The last-minute withdrawal of Green Party candidate Colin Nelthorpe has left a void in the riding of Barrie-Innisfil.
Nelthorpe, who is also president of Fierte Simcoe Pride, withdrew only days before the Aug. 30 nomination deadline, indicating that the election was “taking up too much of my time,” and making it difficult to meet obligations to the Pride organization.
The Green Party of Canada was unable to field another candidate before the deadline. As a result, there will be no Green candidate in Barrie-Innisfil, in the Sept. 20 election.
Remaining federal candidates are putting forward their parties’ platforms, as alternatives for Green supporters.
Incumbent, Conservative candidate John Brassard said he was sorry to hear that there will be no Green Party Candidate in this election. “Our democracy thrives when there are varying opinions and debate.”
Brassard added, “I’ve always valued the perspective that former Green Candidate Bonnie North brought with respect to the environment and other issues including Canada’s Veterans. I have always been of the opinion that it doesn’t matter whether an idea comes from the Conservative, Liberal, NDP or Green Candidate, if it’s a good idea and it benefits Canadians then it should be considered.”
The Conservative Party launched a comprehensive 'Plan to Secure the Environment' in April of this year, he noted.
“The comprehensive plan will substantially achieve the same emissions reductions by 2030 as the (Liberal) government’s current plan while creating jobs and growing the economy,” Brassard said. “This will allow us to meet Paris climate targets – but without imposing the $175 per tonne punitive carbon tax the Liberals are proposing.”
An independent analysis of the Conservative Plan by Navius Research supports the claim that the plan “would effectively achieve the same emissions reductions… while resulting in a boost to jobs and the economy,” he said.
Brassard added, “The election is about 'Securing the Future for all Canadians' coming out of the pandemic. Canada’s Conservatives have a plan to benefit every region of the country while working to protect our environment including our beautiful Lake Simcoe.”
“I believe that it is important that all political parties present a creditable plan to tackle climate change,” said Liberal candidate Lisa-Marie Wilson.
Wilson added, “Climate change is real, and Canadians want real action to fight it. The Liberal government put into place Canada’s first-ever climate plan, a plan that has grown more ambitious every year. Together we’ve assembled the building blocks for a safe, healthy, and prosperous net-zero emissions future.”
She noted that the Liberal platform promises to create green jobs in communities across Canada and across sectors; cut pollution in heavy industry and make sure the oil and gas sector is net-zero by 2050; boost clean and renewable power; end plastic waste by 2030; and protect more of the natural environment, by creating 10 new national parks.
“We cannot let Erin O’Toole and the Conservatives roll back climate action,” Wilson said. “We need to move forward with an even more ambitious plan to tackle climate change, one that seizes the opportunities of the green economy and positions Canada for long-term economic growth, in every province and territory.”
“The NDP has taken on the role of climate advocates, even going so far as releasing one of the boldest action plans,” said Barrie-Innisfil NDP candidate, Aleesha Gostkowski.
“I think Green Party supporters would be pleased to know that the NDP is taking our climate crisis seriously, and we know we need to take action NOW,” Gostkowski said. “If I am elected as MP for Barrie-Innisfil, I have pledged to put our environment at the top of the list of priorities. We need to protect our Lake Simcoe, our biodiversity, and our lands.”
Among the ideas in the NDP platform: impactful emissions targets and the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies; requiring new buildings to be net-zero and retrofitting old buildings by 2050; modernizing and expanding public transit; powering Canada with net-zero electricity by 2030 and introducing smart grid technology; banning single-use plastics; and building a low-carbon economy.
“The NDP has pledged to consult indigenous peoples and land protectors as well when making environmental decisions. I am proud to say that the NDP has been and will continue to step up for our environment,” Gostkowski said.
At the time of posting, Peoples Party of Canada candidate Corrado Brancato had not responded to a request for comment.
In the 2019 election, Green Party candidate Bonnie North received 4,716 votes, or 8.69 percent of the ballots cast.
Even if all of the Green Party votes were to be redirected to a single candidate, it’s unlikely that they would be enough to change the outcome of the election.
NDP candidate Pekka Reinio garnered 16.37 percent of the vote in 2019, Liberal candidate Lisa-Marie Wilson won 29.2 percent, and incumbent MP for Barrie-Innisfil, John Brassard had 43.8 percent of the vote.
Interested voters are encouraged to investigate the environmental platforms put forward by each political party.
