I have no respect for Elizabeth May...

and have no doubt that when she loses, she will move away.

Me too!

I'd move to Saltspring Island too if all of my moving expenses, traveling expenses on and off the island and across the country, plush condo near my place of work, and local office/home were being paid for by someone.

delusional and power hungry

that's it that's all - three elections three ridings, a stacked central committee (a concept anathema to Greens worldwide) - the woman is a destroyer in disguise.

The Greens are dead now with her at the helm. I used to be one.

ignoring reality...just like Harper

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/692811

"But Briony Penn, a geographer and former Green party member who represented the Liberals in the West Coast riding in the last federal election, said she had advised May to run elsewhere to avoid splitting the vote and securing Lunn the seat he has held since 1997.

"I think all of us want to see Elizabeth in (the House of Commons), but this riding is exceedingly difficult," Penn said from Salt Spring Island, B.C., yesterday. "I know the numbers really well. I know every neighbourhood. I know every swing voter. I've identified the vote and I know it would take an extraordinary miracle for Elizabeth to win.""

Unpacking her bag

When May unpacked her bag, she must have had quite a struggle extracting the carpet. Many of us (and it seems like most commenters here) had high expectations of the Greens. We expected great things from them, not only in environmental matters, but a new take on the fiduciary duties of politicians and embracing the ethics of humbleness. May, unfortunately, is an example of why so many voters are still wandering the wilderness looking for a saviour… Just the same old same old.

silly move

Since I do not care for the greens anyway, it suits me fine that May does one more silly move.

Whatever credibility she and the party may have had will evaporate now.

The only sad aspect is that this exemplifies how many politicians are in it for their own satisfaction, and will cause yet more voters to find an excuse to not vote at all!

Intellectual Basis Missing in Green Party

The intellectual basis behind Canada's Green parties differ substantially from those in Europe. Europeans, far more educated when it comes to understanding history, imperialism, monopoly capitalism and socialism, understand that you can't effect change without understanding political and economic elites. And in the global world, that means monopoly capitalism.

What is striking about many Green members is their lack of curiosity about how the economic world actually runs. Without understanding that, one remains a perpetual pollyanna, thinking we can change corporate policies over cappucinos at Starbucks.

Governments don't rule our society. They are a go-between, acting as a buffer between the real power in society and the polity. But government, and hanging out with political leaders, misleads one into thinking one is close to power. NOT. But being welcomed into government committees and junkets plays a pivotal role in DEFUSING dissent. One is lulled into thinking power is only steps away. But in fact, power resides in the majority of citizens, or it resides in industry. Choose carefully.

I sincerely believe most Green candidates "mean well". But given the circumstances we are facing, that isn't going to cut it. We need real courage, real intellect, real change. And unless one is challenging those interests that really determine BC and Canada's policies, no change will occur.

Is that what we want?

Answer: to reelect Gary Lunn thats why

I have no doubt that de facto Green Party leader Stephen Harper dispatched May out to Saanich to make sure his bud Lunn gets reelected.

The Green Party is apparently driven by the need to destroy the environment and in the end kill us all.

This tiny group of malcontents with a thousandth the membership of other parties has enormous influence in election campaigns because the TeeVee culture has been so effective at promoting brand name identification. Somehow these fools got a hold of the Green brand getting a large contingent of brand conscious low information uninformed voters to vote their ticket thus ensuring the election and reelection of Neocon governments - perhaps that is their aim. These unfortunate brand driven voters in federal elections give with their vote these irresponsible malcontents a huge pile of money magnifying their power enormously. The BC Green party in the last election actually campaigned on the idea that El Gordo was better for the environment than the NDP.

If the NDP and Liberals had any political savvy they'd send a large contingent of supporters over to join the Green party and pass a no election participation resolution.

Split Vote....

Harper took power with 36% of the vote and Campbell took power with under 30% of the vote. Both these men are right wing conservatives.
This means most of us are leftist leaning, but are votes are split between NDP's, Greens, and the aprox 22 other left wing parties.
I once heard that the Greens are just small "c" conservatives.
It's to bad the NDP and Greens won't even consider joining forces to take power. Makes no sense to me!
Harper joined the Reform and Conservative parties.
So what is better one seat for the Greens or to be in power as an NDP'er with real Green ideals?
To bad the Green's EGO's get in the way!!!

Green to the gills!

Agree with most posters so far.

Strategy!

Last time the strategy was encouraging people to vote Liberal for f..k's sake!

Until the Green party or some other creation stands out because of the issues and the way they politic, I refuse to vote.

I would suggest that no one vote in the riding except conservatives, and then see if Gary Lunn would accept the illigitimate mandate!

So she expects to win...

Interesting take on a nomination contest. All those party members who chose the Green candidate last time will simply vote for her because she is the leader and like it. May does have some strange notions. Then those who voted for Conservative/Reform Lunn are suddenly going to vote for May. The only thing missing is the flower in her hair.

and refusing to vote

is like not cooking and eating anyways.

sacrificing attachment to community

I remember May’s irritation when media representatives questioned her seeming misguided attachment to her riding. She stated then that it was her home and a foremost amongst her beliefs to remain there despite the odds stacked against her. Although I understood and respected her attachment to her community, being a leader of a party has responsibilities which I believed meant focusing on getting into Parliament. It seems fundamental to the long-term viability of the party. So, I applaud her willingness to sacrifice for the larger political picture and enter the game as a feasible player. I wonder, though , if she and her advisors recognized the divisive political landscape they were entering when they chose BC.

I hope, nevertheless, that her party chooses to focus on all viable ridings across the country and fights to get their complete platform out there despite the media’s best efforts to treat the party like a fringe eco sect. We need a voice for policies that promote sustainable economic/environmental practices in our communities, and as far as I can see, the Green Party is the only party representing this voice in this country.

Why May will not win this riding

First, May's decision has, apart from drawing the usual suspicions of 'carpet-bagging' among the local media, immediately revealed an existing split within the Green Party. Hertzog, no dummy and no stranger to politics, is getting his case out to journalists, and it's coming through loud and clear. While a good, spirited nomination battle is good for debate and democracy, such battles are not always good for party solidarity where a leader's ambition is at stake. It would be much better if May was able to coast in via acclamation. As an Island Green supporter myself, I can't say I blame Stuart, who rightly complains that May's move undermines the grassroots nature of the Green Party. This is something May and the party brass should have dealt with before making the decision to relocate. As it stands, it appears no such considerations were undertaken, resulting in a the appearance that May is steamrolling her way, with use of federal party funds, into the riding.

Second, the best, most qualified, most intellectually credible Green candidate ever to run federally in BC has already attempted to win the SGI riding, and she lost. Briony Penn even had the benefit of being able to run as a green under the Liberal banner (well funded, a safe-bet mainstream party). Moreover, in the last election, Penn also had the benefit of a lame-duck NDP candidate (J. West), who was forced to drop out amid scandal, yet Penn still couldn't eek out a win. You can bet the NDP are gonna ensure a better vetting process for their next candidate in SGI, which means a certain split vote among the riding's eco-left. If Penn can't beat Lunn one-on-one under a Liberal flag, there's no way May, a carpet-bagger -- who has split her own party in deciding the relocate here -- is going to do much better.

Third, May's quest to win a seat at the apparent expense of party and grassroots principle, will be read by voters as an act of ego-driven desperation. She might have only months, even just weeks, to familiarize herself with SGI voters, the local issues and riding nuances, and she isn't going to gain that knowledge, nor will she earn immediate trust of undecided voters by hanging out at the Saltspring Island farmer's market shaking hands with local cheese makers.

I like Elizabeth May, she's an otherwise strong candidate and a decent leader, but her (and her advisors') tactics in this case are misguided.

This riding needs to be changed....

Regardless of who's running, the tyrannous majority of right-of-centre voters living in Sidney and Saanich continue to dictate results to Gulf Islanders, who get no effective representation based on their values.

Actually, the community of interest spans Saanich-Gulf Islands (southern), Nanaimo-Cowichan (Gabriola and locale), Nanaimo-Alberni (Lasquetti, and North Island (Denman/Hornby, Quadra/Cortez) etc.

Time for a riding of 'Georgia Strait'!

Another mistake?

Elizabeth May's decision to Run against Peter McKay was a bad one. It may be her home turf, but how was she going to break the McKay family hold in that area? Now she's moving and stirring up muck within the Green Party. Not helpful.

Yes, poor strategy to run a campaign where you don't really care if you win any seats. However, the existence of the Bloc Quebecois has made a mess of Canadian federal elections and that will not likely change.

Here We Go Again

May may be a carpet-bagger, but then so was NDP leader Tommy Douglas when he was defeated in his Regina seat in Saskatchewan during the 1962 federal election.

Douglas then jumped over to BC and ran in the Burnaby riding in a late, 1962 by-election and won. Douglas lost the Burnaby seat in the 1968 federal election and then jumped over to Vancouver Island and ran in the Nanaimo seat and won in a by-election.

Carpet bag city.

As for May, 40% of Canadians want May to win a federal seat and that includes 49% of Liberal voters and 53% of New Democrat voters. Only Con voters don't want May to win a seat.

http://www.harrisdecima.ca/sites/default/files/releases/2009/08/24/hd-2009-08-24-en276.pdf

May will be the highest profile candidate in SGI, but unless she can persuade Liberal and New Democrat voters to "lend her their vote", that Con Lunn will keep it.

Perhaps May should take a song sheet from Jack Layton's 2008 campaign notebook and state:

"I'm running to become Prime Minister".

Matt T - good point

Matt, your point about the history of carpet-bagging in Canadian politics (re: Tommy Douglas, among many other examples) - quite right. Although I believe relocation has to be done strategically and thoughtfully. Timing and circumstances are everything in deciding where to parachute into. I have no problem at all with the practice of carpet-bagging. In May's case, it seems a bit frantic, rushed and motivated by little more than political expediency. Unlike Tommy, May has never won a seat, not even come close, so she lacks the political street-cred to just parachute into any riding she deems friendly and cheese-worthy. The Hertzog sidebar story tells me she and her people could have done a better job of preparing for this landing, which has been rough to uninspiring at best. Her press conference in Sidney was held amid about 7 very bored and indifferent looking senior citizens sipping tea.

The best thing May ever did was cut a deal with Dion on a riding swap. It didn't work, but was the right kind of strategic thinking. Could another such deal have been made with Iggy? Can one be reached with the Libs or NDP in SGI? I don't know. I doubt it. As such, I share your conclusion: unless she can persuade Liberal and New Democrat voters to "lend her their vote", that Con Lunn will keep it.

The real culprit here, which May remains solid on, is the undemocratic FPTP voting system. May is naive to draw inspiration from the Reform Party, forgetting that Reform was a splinter cum chameleon of the old guard, well established PC Party. Easy to win your first seat under FPTP with these kind of roots (which came with healthy corporate backing). The Greens really are a from-scratch party.

the real culprit

"The real culprit here, which May remains solid on, is the undemocratic FPTP voting system". Yes, the Greens would likely already be on the hill if not for FPTP.

Personally

I think Harper should offer Ms May a Senate seat.

Nothing like that kind of cynosure to separate the wheat from the chaff.

As for the ‘opinion’ of a ‘significant’ proportion of the Canadian public, as evidenced by a Harris Decima poll…Puhlease! Spare me – a lot of people believe in the tooth fairy too.

Until Ms May reneges on her support for Brian Mulroney as Canada’s ‘greenest’ prime minister I’ll keep my powder dry…we don’t need more conservatives (even green ones) in Ottawa.

Ridings Are about local issues addressed by local people

I despise this all too frequent 'shopping' for a possible win in 'some' riding in Canada by Political leaders or stars; I do care what political party it might be.

Simply put, the political business of a riding is all about local issues established by local people and the election of a local person, who might address those issues.

Lizzy May is now parachuted into my Riding and quite frankly just does not belong here. She is NOT a Western Canadian, She is NOT a British Columbian, She is NOT a Vancouver Islander, and she is NOT a Saanich and the Islands person. There is simply no attachment to the area.

Lizzy will not win in Saanich and the Gulf Islands. If she does, you can bet She will only have an interest in Ottawa.

Liz May likes Brian Mulroney.. almost forgot that one. Maybe..

then, 'ol Karlheinz should run for MP in SGI. You have a better chance of winning a federal seat in BC if you don't like B.M. (my use of initials was not intended to disparage). Even old "Sweater-vest" himself (who ironically has a thing against denim shirts... maybe because they used to be made out of hemp) has distanced himself from "The Greenest PM Ever". I do wonder if the colour choice was more a reflection of the colour of money rather than environmental credentials. At any rate, I digress.

Back to the issue, I reiterate my suggestion that Karlheinz quite Germany as soon as possible and get to work on runnin for MP of SGI. If he winds up with a criminal conviction in Germany, then perhaps provincial politics may be more appropriate.

At any rate, Karlheinz knows his way around Ottawa and he is trained "economist" (no epithet intended).

Twit!

I'm not a Liberal supporter, but I really hope Briony Penn kicks her butt back to Nova Scotia if she manages to defeat Herzog and actually run there.

Yipeee!

"We set a new record in 2008. We're the party in Canada that's got the largest number of votes without electing anyone,"

I wouldn't brag about that. So you suck at resource allocation. How do you think that is a selling point?

Who knows...

I'm afraid that Ms. May underestimated the full extent of political nuance in B.C. politics. Her choice of ridings also shows a particular lack of insight into local riding and political dynamics.

On the other hand, it may be that the fix is already in. With election winds in the air, it could be that Iggy and the Stooges (Jack and Lizzie) have already divided up which ridings each party will promote in order to create a quasi-coalition. And Saanich-Gulf Islands was given to Liz.

respect

There are so many many intelligent and brilliant people with a long history of environmental and social justice efforts and experience in this riding. They supported Briony Penn in the last election. We donot yet know who will represent the NDP or the the results of the Liberal nominees but please, lets remember that they have worked long and hard for their communities, and this bioregion.
Elizabeth does not have any more credibilty than these people do.
I actually find it disrespectful on her part to overlook the work of these long time residents.

She still has to win the nomination

I really hope to save the legitimacy of what the Green Party stands for people in the riding vote for someone who knows about the local issues, maybe someone like Hertzog. May seems to care more about getting into Ottawa then building a grassroots party. The more she moves, the shorter those roots get.

And she didn't really get to know much about her new home either... there are three wineries on Saltspring... quite a few more in the riding. Two cheese makers I can think of. Many organic farmers.

Hertzog winning would make me very happy and would make me more likely to vote green in the future.

It's Saanich

Ms May's delusional thinking seems to be contagious. This riding is not the Southern Gulf Islands (SGI). It's Saanich and the Islands and Saanich is where the votes are and for the last decade at least they've elected Gary Lunn. They've elected him under every right-wing banner he's run under. Back in the good old days, when we were in the same riding as Ladysmith on Vancouver Island we elected great NDP MPs like Jim Manley. Must be why they lumped us in with Saanich.

No Doubt - May Will Place 2nd In SGI

London North Centre By-Election - Nov./06

2nd place finish for May - 25.82% - increasing Green support substantially from 5.49% - May grabs 50% of new votes from former NDP supporters - 25% from former Liberal voters and 25% from former Con voters.

Central Nova - 2008

2nd place finish for May - increases support for Greens from 1.59% in 2006 to 32.24%.

That's two relatively close 2nd place finishes in proverbial "non-green" ridings. Not bad.

Now let's look at SGI. Firstly, Gary Lunn is a flake. He's no Peter MacKay.

Secondly, the Reform Party received their best ever result in BC in SGI during the 1988 federal election. The Greens also received their best ever result in Canada in SGI during the 2004 election with 17%. SGI has a history going against the trend.

Again, Gary Lunn is a flake (unlike Peter MacKay) and the Liberals and NDP will be running no-name candidates.

As a high-profile Green Party leader, SGI will be a contest between Lunn and May. No doubt about it.

And Harris-Decima's survey confirms that around 50% of Liberal and NDP voters (as well as a minority of Con voters) want May in Parliament.

If that voting intention held true in SGI in 2004 or 2006, May would have been elected. Yup.

Is it possible? Sure. Is it probable? Depends upon the dynamics of the campaign within the riding.

We'll eventually see if E-May goes over the top on E-Day.

The Greens

I hope she does get a seat and that seat ends up being the one Harper needs for a majority vote

That would be perfect has Harper does a great job on everything but the environment.

All things are indeed relative

"Again, Gary Lunn is a flake (unlike Peter MacKay) and the Liberals and NDP will be running no-name candidates."

Can you hear yourself? Enumerating your candidate's virtues is what you're supposed to do, not how lame the opponents are!

I'm out.

I'm getting real close to joining the NDP

unemployed like crazy, broke, EI barely allows for existence, sick of the insanity from Campbell...but James and her clique are hostile to folks like me - what to do what to do...

Never been a union organizer but could I?

Personal attacks

I am an independent voter who most often votes NDP - too often, as in the last provincial election, holding my nose. I wish the Greens well in making their point but was distressed at their support of the Liberals' so-called "carbon tax" that was really a regressive flat tax on gasoline. A one-issue party that often gets the one issue wrong.

But the uncivil ad hominem attacks on Elizabeth May for moving to BC really should stop. There is not a party in Canadian history, right or left, that has not moved a high-profile candidate into a "safe" seat to enhance their chances of election. Brian Mulroney and Joe Clark did it. Tommy Douglas did it when he was defeated in the riding of Regina City in 1962 but later elected in a by-election in Burnaby-Coquitlam (after the sitting New Democrat resigned just for the purpose).

No one in BC, with the exception of First Nations, can fairly call anyone else a "carpetbagger." We all are recent arrivals.

It is telling that New Democrats so often name call. The premier is relentlessly Gordo. Now, according to at least one Tyee poster, the Green leader is Lizzy May. This childishness is sure to get a rise in the bar. It may not work as well on independent voters who seek out reasoned positions on issues, not inarticulate, bullying personal attacks.

Too many partisan New Democrats seem to live by the saying: "I love humanity; it's people I can't stand."

Last year, May was

Last year, May was criticized for being too idealistic by running in central nova. People doubted if she had the political backbone. Now, people say she is too opportunistic, perhaps egotistic. As if she acquired a backbone, and then some extra teeth.

In a FPTP system where voters are compelled to vote strategically, rather than with their hearts, how can an ambitious young party be expected to operate under exactly the opposite presupposition: that people will vote for their ideals and the party which best upholds them.

Furthermore, some are misguided to believe that the Green party has become the "Elizabeth May party." The Green Party champions Elizabeth so long as she remains useful as a high-profile spokesperson. Unfortunately, most people respond better to TV personalities than they do policy documents. It is naive to believe the recent decision to run in SGI was an egoistic move by Elizabeth to reaffirm her power over the grassroots in the party. Rather, it is a desperate attempt to pave the way for other Green MP's by first-and-foremost gaining credibility in the house, which is impossible if Green's remain unelected. These decisions are hard for a idealistically driven party such as the Greens. Unfortunately, strategic voters create strategic parties.

Kind of sad

May, Hertzog and the local Greens should have worked this out amongst themselves. A media battle will hurt the party.

The number of ad hominem attacks in this commentary is disturbing. Maybe the state of politics in Canada is related to the cynicism of of those who follow politics.

Finally, it might not be necessary for the Green Leader to traipse across Canada if we had an electoral system that actually represented how people vote. It's insane that a party that can get a million votes gets no seats. Many if not most of the Green voters feel completely unrepresented in our democracy.

Let's change the system. Then we can put an end to this shallow bickering.

Elizabeth May makes excellent sense of Saanich-Gulf Islands

Strategy aside, The Green Party of Canada's position on repealing marijuana prohibition, its environmental sensitivity, its detachment from the union/corporate funding paradigm, and other policies would be worth voting for in SGI. The NDP can't win the riding, the Liberals have shown they canNOT win the riding even with a collapsed NDP vote (2008), so a knowledgeable candidate like May, who, if elected, would be the first Green elected federally in a First Past the Post election, is way more exciting a prospect than the candidates either the Liberals or NDP are likely to nominate. If David Suzuki seeks a nomination at the last minute, maybe, but until then Elizabeth May is both the best candidate to beat Lunn and make a difference in Parliament. The Liberals are whipped in Parliament and have to vote according to Ignatieff or else. Thats why we witnessed Justin Trudeau voting for Bill C-15 (mandatory minimum jail sentences for pot people and others) even though he taught children and smoked marijuana (on three occasions with me) and Bill C-15 will be bad for young people to be sure, but he was whipped into line. Even Keith Martin (the Liberal of the marijuana decrim proposal) was not allowed to vote against Bill C-15 in the final vote. So voting for a Liberal will not oppose the Alberta Tar Sands development because Iggy has said the Tar Sands are on. Iggy's worldview will always trump the Liberal from SGI in any vote in Parliament.

May has the only real opportunity in SGI to represent the values of the voters who are opposed to the reactionary Conservative agenda.

MarcScottEmery

The monsters you and all the other greens always forget about the riding live in Dean Park and Sidney and all along Landsend road and the spaces in between.

Those folks are Alberta born and bred (even if they do a little grass from time to time)- and they aren't EVER going to vote for Lizzy May - Lunn knows where he gets his support from and he caters to them - the only party that can beat him is the NDP - why do you think Zubyk took the candidate out in 2008.

The only match for Liberal opportunism is Conservative cynicism - no matter what Justin does with his spare time and his daddy's money.

BTW, G West does make a good point

In the whole riding of SGI, there really are not that many "huggers" and "hippies". The constituency does have a fair portion of people recently from parts elsewhere.

The prefer golf greens over environmental and political greens.

To them, the only thing going Left is their golf ball when the hook a shot.

Lizzy May.....Dictator disguised in a green cloak

I remember after the last federal election,Lizzy May appeared on CPAC ....She went on to say that she was willing to take a a cabinet post in the coalition government if it succeeded....

She was asked about the Green enviromental platform in a coalition government,she replied....

"Sometimes we have to sacrifice our positions"

Is that so,a cabinet post when she failed to win a seat,which way is the wind blowing Mz May...

Which brings me to tuesday(aug 8th),Elizabeth May was on the Christie Clark show on CKNW....

Christie asked her a few questions,namely she asked about Mr Hertzog,....Who is Hertzog you might ask? He is the present green candidate for that riding,Christie asked Lizzy about her parachuting into that riding and how does the party decide who runs in that riding?

Well according to Lizzy May...she said..."I talked to local residents and thet are happy I`m going to run in this riding,as for Mr Hertzog,we have internal processes to decide who will run in each riding and I am quite confident that I will be running here" SNIP

So there you have it,the willow in the wind is giving Hertzog the big heave ho,no vote,no run off,just a big mouth bully Lizzy May shoving a true green out the door.

I predict that after Lizzy may loses in Saanich gulf islands she will run in Canada`s most northern riding.

I agree with most posters above,the green party is dead duck under Lizzy May.

Cheers-Eyes Wide Open

Liz May, "Just Passin' Through."

The first thing candidate May did was to refuse to take responsibility for her decision to run in Saaanich/Gulf Islands and blame it on the people who have roots here. Apparently we twisted her arm so hard she just couldn't say no.

I suppose we'll have to make some lifestyle changes so that she can have a carbon neutral flight to her new riding. I wonder if the furniture's being moved in a hybrid van?

I can imagine that as soon as candidate May's finished flying all over Canada during the campaign she'll try and have YYJ shut-down. Too noisy in her new home.

I doubt I'll be seeing Ms May cycling down Lochside trail anytime soon, unless the media's been given lots of advance notice.

Honestly, don't we have enough armchair extremists here already without Elizabeth May attracting more?

Dear Elizabeth: Talk to Stuart

Having the Leader of the Party run in the riding with the most support seems pretty dim obvious to me.

Elizabeth, talk to Stuart, offer him something nice, then have a press conference arm-in-arm. I would have had more confidence in your electability if you'd done that before announcing, but, better late than never.

It's called politics and it is something desperately needed if there is ever to be a Green voice in Parliament.

Fine with me, welcome to BC

I'm fine with Elizabeth May moving to BC and winning a seat. The Green party has lots of popular support and should have a seat, actually way, more than one if we were going to value everyone's vote equally, which is why we should have proportional representation like most of the progressive democracies in the world. I agree with Blue Camas too, this should be able to be worked out. The leader of a party is supposed to have a seat and this kind of thing happens all the time, where they parachute the leader in. Get over it people.