Green Party Watch

From the Western Standard Shotgun blog:

Reports of the detention of an American journalist trying to cross into Canada for a speaking engagement have prompted outrage within the Green Party of Canada. Amy Goodman was kept at a British Columbia border crossing for over an hour, apparently because officials wanted to be sure she wasn’t coming to Canada to make negative comments about the Olympics. read more »

The below is a promotional film for the New Democratic Party in Canada. While the Canadian Greens and the NDP are different parties with different agendas, and we are Green Party supporters, the video is meaningful and enjoyable. H/T to Michael Cavlan and Richard Kuszmar

As has been reported here at GPW over the past few days, the Irish Green Party membership is not happy with their government, even though the Greens are part of the governing coalition. Part of the difficulty is the government proposal to bail out Irish bankers, speculators and developers, known as NAMA. Party chair Dan Boyle has put the chance of snap elections at 40%, but Environment Minister John Gormley has ruled out early elections.

At the same time, the Socialist Workers Party in Ireland plans to lobby a Green Party conference on September 12th, which is being held to hear from Green Party members and their concerns about the NAMA program.

In Canada, the National Post is reporting that recent polls put the Green Party at 9.9% as the Liberal and Conservative Parties run neck and neck. Green Party leader Elizabeth May may have an early run for office if the current minority Conservative Party government looses a no confidence vote.

The Standard of St. Catherines reports that Greens, and other political candidates, would prefer to keep the current election schedule instead of holding elections as early as November.

“Look, if it happens, I’m ready to go,” said St. Catharines Green party candidate Jennifer Mooradian. “But this isn’t the time. No one I am talking to right now wants an election. I think people want to see Ottawa get on with the job.

In Austria, the Greens are proposing that deserters from Hitler’s Nazi military be given “full rehabilitation”. An article at Monsters and Critics quotes Austrian Green parliamentarian Albert Steinhauser saying:

“With this bill, the republic and its representatives would declare their view of desertion in a historical context.”

The Green Party of Ontario will elect a new leader at a convention November 13-15, in London.

The Green Party of New Zealand has issued a press release about air pollution, raising concerns about particles 2.5 microns and smaller which are not currently monitored.

Caroline Lucas, Green Party Member of the European Parliament from England and Wales, is calling on Greens and allies to pledge to reduce our personal carbon emissions by ten percent by 2010. Ms. Lucas is also interviewed by The Guardian about how cash plays a role in British politics, making it difficult for smaller parties like the Greens to be heard.

The Irish Times is reporting that Greens and opposition parties are being encouraged to meet to discuss support for the Treaty of Lisbon, which would change how the European Parliament functions.

The Oshaw Express is reporting on what they call “Not quite a green party machine”. This is a detailed report on one of Canada’s Green Party efforts, looking to grow the Green Party beyond their current 11% base of support.

Elizabeth May, leader of the Canadian Green Party, is in the news of late. May, who was born in Connecticut, is reportedly interested in running for office in the Saanich-Gulf Islands riding, the tern used in Canada for an electoral district.

BC Loacl reports that the incumbent, Sport Minister and Conservative Party incumbent Gary Lunn is unconcerned about May entering the race.

“I’m proud of my record and I’m happy to put that up against anybody in any of the other parties,” he said, noting he’s represented the region in the federal cabinet since 2006.

“I can only tell you the Canadian people aren’t interested in an election, that’s for sure. We’re just starting to see positive signs for the economy turning around,” he said.

For the first time, the Canadian Green Party are focusing their efforts behind getting the party leader elected to parliament.

Meanwhile, the Well and Tribune reports on her visit to Niagara to promote green living.

Vancouver-based marijuana legalization advocate Marc Emery, known as the “Prince of Pot” for his pro-legalization activism, is urging Canadians to vote for Canada’s Green Party. His wife and co-editor of Cannabis Culture magazine, Jodie Emery, ran as a Green candidate in British Columbia’s 2009 provincial elections. The Orangeville Citizen carried the story.

Note: the article incorrectly states that the Canadian Green Party position on marijuana is decriminalization; the actual platform calls for full legalization.

Decriminalization refers to the elimination of criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana. Under decriminalization, sale and cultivation of cannabis remains illegal, ensuring that profits from marijuana stay in the black market.

Legalization refers to the elimination of penalties for the regulated production, sale, and cultivation of marijuana – similar to the US government’s approach to alcohol. Under legalization, profits from marijuana would go to farmers and licensed retailers instead of violent gangs, and the government would see a surplus from tax revenues rather than spending billions every year to enforce the “war on drugs” – a prohibition regime that is largely responsible for the fact that 1 in every 100 adult Americans is currently behind bars.

As Orangeville police looked on, Vancouver-based marijuana legalization advocate Marc Emery addressed a small but supportive crowd Saturday at Alexander Muir Park next to Town Hall.

Mr. Emery, also known as “The Prince of Pot,” spoke against proposals in federal Bill C-15 that anyone caught with five or more marijuana plants face a mandatory minimum of six months in prison.

read more »

Earth Times is reporting that the German Green Party is applying pressure on the Angela Merkel government to persuade the US government to abandon cluster bombs.

Children are often victims of the weapons, which can remain lodged in the ground for years after being fired, since they sometimes mistake the so-called bomblets for toys.

According to the Laotian government, more than 300 children a year die because of “bomblets” left over from the war in Vietnam and the surrounding nations.

read more »

Congratulations Green Party of Canada – Their candidate will participate in major debate
Canada is having an election too, in case you had not heard. Their candidate for Prime Minister, Elizabeth May, is polling at 10% currently, and will participate in the nationally televised debates.

It appears Canadians will get to hear more than just the pre-approved political participants.

Great article from the Christian Science Monitor:

http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2008/10/02/why-canada’s-green-party-is-finally-a-prime-time-draw/

Why Canada’s Green Party is (finally) a prime-time draw
Elizabeth May, the Green candidate, will make history by appearing in a nationally televised debate on Thursday night.

By Susan Bourette| Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor/ October 2, 2008 edition

TORONTO
One way or another, Canada’s Green Party leader Elizabeth May will make history this week.

The mother, lawyer, environmental activist, and native of Connecticut will be the first Green Party member to participate in national televised debates on equal footing with Canada’s mainstream party leaders.

The debates – in French on Wednesday and in English on Thursday night – are “make or break” events for a party long relegated to the fringes of Canadian politics. Despite Green Party success in Europe, Canadians have yet to elect a single Green member to Parliament.
read more »

This was an ad for the Canadian Green party in 2007. Very well done.

What kind of generic ad would play well for the GPUS?