Stein Congratulates Elizabeth May on Re-Election to Canada’s Parliament as a Green
October 20th, Dallas, Texas
Jill Stein, who is seeking the Green Party nomination for President, congratulated Canadian Green Party leader Elizabeth May on her re-election to Parliament.
“May’s voice on climate change and the need to promote prosperity rather than austerity had an impact on Liberal Party’s Justin Trudeau in his defeat of the Conservatives. The Canadian Greens will continue to push for stronger climate action and essential democratic reforms.”
The Greens were poised for victory in several more districts but were hurt by the cancellation of a major, televised leaders’ debate and a “strategic voting” campaign urging people to vote against incumbent Premier Stephen Harper, rather than for the candidate that represented their deeply help beliefs.
Stein noted, “In the US, voting your fears rather than your beliefs, has a track record of delivering the very things we were afraid of. Under Democratic control of the White House and both houses of Congress, the “lesser evil” brought us the very things we sought to avoid: worse bail outs for Wall Street, expansion of the wars for oil, massive escalation of fossil fuel production, record immigrant deportations, attacks on our civil liberties, and privatization of schools. While the Democratic and Republican Parties differ around the margins, those differences are not enough to save your job, your life, or the planet.”
Unfortunately, Canada and the United State are among the only 3 of the world’s democracies that have failed to yet adopt proportional representations. The political elite and their financial backers hang on to power in both countries by promoting the lesser-of-two-evils strategy on election day.
Among the issues promoted by May are climate action; higher taxes for large corporations; forgiveness of student debt; democratic reforms; investment in rebuilding municipal infrastructure; and a national sustainable jobs program.
Stein called upon Green Party candidates across the United States to redouble their efforts to run for state and local offices in 2016. “This is the year in which independents and third party candidates can mount effective challenges to the two major parties. If we want real solutions to the historic converging crisis of economy, ecology, peace and democracy, we must challenge the deadly status quo.”