Co-Campaign Manager Nancy Salay stands outside of the campaign headquarters with the newest member of the Kingston Greens

The Kingston Greens burst out of the starting blocks on Sunday, May 23rd, when the federal election was called.    Hundreds of Green supporters visited us at our sharp, new campaign headquarters downtown at 190 Sydenham St., picking up signs, making donations, volunteering or just stopping by to say hello.  Federal candidate, Janina Fisher Balfour, hit the streets with teams of supporters to take the Green message to Kingston's neighbourhoods, and got good coverage in the local media with front page pictures in the Kingston Whig-Standard and features on CKWS television.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said at the national level.  Once again, the Green Party did not get equitable coverage in the national media.  Several major newspapers and national broadcasters do not include the Green Party platform on their websites and GPC leader Jim Harris was shut out of the televised leaders debate hosted by the 5 main TV networks.  Supporters across the country rallied to the cause and let media executives know they want all Canadians to have access to the real alternative offered by Green Party ideas and values.

On Thursday, June 3rd, Jim Harris staged a press conference urging the media consortium to include the Greens and to ask the CRTC to review the consortium's decisions.  View the press conference here, on the CTV News website:

  Green Party Press Conference Part 1
  Green Party Press Conference Part 2
  Jim Harris Interview with CTV's Mike Duffy

All of these efforts had some effect.  On the Thursday of the press conference, CBC radio and television covered the exclusion of the Greens at length. On several occasions CBC executives were interviewed by reporters to explain their decision to exclude the Greens. Listen to Jim's "As It Happens" interview here, if you have Real Player.

  As It Happens

Or, the CBC news feature including CBC executive Arnold Amber's explanation for the exclusion.

  CBC News - Debate Exclusion

Defence Critic Eric Walton, Kingston candidate Janina Fisher Balfour and GPC Leader Jim Harris address a gathering of the press and the public at Old Fort Henry.

The Green Party of Canada unveiled its new Comprehensive International Security Policy at the Fort Henry Historical Site (overlooking RMC and Kingston) on Monday, May 31st at 1PM.

GPC Leader Jim Harris, with local Green candidate Janina Fisher Balfour and GPC Defence critic Eric Walton elaborated on the significant implications of the new security policy for Kingston. The press conference was a big success with the local papers and television station covering the event and giving it good coverage that evening and the next day. Harris, Fisher Balfour and Walton later met with upwards of 50 Green supporters at the campaign headquarters  for a rally and social event. 

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