Green and Red Working Together

This week we were treated to the announcement that the Liberal Party will not run a candidate in the riding that Green Party leader Elizabeth May will contest in the election that is apparently coming soon. For those of you who are not up to date on this development, here is an article which outlines the plan.

When I first heard this news I thought it was a great thing; the Liberals were acknowledging the existence of the Green Party and are giving them some help. Then I read many scathing responses to this move. The sentiment against it basically revolves around the fact that the Liberals (well, Liberal leader Stephane Dion to be exact) are leaving their supporters in that riding out to dry. They will not be able to support the Liberal party.

But that is not what started to bug me. If the Greens do pull of the likely miracle of winning that riding (and most experts suggest they won't) then they will have made their breakthrough the easy way. As a supporter of the Green Party's last couple of platforms (and probably one of the few people who actually read them!) I would not be so proud that the breakthrough came as a result of help from the Liberals.

I'm sure Mr. Dion has some good reasons for this move, though no one can really explain how this benefits the Liberals. They potentially lose their supporters in a whole riding (who may or may not vote for the Green party) and don't gain anything from a lack of opposition from the Greens in Mr. Dion's riding.

Maybe more will come out later related to this move, but I doubt it will make a major impact on the results of the next election (whenever it happens). Hopefully, the Green Party will make a breakthrough somewhere else and get a few members elected to Parliament.

Note: I realize this post is somewhat biased. This will not happen often. If you have anything you would like to add (comments on the situation), please feel free to post your thoughts.