The Toronto Star published an article on Thursday, titled “May urges Strategic Voting.” This headline has caused a lot of concern from Greens who know I have never supported strategic voting. In the article, I specifically say that strategic voting doesn’t work.
I strongly believe that the Green Party platform, our message and our principles need to play a role in the future of this country. We have the clearest, most practical vision for moving Canada in the right direction on climate, on global peace, on child care and health care and community development. We are the only party advancing bold policy initiatives, within a framework of fiscal responsibility, that could turn this country around and make us a leader again in international progress on the environment, human rights and ending poverty. But I know that Greens will be able to achieve much more if we are sharing power with a progressive government and not staring across the floor at Stephen Harper’s Conservatives. The truth of the Harper government is that only Stephen Harper sets policy, prescribes the sound-bites and slashes programs. His own cabinet ministers fill a largely ornamental role.
As leader of the Green Party I see the election of many Green MPs as within our grasp. I hope for at least twelve MPs to have status as an official party within the House of Commons. At the same time, I know that ideally we will prevent Mr. Harper from winning a second term. Not only are the Conservatives’ policies on climate change, the economy, health care, women’s rights and foreign policy extremely worrying, there is no chance of influencing the actions of a Conservative government. Stephen Harper simply keeps too tight a hold on power and on decision-making. He wants to be described as a decisive leader, but do we want a leader who makes every decision himself and uses his time in office to further his electoral prospects instead of serving the people? Or do we want a leader who is willing to take the concerns of Canadians to heart and act in their better interest?
Stephen Harper’s US-like style of electioneering is not an accident. His political advisors come from across the border and from John Howard’s campaign team in Australia. He controls his message, he muzzles his caucus, he does not answer to his own party, much less to voters and the Canadian public. While I cannot and will not endorse any party but the Greens, I want to be perfectly honest with Canadians: the worst possible outcome for this election is for Stephen Harper’s steady hand to continue driving our country in the wrong direction. I also said in the Toronto Star article that the stakes are too high in this election to play partisan games and worry about short-term power gains. That is a trait of other politicians that I will attempt to avoid at all costs.
I am committed to speaking the unvarnished truth, regardless of whether it appears to advance our electoral chances or not. I said that I wanted Canadians to do anything possible to stop Stephen Harper from being elected. This is interpreted as saying that I endorse strategic voting. The truth is that strategic voting doesn’t make sense to most Canadians. People don’t want to be asked to vote against someone or something. Canadians want to vote for the policies and the people they believe in. By those standards, I will never tell anyone that they would be better off placing their vote to block Conservatives if their heart lies somewhere else. But I want to figure out a way to solve the conundrum of a first-past-the-post electoral system where the minority of Canadians could wind up electing a majority Conservative government. We need proportional representation.
So how is it that I insist we must elect Greens and bring up the Green Party vote across Canada while working effectively to defeat Stephen Harper?
We take his votes. We appeal to the fundamental decency of the many Progressive Conservatives who cannot see themselves in his narrow policies and consistent practice of breaking his word for partisan advantage. We are a fiscally conservative party, with a progressive social agenda. We appeal to Reform and Alliance party members who had thought their party would respect fundamental grassroots democracy. Harper is the ultimate top-down autocrat—replacing candidates duly nominated through a democratic process with his own choices. We provide a home for voters who cannot vote for any of the old-line parties. We offer them hope.
In this the most important election in Canadian history, we must work together to ensure the highest voter turn-out. A wide-awake and informed electorate focusing on substance and looking past packaging will make all the difference. Let’s be bold and optimistic. We cannot afford to be mired in the flaws of first-past-the-post and our politicians’ self-serving attitudes. We must put principle and progress ahead of partisanship. That is the essence of being Green.