The ('''GPO''') contests
Provincial elections in
Ontario, Canada . It is Canada's second-largest provincial
Green Party after the
Green Party Of British Columbia .
Although it shares the same
Ten Key Values as other
North America n
Greens , it is sometimes criticized by
Leftist s as being
Eco-capitalist and one of the "furthest right" Green Parties in North America. The elements of
Green Politics it emphasizes, including a
Green Tax Shift there are almost
Libertarian in character. For this reason they are sometimes called
Blue Greens or
Green Tories . Many key members are recruits from the former centrist
Progressive Conservative Party Of Canada , including the party's only elected politician,
Elio Di Iorio who was a protege of former Canadian Prime Minister
Joe Clark .
While the party's "left" sometimes resents compromises, the defenders of this strategy argue that it builds a "
Big Tent ", effectively splits the
Right Wing vote, and does not prevent Greens from cooperating on the
Municipal and regional level with more left-wing parties. A term that Green activists coined to describe this strategy is
Radical Centrist . Another term used to describe it is
Eco-capitalist .
Leader
Frank De Jong is a key figure in this strategy, and has led the Ontario Greens since 1993. As of June 2003, the Ontario Greens stood as the fourth party, with support of 6% of the decided voters. The party did not, however, win any seats in the October 2003 provincial election.
Perhaps accordingly, it is a strong supporter of on
Single Transferable Vote (''see
British Columbia Electoral Reform Referendum, 2005 )''. Also in
November 2005 PEI held a similar referendum on
Mixed Proportional Representation (''see
PEI Electoral Reform Referendum, 2005 )'' and an
Ontario Electoral Reform Referendum, 2007 is also planned.
Either scheme, or combining the two into
Bioregional Multi-member District s as the GPO has long advocated to create a
Bioregional Democracy in Ontario, would benefit the GPO greatly.
As Of February 2005 it was at 9% in provincial polls, perhaps due largely to reversals by
Dalton McGuinty , the Liberal premier, on major environmental issues such as the
Oak Ridges Moraine and
Red Hill Expressway and
905 Big Pipe .
- Tom Adams , Oakville Town Council lor, Oakville
- Elio Di Iorio , Richmond Hill Town Council lor, Richmond Hill
- Warren Maycock, Orangeville Town Council lor, Orangeville
- Greg Pietersma, Dundas County English Public School Board Trustee, Dundas County
- Chris Rickett, Stratford City Council lor, Stratford
- Rob Strang, Orangeville Town Councillor, Orangeville
- Richard Thomas , Reeve of Armour Township
- Roger Villeneuve, Stormont County French Catholic School Board Trustee, Stormont County
