GREEN PARTY KICK-OFF TOUR

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

GREEN PARTY KICK-OFF TOUR

Today I attended the federal Green Party kick-off tour for National Leader, Elizabeth May. The tour is criss-crossing Canada by rail and apparently this hasn't been done since the days of our Prime Minister, John Diefenbaker who served 50 years ago.

This historic moment was one I wanted to be at. Ms May delivered a rousing speech to about 400 supporters and local Green candidates. Also speaking at the gathering was first Green MP, Blair Wilson and Deputy Green Leader, Adriane Carr.

Many local Green candidates were present and received loud applause by the well-wishers. Present were Dan Grice, Doug Warkentin and many others.

I had time to speak with a number of local Greens about their recent deal with Vision. They informed me that although the vote to endorse Vision was unanimous, there was spirited talk around the alliance with Vision mainly because of its developer and casino ties.

A former municipal Green leader mentioned that the husband of Andrea Reimer who defected from the Greens to join Vision--placed a call to the past leader--reminding him to get out and support the Vision/Green pact. Andy Miller, the husband of Ms Reimer was at the Green meeting.

Also attending the Elizabeth May send-off was local Green activist John Whistler and the new man in his life, Joey, a very charming and handsome man from Quebec. Mr Whistler, Joey and I had a great discussion about local issues and the upcoming municipal election.

It appears that the Green party nationally is gaining momentum and I suspect, after hearing Ms May speak today, that she will do very well in the national leaders debates and I expect a number of Greens will be elected based on the strength of those debates.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com