It’s interesting how often people make their voting choice more complicated than it should be. A common thought in our local riding seems to be “I want to vote Green, but I have to vote NDP to stop the Conservatives”. This is a very questionable assumption.
Historically, Greens have taken votes from Conservatives at least as much as from other parties — in fact, both Elizabeth May and Andrew Weaver were elected by taking votes from Conservative incumbents.
In Cowichan, we have a strong Green candidate, Fran Hunt-Jinnouchi. Recent polls show her with more than twice the support of the Green candidate in 2011, and trending upward. With many voters are still undecided, the Greens have a real chance of winning in this riding. A handful of Green MPs in Ottawa could make a big difference in a minority government, which seems likely. What a shame if some Green supporters don’t vote Green, under the mistaken assumption that voting NDP is the only way to defeat the Conservatives.
The lesson is simple but fundamental. Vote for the platform and candidate you think best. Vote your values.
Blaise Salmon
Mill Bay