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"I've been a member for awhile now and the last election nearly drove me away, with the lack of coordination and a third of the ridings not having candidates.
As leader, how would you ensure that we have candidates in all ridings? Do you see that as critical?
Given that we've never won more than three MPs in an election, how do you propose to put us in a good position to win the magic twelve needed for official party status, or at least more than four, next time?
Will you do a big push to be elected, personally, as an MP and if so how? Will you go to a riding that is 'winnable' or fight in your local one?"
- John Northey, London North EDA
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Dear John,
Hope you are doing well. It has been too long.
Thanks for an excellent question.
Before answering “how we would ensure a full slate?” the question must be addressed, why did we not have a full slate in 2021?
We ran full slates in 2004, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2015 and 2019. As a sitting MP and former leader, I have never received any explanation for the extraordinary failure in 2021 to run a full slate. Certainly, we did not have larger resources in 2004 or 2006.
In 2021, I worked with key volunteers and members of mobilizing staff to find candidates willing to run in every riding. We found them. Somehow, good candidates were blocked. As leader working with co-leader Jonathan Pedneault, I would first ask for access to any internal investigation that has taken place to determine how this occurred. If no such investigation has taken place, I would ask Council to conduct such a review.
Rejecting candidates chosen by their EDAs, without a supermajority vote of Council, violates our Constitution and bylaws. The Constitution requires we run candidates in every EDA. Personally, I would favour more flexibility in certain specific cases, but only on request of an EDA and with support of Council. That was the case prior to the Constitutional change brought in in 2016.
In 2009, I was asked by the GPC Council to move to another riding. Part of me wishes I had refused and been allowed to run again in my home province of Nova Scotia. But, as they say, the rest is history. I am very happy living on Vancouver Island. I would never have met and married my husband had I stayed in Nova Scotia and I have always loved Vancouver Island since I came to know it in my Sierra Club days.
To gain full party status in the next federal election, my strong belief is that we must have more than two sitting MPs going into the election. I equally believe that can be done through upcoming, and as yet, unannounced by-elections. We know we can elect Green MPs in Kitchener-Centre, Saanich-Gulf Islands, Nanaimo-Ladysmith and Fredericton. We know we can because we have already done so. We know where we have run competitive campaigns with strong results. Add to those seats, the new ones won in by-elections before 2025. For the remainder, we must identify areas where there is a critical overlay of strong volunteer engagement, a great candidate (even if not currently known to us) and a major opportunity – created by any number of factors – from anger at recent climate events or previous MP abuse of voters’ trust to the absence of an incumbent.
Determining those opportunities must be done in collaboration with local EDAs.
Where we see the stars aligning, nominations should be as soon as possible. Work on the ground should be supported. Please see Jonathan and my 6-month plan for other key operational elements.
Again, I thank you for your excellent question.
Elizabeth
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