This man is the first Green MP in Canada.
His name is Blair Wilson, a former Liberal MP from Vancouver that was turfed from caucus after it was revealed that there had been some spending irregularities in the 2006 campaign. He's been sitting as an independent ever since, only to today announce that he was formally signing up with the Green Party.
"Today we make history," said Party Leader Elizabeth May. "I am grateful for Mr. Wilson's principled belief that the Green Party deserves a voice in Parliament and for his firm commitment to democracy. With a Green MP sitting in the House of Commons, it will now be impossible to exclude the Green Party from the televised leaders' debates in the next election."
Which seems to be the goal, of course. The Greens have been a part of a nationwide campaign called "Let Elizabeth Speak," which has been petitioning politicians and broadcasters to include May in the televised leaders debate in the next general election. Many Greens, including Guelph's Mike Nagy, have believed that the only sure-fire way to ensure that was through a Green Party presence in a seat in the House of Commons.
"Not only do I embrace the policies of my new party, I will feel that all my past difficulties are justified if, by my actions, I can make a real difference by ensuring Elizabeth May is included in the leaders' debates," said Wilson. "There is a democracy deficit in Canadian politics and this is one step in restoring effective democracy in Canada."
Of course, this is anticipation of the fact that it looks increasingly likely that Prime Minister Harper will dissolve Parliament next week for a post-Thanksgiving election. Read the Globe and Mail article here.
His name is Blair Wilson, a former Liberal MP from Vancouver that was turfed from caucus after it was revealed that there had been some spending irregularities in the 2006 campaign. He's been sitting as an independent ever since, only to today announce that he was formally signing up with the Green Party.
"Today we make history," said Party Leader Elizabeth May. "I am grateful for Mr. Wilson's principled belief that the Green Party deserves a voice in Parliament and for his firm commitment to democracy. With a Green MP sitting in the House of Commons, it will now be impossible to exclude the Green Party from the televised leaders' debates in the next election."
Which seems to be the goal, of course. The Greens have been a part of a nationwide campaign called "Let Elizabeth Speak," which has been petitioning politicians and broadcasters to include May in the televised leaders debate in the next general election. Many Greens, including Guelph's Mike Nagy, have believed that the only sure-fire way to ensure that was through a Green Party presence in a seat in the House of Commons.
"Not only do I embrace the policies of my new party, I will feel that all my past difficulties are justified if, by my actions, I can make a real difference by ensuring Elizabeth May is included in the leaders' debates," said Wilson. "There is a democracy deficit in Canadian politics and this is one step in restoring effective democracy in Canada."
Of course, this is anticipation of the fact that it looks increasingly likely that Prime Minister Harper will dissolve Parliament next week for a post-Thanksgiving election. Read the Globe and Mail article here.
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