Dear Neighbours,
Tonight, many of you will watch the only televised Leaders’ debate in this provincial election.
I would have welcomed the chance to go head to head with these professional politicians. But I am sorry to say that you won’t have a chance to hear from the Green Party during the debate.
Unfortunately, the decision to deny the Green Party a seat at the table for this debate was made by a few non-elected broadcasters meeting in a back-room in collaboration with the three old parties.
I know you were looking forward to hearing a voice that reflects your desire to fix politics as usual.
To make sure Ontario is leader in the twenty-first century global economy, we must make the connection between a healthy environment and a strong economy. We will lower payroll taxes on local businesses to make it cheaper and easier to create good local jobs and lower income taxes so your money can support our local economy. Our plan to put a price on carbon will create jobs, strengthen our economy, balance the budget and reduce pollution and carbon emissions.
We need smart planning that puts clean air, water, land and communities first – instead we have the Liberal’s fair-weather environmentalism where decisions about mega-quarries and gas-plants only come when it’s politically convenient.
The Conservatives want to pull us back into the last century with their energy plans that will kill green energy and borrow billions to build expensive, inflexible new nuclear.
All of the old parties have irresponsible plans that borrow money to subsidize the wasteful use of energy.
The Green Party of Ontario is the only party helping you to save money by saving energy. Our green energy plan starts with low cost solutions that prioritize energy efficiency and conservation. Our plan will create good local jobs across the province and reduce the amount of money the province must spend on new sources of energy.
We are the only party dedicated to making family farming a top priority in this province, so we can all enjoy fresh, affordable food on our tables, today, and in the future.
We are the only party calling for a smart, fair, equitable school board system with a plan to engage citizens in determining the best way forward.
These are tough issues that the Green Party would have raised in the debate. And while the other parties may be too afraid to give us a seat at the table, our voice will not be silenced, nor will it slow our growth. We have policies that will improve your life and our communities today, tomorrow and years from now.
We will continue to reach out to Ontarians face-to-face, as our 107 candidates continue to knock on countless doors to earn your trust, and your vote on Oct 6th. We will continue to listen to you and present solutions to the issues that matter to you.
In my travels across our great province, I have been awed and inspired to see the commitment and dedication of thousands of individuals – people just like you – making their communities a better place.
Please take a moment to check out our platform. It’s time for a better, more sustainable Ontario. It’s time to vote Green so we can work with you to fix politics as usual in Ontario.
Thank you,
Mike Schreiner
Leader of the Green Party of Ontario