Green Party of Canada's Elizabeth May
Possible Prospects for Her Election to a Federal Seat
Mar 12, 2009
Elizabeth May opposed Peter MacKay in the Nova Scotia riding of Central Nova in the October 2008 federal election. Pictou County, Antigonish County, and the Eastern shore communities comprise the riding.
Elizabeth May’s Bid for Federal Seat
Ms. May, former Executive Director of the Sierra Club of Canada, attracted considerable attention during the campaign. She successfully argued that she should be included in the leaders’ nationally- televised debates. She also rented a passenger rail car for her whistle-stop, cross-country campaign journey. Elizabeth placed second with thirty-two percent of the vote. There are indications that about one-half of the votes were from the Liberals. The Liberal Party did not field a candidate in the riding.
Possible Openings for Election
Defence Minister Peter MacKay may be leaving the government. He is apparently (unconfirmed) a candidate for a position with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). United States Vice-President Joe Biden is reportedly favouring MacKay for the position of Secretary General of NATO. The choice will be made at the leaders’ summit next month in France. If MacKay is selected, a by-election would be called for Central Nova.
During the past weekend, Member of Parliament Dawn Black of the New Democratic Party announced her resignation. She will be a provincial candidate in the New Westminster-Coquitlam and Port Moody, British Columbia riding in May. A by-election would have to be called there. If a federal election were to be called, Elizabeth May’s decision would be simpler.
Green Party Organizers’ Recommendations
As reported in The Toronto Star, Ms. May has said that she is “prepared to look at some of the places if they can persuade me that my chances are really better there, because it's certainly a significant personal sacrifice to leave a place I love living, that's near my family and where I've got a lot of dear friends and a strong organization".
She knows that there is strong support for the Green Party of Canada in British Columbia. But her eighty-three-year-old father lives in Nova Scotia. Her daughter plans to attend University there. "My own riding is my first choice in any circumstance, general election or by-election", May said when asked about the possibility.
She has not ruled it out, but cannot make a decision until the timing is clear and the writ is dropped. Ms. May admits that she is looking at anything that could “be a prospect for getting into the House of Commons”. She promised to give consideration to campaign organizers’ recommendations
Source:
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
