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By Jeff Bolichowski, Standard Staff
Read the original story at The Standard
Ontario voters could be ready to go Green this year, says the head of the provincial Green Party.
“I think we’re poised to break through and elect an MPP in Ontario,” Green Party of Ontario Leader Mike Schreiner said Saturday. Touring Beamsville with local candidate Meredith Cross, he said he’s hoping to start a Green beachhead at Queen’s Park, following on the party’s first federal election win earlier this year.
Federal Green Leader Elizabeth May won a seat in Parliament in the last election, handily trouncing former natural resources minister Gary Lunn in the riding of Saanich-Gulf Islands in B.C. But in Ontario, the party has been shut out both federally and provincially, despite collecting a party-best 8% of the votes in 2007’s provincial election.
Schreiner, who took the party’s reins in late 2009, said he feels confident in the Green’s chances after seeing the results of municipal elections across the province, in which he said many voters gave the boot to long-time politicians.
“I think the recession was a huge wake-up call to people that we need to diversify our economy. We need to build stronger local economies,” he said.
“There’s a very strong sentiment for new ideas, a fresh approach to politics.”
But Beamsville’s riding of Niagara West-Glanbrook could be tough territory for the Greens to take. It’s held by provincial Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak, who has led the pack in pre-election polls thus far.
In the 2007 provincial election, Green candidate Sid Frere came in last place with 6.7% of the vote. Hudak earned 51%.
“Never lose hope,” said Cross, a Beamsville native and University of Western Ontario chemistry student, of her election chances.
“Every single Green vote sends a message that says, ‘This is what I value. This is important.'”
Schreiner said the party isn’t throwing all its eggs into one basket or banking everything on a single riding.
Still, he said, the party tends to be at its strongest in areas north of the Niagara Escarpment. And he figured west Niagara’s demographics are favourable for the Greens.
So is the potential for green energy, he said, pointing to opportunities for solar power companies to set up shop. He said the region’s agriculture could make biomass power an option, too.
“We have a bright future in the Niagara region,” he said. “We’re going to keep working hard to share our vision.”
The Green contingent left some, like Glenna Oldham of Beamsville, with positive impressions. Oldham said she’s undecided, but her daughter is a Green supporter.
“They’re very friendly,” she said. “Very interesting to talk to.”
But she doubted they’d be able to snag Niagara West-Glanbrook come election day.
“Maybe not yet. (Hudak)’s pretty ensconced in this area.
“Who knows? You never know until you try.”