Green Giant

Sylvie Lemieux is becoming quite the shit-disturber in the Green Party. Ms. Lemieux plans to challenge Elizabeth May for the spot of leader at the next convention in August. She spoke of moving the Green Party from solely environmental policies to more broad policies concerning all areas of politics. This of course sounds good to all Greens out there who are looking to become a more prominent party, but everyone before Ms. Lemieux spoke of the same thing. Even Ms. May said she was going to move the party to become more of a viable alternative.

As a New Democrat, this concerns me slightly because while they say they take policies from both the left and right wings, they are a contributor to vote splitting on the left. In another way though, this brings me great joy. Let's face it: if Sylvie Lemieux is running, she certainly isn't alone. Others are upset about the party's direction under Elizabeth May.

It makes sense for the Greens to be upset. In 2008 they got 7% of the vote, today opinion polls have them at 7%. That's not great for a party that is supposedly on the move. Now before I get a group of hopeful Greens complaining to me, let me point out that the most accurate pollster Angus Reid has since February had the Greens between 7%-8%. Unfortunately for them, 7% isn't enough for the party to win even a single seat.

Do I support Sylvie Lemieux's stab at leadership of the Green Party? No, but nor do I support Elizabeth May as leader of the Green Party. What I do support though is division in the Green Party. I totally support a hotly contested leadership review and possibly leadership convention to divide members of the party, and maybe the Greens will drop in popular vote. Hell, if Elizabeth May was kicked out, I bet her army of supporters in Saanich-Gulf Islands would "reconsider" their options.

The Greens, just like the Progressive Party many years ago are appearing to be nothing more than a fad. Plenty of parties including the NDP have policies regarding the environment, and with polling numbers at a standstill, their provincial wing in Alberta being deregistered and their leadership choice in division, they too might go like the Progressives, and sink into obscurity after a brief stint of appearing in politics.