|
|
|
You helped us make history! The June 28, 2004 vote led
to the most successful result the Green Party of Canada has ever received.
- The Greens became the 4th political party in Canadian history to field a
full slate of candidates (308).
- The Greens increased their popular vote 458% from the last federal election.
The next highest increase was the NDP with only 93.6%.
- We received 580 816 votes for 4.3% of the total, entitling the Greens to funding
for the first time ever, to the tune of $1, 016, 207.50 a year until the next election.
- We fought for and won increased media coverage to the extent that major
newspapers endorsed our candidates, columnists lauded our platform,
and the Greens were regularly featured on television.
|
- For the first time, we operated a campaign headquarters, providing a central
meeting place, increased visibility and awareness, and a nerve centre from which
to conduct the campaign.
- We mailed out 10 000 pamphlets, delivered 1000’s more, ran ads in the papers
and on the radio.
- We more than doubled the ranks of our volunteers and supporters.
- By most estimates, the Kingston Greens could boast the greatest number of
signs on private lawns, indicating that Green voters are committed voters,
voting for a platform rather than just voting against another party.
- In Janina Fisher Balfour we had a tireless and driven candidate who committed
every ounce of energy to bringing the progressive and forward-thinking Green
platform to the citizens of Kingston.
- We received 3 339 votes, our most ever. At 6.1% of the total in Kingston we
surpassed the last federal election mark of 5.2%, well above the national Green
average of 4.1%.
|
In truth, though we had many successes, we don’t feel that the result in Kingston
reflected the strength of our campaign. In the end, the closeness of the election
and the Liberal fear-mongering caused many potential Green votes to migrate to the
Liberals. The Conservatives and the NDP also suffered from strategic voting.
Despite getting more votes than they did in the 1988 election, the NDP won half as many
seats. This should provide further impetus to the push for proportional representation
in Canada, since it was only the Liberals this time that benefited from our old
first-past-the-post system.
Under proportional representation, the Greens would have 13 MPs in parliament today.
Nevertheless, we succeeded in making sustainability and environmental concerns more
prominent in Canadian politics and we will continue to do so at every opportunity.
Dozens and dozens of volunteers generously donated their time and money to the Kingston
Greens campaign. Although Janina Fisher Balfour thanked many of them at the
Victory Party, our gratitude bears repeating. No doubt some names are missing from this
list, so apologies in advance. Please know that everyone's
contribution, big or small, was well appreciated.
- Thanks to all those who made monetary contributions.
Your generosity helped us to wage our strongest campaign ever.
- Thanks to all of the office volunteers. Jude Larkin, who somehow managed to
balance a full-time job, full-time parenting, and all of her other responsibilities
to take on the ad-hoc job of office manager. Thanks to Hilda Carmichael, Jill
Irwin, Tim Seitz, Grace Laing, Nancy Salay, Steve Harker, Brooke Gilmour,
Kathleen Flanagan-McMaster, Robert MacLeod, George Biro, Mieke Van Geest, Aaron Mintz,
Rolf Sattler, Valerie Forest, Lisa Minicola, Marcia Weese, Rob Harrap, Christa Waters,
Phil Troop, Graham Lodge, Andres Gervais, Wilfred Sorensen, Imran Ali and last,
but not least, Bryn Larkin, Myles Gilmour, and Griffin Wade-Salay.
- Thanks to the canvassers. Super-canvassers Steve Harker and Dennis Burr covered
many, many miles. Also, thanks to Anna Soper, Andre Gervais, Wilfred Sorensen,
Bana Hamze, Keith McCauley, Chris Watson, Elizabeth Judd, and Jude Larkin.
- Thanks to our sign distributors and removers. Thanks to Wilfred Sorensen,
Brooke Gilmour, Graham Lodge, Gerry Wyatt, Mike Chapman, Lee Cunningham, Eric Walton
and Stuart Pike.
- Thanks to Tim Seitz for capturing the campaign on film.
- Thanks to George Clark for his policy research and letters to the editor.
- Thanks to Danny Gold for conducting our Get Out The Vote push on election day.
- Thanks to Andre Gervais for always accompanying Janina and providing essential support.
- Thanks to campaign managers Eric Walton and Nancy Salay for always keeping the ship on the right course.
- And, of course, a huge thanks to Janina Fisher Balfour, our intrepid,
unflappable candidate who did everything from office staffing, canvassing,
sign distribution, debating, and being an excellent representative
of the Kingston Greens.
|
Read more about the election as it unfolded...
 Voting Day
CLICK HERE to see what happened in Week 4
CLICK HERE to see what happened in Week 3
CLICK HERE to see what happened in the first two weeks
CLICK HERE to learn more about the
2003 Provincial election effort and our exciting results!
The first annual Kingston Greens fund-raising dinner was held
at the Curry Original restaurant in downtown Kingston on Monday, April 26th and by all accounts
was an unqualified success!
Click here to find out more about the dinner.
The Kingston Greens have the attitude, energy, and progressive thinking to attain that goal.
Click here to find out how you can support our effort.
|
