Friday, October 10, 2008

Green Deputy Leader Adriane Carr, Leader Elizabeth May responds to Guy Dauncey's call for strategic voting that excludes Greens

After posting the previous article about Green Party supporter Guy Dauncey urging Vancouver Island residents to vote NDP and Liberal in the federal election to block Stephen Harper and the Conservatives, I invited Green Party Deputy Leader Adriane Carr to respond.

This evening I received the following Green Party news release directly from Carr. It does not deal at all with Dauncey's suggestions but in the interest of fairness I am publishing it in full:



Thursday October 9, 2008

Elizabeth May Says No To Strategic Voting

On Tuesday, Canada needs to elect Green Party MPs, leader Elizabeth May said today.

“Media reports and suggestions from other parties that I am urging strategic voting across the country or that backroom deals are being made are complete nonsense,” Ms. May said. “As I have said over and over, strategic voting is generally not a sound strategy at all and I do not support it. Canada needs to elect Green MPs. “

Ms. May was responding in particular to the headline and opening of a Globe and Mail story that directly contradicts what she said to the reporter.

“I clearly said that voting strategically as advice is pretty useless. I also said: ‘Suggesting one should jump away from the Green Party is very bad advice indeed.’

“We have a strong team of candidates across Canada. Every one of them is working hard to win and this much we know for sure: Canada needs Green MPs. I intend to win in my riding of Central Nova and I want to be joined by a strong caucus of MPs, like Adriane Carr in Vancouver Centre, Blair Wilson, Mike Nagy, Dick Hibma, , John Fryer, Huguette Allen and others. We are running strong campaigns across this country.”

“The best outcome of the election will be the defeat of the Harper government and the election of as many Green MPs as possible.”
Ms. May noted that support for her leadership, and the Green Party and its forward-looking policies continue to rise.

“Perhaps what is worrying the other parties is the strong support the Green Party has received from Canadians in this election. In this election we will elect our first MPs.

“I want to do politics in a much different way, with collaboration, civility and respect. But I am not making deals with other parties, and the Greens are not in discussions with other parties.

“I will say it once again so absolutely no one can be confused or misled: I want Canadians to elect Green MPs.”

- 30 -

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

But I do recall May promoting strategic voting.
She flip-flops more than an landed steelhead on the rocks. She must really believe we are stupid!
This is exactly why she shouldn't recieve any votes.

On another topic: is that your choice of a banner or May's? Sure doen't look like the May that's currently campainging.

RS

Anonymous said...

Good for Adriane and Elizabeth for responding without ever mentioning that ne'er-do-well Dauncey. Again, I repeat, he should leave BC and head for the deep south (Missouri,perhaps) where others of his ilk thrive.

Anonymous said...

One wonders if the lady has been off her meds recently? Sure she got herself on the debate but possibly it swelled her head a little bit.Voting green might bring in 1.75 per vote but little else. But the 1.75 will keep them going till next time I guess

Anonymous said...

I do believe the green/liberal alliance is now working to scuttle any NDP gains. It may work in Ontario or the Atlantic, but ...

Bye bye Guy!

Anonymous said...

Re:Ignatieff/Rae supporters for Layton

I wonder how many Liberal Michael Ignatieff and Bob Rae supporters will be casting their votes for Jack Layton in this election. Supporting Layton is the best way to ensure a Harper minority government. Then, the Liberals can come back in the next election with a leader in 2009 and win the election.

Lonecrow said...

Ms. Nay is acting consistently and with integrity.

The Greens ask that we place our environment ahead of both profits and jobs, so its only consistent to also place our environment before partisan aspirations.

Ms. May is an inspiration and I admire her more ever day.

btw Mr. anonymous: That's Adrian Carr in the banner.

Anonymous said...

Hi Bill
Just got around to watching Voice of Bc this evening. Justine Hunter, from the Globe and Keith Baldrey both said there will be no green MP. I figure they are pretty accurate. Ms. May will not beat McKay and the kicked out Liberal will crash and burn in west Vancouver. Oh but those 1.75 add up.The greens are doing a phone around today with a automated message. I hear the first six words and hung up. As Palmer said a number of times, get out there and vote as he mentioned some past races that were very close. Only ones he missed was Hitler and his one vote and closer to home Landslide Passerel Only about four more elections in the next month

Anonymous said...

Oh man, this site ate my carefully thought out comment! It was clever, insightful and funny!

The NDP used to be the protest vote, but not anymore, not in BC anyway. The NDP no longer stand for anything. Where the heck is Ed Broadbent?

Never underestimate the power of a pissed off populace to place a protest vote. (pote didn't work).

Remember Bob Rae.... Remember Bob Rae....
(ask an Ontarian who is over 40)

I predict that BC will elect some green seats.

Okay... this time I'm copying my comments before they get eaten again.

Anonymous said...

lonecrow,

Whew! Thanks for pointing that out. I guess one should actually read the banner rather than quickly scan past it. I thought E. May had undergone an extreme makeover at the same time she was having her foot sugically removed from her mouth.

RS

Anonymous said...

We sure hope bunnykins doesn't put money down on her prediction about the greens as it defies the predictions of most political consultants. " Hope springs eternal". By the way were you the green who phoned me yesterday or was that the local candidate with a canned message? The 1.75s add up so you can keep struggling a long til next time. It's weird the number of other parties who tell me they are really green members but are working on someone elses campaign

BC Liberals Suck said...

I really respect May and how she and the party have been able to raise the Green Party profile.
However, she is being disingenuous by stating she's never had a deal with anyone. She had a deal with Dion & the Liberals not to run a Liberal candidate in her riding.

I understand that the Greens need each & every $1.75 for votes. I read something yesterday that said May didn't want to be known as the Ralph Nader of this election. Well, that's exactly where they are headed. I hope the Greens consider that they could quite likely be seen as bearing some responsibility for the neoConservatives being elected again. I hate like heck that's the case, but in those ridings where there are slim margins, people do need to vote strategically.

This is no longer fun time, it's no longer simple. Quite simply, if Harper & his Conservatives win again, Canada is done. The nation we have known & loved and feel pride in will cease to maintain its' sovereignty and will be subsumed elsewhere (the US & possibly EU). That is what Harper's goal & m.o. are.

Read more here:

Election Issue Alert: Canada's Integration with the EU & United States

http://vancouverkingsway2008.blogspot.com/2008/10/election-issue-alert-canadas.html

Anonymous said...

Adriane is going to win in Vancouver Centre. Just you watch and see. And she deserves to win. She'll make a fabulous MP.

If everyone voted with their hearts instead of this strategic nonsense, we could change the world.

Bill Tieleman said...

To EP - while I appreciate strong partisanship and dedication to the cause of whatever political party one supports, at some point you have to stop drinking the Kool-Aid and start realistically assessing your candidate's chances.

Adriane Carr has done her best but if she even finishes third it will be a significant victory. If Adriane wins I will post an item on this blog saying not only am I terribly, horribly wrong but that hell has literally frozen over.

Anonymous said...

"Ms. Nay is acting consistently and with integrity.

The Greens ask that we place our environment ahead of both profits and jobs, so its only consistent to also place our environment before partisan aspirations."

HAHAHAHAHAHA!! Thanks for the humour! After last night’s near miss with totalitarianism (that would have happened had Harper won a majority), I sure needed some levity!

That fact is since the NDP is the only party with actual serious environmental economic policy and vision, making the environment a top priority has definitely become a partisan issue.

As for May supposedly not endorsing other parties’ candidates, the Globe and Mail has several reports of her endorsing Liberals across the country—even over the objections of her local GP candidates.

http://ago.mobile.globeandmail.com/generated/archive/RTGAM/html/20080908/wgreens0908.html

She even considers numerous Conservatives as “honourary Greens.” The fact that Dion refused to allow his party to run against her, and practically thanked the Liberal MP in West Van when he joined the GP, is really telling of just how supposedly “above partisan aspirations” the so-called “Green” Party really is.

http://www.greenparty.ca/en/releases/04.08.2008b

The GP is little more than an eco-capitalist fraud that acts as a shill for Corporate Canada and its political parties. Period.

BTW, thanks for spelling her name “Nay.” That just about sums her up right.