Green Party Support

[Guest]

Their portion of the vote is about half what it was in 2008.

Keep in mind that this election was about Heaving Steve. The Greens always poll much higher pre-election but support waivers in the end as people know our broken electoral system will just waste their vote. I would love to vote Green but in my riding that vote would just help the CPC, currently the opposite of Green.

I suspect that if Trudeau does the moral thing, shoots himself in the foot and keeps his promise on electoral reform the Greens will see a perpetual 10 percent share of the popular vote.

[Smallc]

Keep in mind that this election was about Heaving Steve.

That's already been addressed - their 2011 vote percentage was almost as small.

[Guest]

That's already been addressed - their 2011 vote percentage was almost as small.

You don't think that a system that actually counts every vote would make a difference?

[cybercoma]

Their portion of the vote is about half what it was in 2008.

Because they stopped focusing on a national campaign. That's been said repeatedly. Yet they still continue to increase the number of votes that they're getting each election, even if their share is down.

[Smallc]

Because they stopped focusing on a national campaign.

Then they don't belong at the debate table, as they aren't a national party.

[Canada_First]

You don't think that a system that actually counts every vote would make a difference?

NO because we will have to make a low percentage ceiling. Probably at the low cap of 5% of the vote in order to get any seats. Greens would get zero seats according tot heir most recent result.

[Guest]

NO because we will have to make a low percentage ceiling. Probably at the low cap of 5% of the vote in order to get any seats. Greens would get zero seats according tot heir most recent result.

Yet they always poll much higher up until election time. I'm suggesting that their support will not wane once we count every vote under a PR system.

[Canada_First]

Yet they always poll much higher up until election time. I'm suggesting that their support will not wane once we count every vote under a PR system.

Maybe. Who knows. I have hard believing that Trudeau will bring in PR or whatever scheme he has talked about. He's not going to want to hand over power to someone else. If he does, I'll be shocked.

[Guest]

Maybe. Who knows. I have hard believing that Trudeau will bring in PR or whatever scheme he has talked about. He's not going to want to hand over power to someone else. If he does, I'll be shocked.

I'm positive that a fair voting system that no longer wastes votes will have an impact on green support. I'm a little worried about ER support now that JT has a majority, but it was a significant plank in his platform and he did vow to have it studied by an all-party/citizens committee with a their recommendation brought before the house and implemented within 18 months. We will see.

[cybercoma]

Then they don't belong at the debate table, as they aren't a national party.

They have a national platform. They don't have the revenues of the long-established parties in order to spread their efforts across the country. They had candidates everywhere and some very good ones too. But when you're not as well funded as the others, you have to pick and choose where you place your focus. That doesn't mean they're not a national party. It means they're managing their money. Edited October 22, 2015 by cybercoma

[Smallc]

They have a national platform. They don't have the revenues of the long-established parties in order to spread their efforts across the country. They had candidates everywhere and some very good ones too. But when you're not as well funded as the others, you have to pick and choose where you place your focus. That doesn't mean they're not a national party. It means they're managing their money.

It means they don't belong in debates that involve people likely to be PM.

[cybercoma]

It means they don't belong in debates that involve people likely to be PM.

I didn't argue that they did?

[Smallc]

I didn't argue that they did?

I'm sorry, I guess we were arguing past eachother.

[cybercoma]

All I'm arguing is that support for the Greens is still strong despite their share declining. They still got more total votes. The vote share decline isn't entirely unexpected in an election where more people went to the polls then we've seen in over 20 years. They weren't showing up to vote Green. They were showing up to can Harper.

[Michael Hardner]

I think they were the 6th party in our last parliament, after "Strength in Democracy".

That's right - we had 6 parties in parliament last time through.

[Keepitsimple]

All I'm arguing is that support for the Greens is still strong despite their share declining. They still got more total votes. The vote share decline isn't entirely unexpected in an election where more people went to the polls then we've seen in over 20 years. They weren't showing up to vote Green. They were showing up to can Harper.

You can make a technical argument - but it's an uphill one. Just about a third of all Green Party votes were in BC with 8.2% of the total votes - and even there, they were heavily concentrated in a few ridings. They got 2.9% of the votes in Ontario, 2.3% in Quebec. The only provinces to break 4% were PEI with 6% and NB with 4.6%.

It's a regional party with fringe support elsewhere.

[Smeelious]

It's a regional party with fringe support elsewhere.

More that its' a single premise party with more people in a specific region considering that premise as being of greater value than in other regions. Specifically with other parties not giving enough lip service to that premise.

Nobody really respects the Green party on issues other than the environment (even if their platform is more or less valid through most topics)

[cybercoma]

You can make a technical argument - but it's an uphill one. Just about a third of all Green Party votes were in BC with 8.2% of the total votes - and even there, they were heavily concentrated in a few ridings. They got 2.9% of the votes in Ontario, 2.3% in Quebec. The only provinces to break 4% were PEI with 6% and NB with 4.6%.

It's a regional party with fringe support elsewhere.

It's a fringe party everywhere with support from coast to coast to coast. They got more votes this time than last time but because of the higher voter turnout with people voting strategically to can Harper they got a lower share. They're focused on winning seats in target ridings at the moment so they can increase their exposure. This election was only a disappointment insofar as they didn't elect a second MP, but they came second in Victoria. Elsewhere they've raised their profile as well. They finished third in Fredericton, knocking the NDP back to fourth. This election was disappointing for them, I'm sure, but it's not a disaster and their support hasn't eroded. It's the same as it ever was.

[Moonbox]

This election was disappointing for them, I'm sure, but it's not a disaster and their support hasn't eroded. It's the same as it ever was.

and it's going to stay that way. As you confirm, it's a fringe party. The places where the Greens are doing well aren't even close to representative of the general population. If you've ever been to one of those BC island communities, you'd have an idea of just how out of touch these sorts of places are with the RoC. Victoria isn't anything like the rest of Canada, and somewhere like Quadra Island is practically a different world.

[G Huxley]

Why is an environmental party not representative of the general population? What does that say about humanity?

[Smallc]

Why is an environmental party not representative of the general population? What does that say about humanity?

That we have multiple priorities?

[cybercoma]

The Green Party is more than an environmental party; they have a full progressive platform with some really good ideas.

[Smallc]

The Green Party is more than an environmental party; they have a full progressive platform with some really good ideas.

And it's not all progressive either. Some of its actually conservative. Their ideas on Quebec and guns, for example.

[G Huxley]

What about Quebec and guns is conservative in the Green Party platform?

If they are partly conservative shouldn't you be a green supporter?

[Smallc]

What about Quebec and guns is conservative in the Green Party platform?

If they are partly conservative shouldn't you be a green supporter?

They aren't for strict gun control, and are actually for a review of the restricted registry. They're also against enshrining special status for Quebec in the Constitution.

What makes you think I'm a conservative?