An inside look at the political party’s convention in Guelph
From Feb. 2 to 4, the Green Party of Ontario held their annual convention at the Delta Hotel and Conference Centre in Guelph. The Ontarion had the opportunity to attend a portion of the convention and speak with some of the attendees.
In a brief sit-down with convention attendee Cherie Wong, The Ontarion got a feel for the Green Party’s values.
Wong explained that convention attendees, as well as the Green Party itself, all share six common values:
- Sustainability
- Social justice
- Non-violence
- Participatory democracy
- Respect for diversity
- Ecological wisdom
Wong stated that you cannot be “Green” without those values. She also noted that the current cycle of politics is very selfish, and the aim of the Green Party is to develop evidence-based policy focused on people. This means doing the right thing for future generations by preserving the environment.
A second attendee, Keenan Aylwin, was able to share more about what the party hopes to achieve. Aylwin told The Ontarion that the Green Party of Ontario would like to get young people more involved and to “engage them in a meaningful way and change the system so we can make a difference.” According to Aylwin, “[The party] need[s] to show people that they can trust the government and that change is possible.” The Ontarion also had the opportunity to talk with Mike Schreiner, the leader of the Green Party of Ontario. In my talk with Schreiner, I learned that he placed a great deal of importance on ending the stigma surrounding mental health and addiction. He also emphasized the value of honesty and integrity and putting people first.
For the Green Party this leads to a commitment to doing politics differently. Schreiner told The Ontarion that he was “tired of the political status quo and is wanting to bring hope and faith back.” He also said that the Green Party wants to increase efforts to leave a lasting legacy for the future.
Before wrapping up, Schreiner touched on three final Green Party goals:
- Rebuilding the economy for the middle class
- Investing in livable communities
- Creating affordable homes and education
Photo courtesy of The Green Party of Ontario via CC0
Theres that message again, tebuilding the middleclass. Shouldnt our message be supporting the poor, the most vulnerable? We have far to large a gap between those doing well and those who are not.
The message was erased. It was that there is too much emphasis on the mlddleclass and not enough on the poor and vulnerable.
The Green party message is very pro poor. Not only do they constantly advocate for affordable housing, but they are proponents for a living wage and universal basic income. As for rebuilding the middle class, I would not discount how many have not benefitted from this current econmy or administration. Middle class life for many is dual income families paying way to much for childcare often with no pension or benefits.