in the House of Commons. To further than aim, May will be in Courtenay and Campbell River on March 28 to help raise the profile of the party.
