NEW GLASGOW – Green Party leader Elizabeth May announced that her party considers Independent Member of Parliament Bill Casey "an honourary Green". The Green Party of Canada and its Electoral District Association in Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley will not be opposing the re-election of Mr Casey. The nominated candidate for the Green Party in Casey's riding, Darryl Whetter, has decided to step aside and is now the Green candidate in Halifax.
Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party, and candidate in the adjoining Nova Scotia riding of Central Nova, praised Bill Casey’s political track record.
"Bill Casey is a hero. He stood up for Nova Scotia and he stood up for Canadians,” said Ms. May at a campaign rally in her riding on Thursday night with Blair Wilson, Canada’s first Green MP.
Mr. Casey was expelled form the Conservative Caucus for voting against the 2007 budget after Prime Minister Harper broke his promise to honour the Atlantic Accord. The expulsion of Mr. Casey resulted in strained relationships between the Conservative Party and Mr. Casey’s constituents, who rallied to support Mr. Casey after his removal. The local Conservative Party association re-nominated Mr. Casey in October 2007 as their candidate for the next election but the party's head office refused to accept Mr. Casey's nomination and suspended the association's executive.
"Bill Casey stood up for all Nova Scotians when he voted against Prime Minister Harper breaking the legal contract called the Atlantic Accord. Bill Casey is a man of integrity. He has shown enormous courage. He deserves to be re-elected and I look forward to working with him in the House of Commons to protect the interests of all Nova Scotians," said Ms. May.
"With the anti-democratic decision of the Conservatives to appoint a candidate to run against Bill Casey, and with the funds Bill Casey had raised for his re-election campaign now going to a Harper Conservative working to defeat him, the Green Party felt the least we could do was to not take a single vote away from Bill Casey. He is, as of now, an honourary Green Party candidate, running as an Independent."
"The Conservatives fired Bill Casey for doing the job he was elected to do – serving his constituents,” said Mr. Whetter. “This firing again shows us that our out-dated electoral system simply does not work. The current system elects a Prime Minister who then demands the votes of our elected MPs. The Green Party wants to democratize the way Canadians elect governments."
This is a tough issue for me as I think we should fight hard in all ridings to show our sincerity and our commitment to giving Canada a new better path to follow. On the other hand it’s a bold signal that we are willing to pass up our $1.75 per vote to do the right thing both for Bill Casey and for the country, in that Harper will not likely displace Casey.
So how does this play? May is accused of being a Liberal for not running against Dion, so is she now a Green, a Liberal, an Independent or an ex Tory/Con? I’m getting so confused!
I assume this is a sincere move on May’s part but is it also one last ditch attempt to open a dialogue on an anti Harper alliance rather than let the Bastard get a majority?
If it is, people had better move on this quickly, time and opportunities are quickly running out. Surely each party could make simlar sacrifices to bring this bastard down, NO?Recommend this Post
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