It’s been a while since my last posting. I’ve really enjoyed taking time for myself to both unwind from an intense period of balancing work, volunteering and school. My gym membership and my Kindle have been well used for the past month!
With that said, I’m been thinking about finding a volunteer opportunity again. I’ve committed to my local community association as a way to help out in my immediate neighbourhood and I’ve been thinking about helping out the Green Party of Ontario (GPO) locally in preparation for the election in 2011. In helping me to make this decision, I want to ask any readers I have (the few but dedicated bunch J) if they have any thoughts about either the GPO or getting involved in politics. I really like the leader of the party; Mike Schreiner, and they have a group of people involved who I have a high amount of respect for. I’m curious to find out if this opinion is shared.
So, if you have a moment: What do you look for in a local politician or political party? What is it that is going to help you decide who to vote for in the Ontario election this October? Are you open to the idea that the GPO is an organization that represents your values?
To be clear about one other thing: My frustration/dissapointment expressed in previous blogs is with the Green Party of Canada and I continue to have those feelings and opinions.
ReplyDeleteAlso, as a huge Canucks fan, I couldn't be happier that Cody Hodgson has been called up to play a game with the club!
Cody Hodgson eh ...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, my advice is to engage in a non-political civil society group that is loosely or heavily associated with the green movement. Here in Ottawa, there are groups called Sustainable Living Ottawa - East (sloweast) and Sustainable Ottawa - West (slowest). Also we have Ecology Ottawa. We probablly have others as well. My itch is scratched by being a director of Citizens for Safe Cycling (safecycling.ca).
I suggest a group that is engaged and also that does advocacy work at the municipal level and tries to maintain working relationships with the local municpal council. We now have David Chernushenko and you already have Bob Bell. We have green party members in our group and on our Board.
You will feel like you are doing some real good.
The problem with political parties and green parties in particular is that they give you no real direct mechanism to change policy or to make a living as part of the political process since they have no seats and little money. Of course it can feel good for a while making noise about this and that and it does have some effect, but it is most certainly minimal and likely not very efficient.
Compare this to having a meeting as a representative of a local green group and explaining your groups position, being a member of a green party leaves you wanting more.
End of part 1
Rob Brooks
Starting with a little haiku ...
ReplyDelete"The Green Party
thrives on the strength of
The green movement that supports it"
All green parties need to better understand what its base really is. Green parties have to understand and have strong connections to its movement. There is no future for a green party to be a "more principled liberal party" or a "conservative party that likes composting". Getting elected as a green doesn't come from being smarter at campaigning than the other guys. Hell we are 100 years behind before we start and many of us "don't like confrontation" and want to "do politics differently" - yikes! Getting elected results from the strength of the underlying green movement. Sure voter ID and GOTV helps wring a little more out of it, but building the base is what is really important.
Building the base happens, when we encourage smart, young and talented people like you to get involved with building the base (see Part 1). This is in addition to and much more important then just voting in your internal elections and on your policy resolutions and sending in money.
Rob Brooks
And finally, green parties need a vision. The current green party vision is hampered by the idea of the leader being the main spokesperson of the party and consequently everything is directed to giving the leader a louder megaphone.
ReplyDeleteWhat green parties need to do is grow groups of people and leaders everywhere, each having their role. A network of social networks - started with and building on the local level. I've drafted a personal Vision Statement that covers this. As it reads it covers the National level, but you can quite easily substitute the correspond provincial adjective and words and it has the same meaning and effect.
That is all.
Rob Brooks
The Vision of the Green Party of Canada is to be recognized as a highly effective political organization [on National issues, ] [that attracts and retains staff, members and supporters], [that welcomes, encourages, values, and rewards participation] [and that provides opportunity for meaningful engagement in policy development, electoral campaigns, social and community event planning and participation, and internal governance and administration] [acting as individuals and in organized groups,] [within the scope of ridings, regions, provinces and nationally], [and that encourages complementary active participation in non-political civil society groups] for the betterment of [the quality of life of all] Canadians [and the entire natural world].
I brought the greens hundreds and hundreds of members and I believe 250 thousand ndp votes as promised
ReplyDeleteYet...I was just cast aside like an ugly step child because of possible bad optics with unsavory yet National Issues as you mentioned
The same day and because of a traitor opportunist liberal MP crossed over to us....the same day
Election fever and stupidity
I have worked to reverse since we were what near 12,000 members
What do you suppose the next election will really bring?
No I am of course not even considering other variables and to some look silly...it matters not to me because I know how many I personally drafted and helped and how many of those are like me now silent as far as maygreens
We await the next green party to either fold and move on or do what should have already been done...but for now like the maygreen party our priorities are all in SGI BC
I pity her in public debates..I really really really DO !!