I’m one of many GPC members who believe we are often too negative and harp too much on Climate Change. It’s not that I don’t believe it’s important but it’s not an easy topic to use while trying to capture someone’s attention at the door or in a 20 second sound bite. (Yeah like most GPC candidates ever get to give a sound bite, bwahahaha!)
So why bother trying to sell it? We have lots of policies and many of them resonate with what people claim are important issues to them. Greens stand for many things and I believe we forget our guiding principles because we ourselves are panicked by the coming Warmageddon! (new word, I like it)
I think Vanessa Long, GPC candidate of record for Newmarket Aurora has the right idea of what we should really be trying to sell.
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Friday, March 26, 2010
GPC Policy and Campaign Focus
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5 comments:
Everyone already knows that the Greens will be the only party serious about stopping climate change and excessive pollution. The trick is gaining power by focusing on other issues that get politicians elected.
From her blog, with my insertions in square brackets: "I can’t stand [hearing] about climate change. I know that it is a GPC mainstay but I think it is nothing but detrimental to [the Green] cause."
The Greens have some outstanding social policy and it's all in sync with its overall environmental philosophy.
I want to hear about how life in my community can be changed for the better; how innovation, new ways of thinking and doing, can alter our lives; how more people can be encouraged to engage politically; how new laws and the revoking of others (such as drug laws) are simply common sense; and so on.
Canadians already KNOW the Greens are about climate change. Enough already! Talk about the other things you stand for.
In my riding, we have people who understand the value of organic food, good farming conditions, etc. but don't believe in Climate Change. Therefore when we talk the environment here, it's all about clean air, clean water and safe food. We are also focusing on the fiscal policies of the Green Party (further right wing than the current Conservative government) and what our "family values" policies are (i.e. income splitting).
We may be in a Conservative riding but they aren't the only small-c conservatives here. We are fiscally conservative, ecologically conservative and we believe in family values... just not the soc-con definition of family values.
I'd like to see E May follow this pattern, talk family, talk jobs, talk a mix of our conservative ideals, fiscal, ecological while explaining progressive ideas minimum income plans and welfare reforms which will both satisfy peoples needs better and be more efficient, local empowerment, drug laws. etc.
If she did not mention GW/CC for an entire election I'd be content, and I think we can also run a local campaign the same way.
Thanks for the shout-out GAB! I appreciate all the support I can get.
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