Friday, 8 Apr., Kitchener-Waterloo Green Party of Canada candidate Cathy MacLellan officially kicked off her campaign for the upcoming federal election.
With approximately 50 guests mingling in the Green Party’s headquarters on Regina St., MacLellan and her campaign team shared information on the party’s platform with the public.
MacLellan told The Cord that the Green’s platform centred around three main pillars: fiscal responsibility, ecological wisdom, and social justice. “Those three pillars underline every policy for the Green Party,” she said. “Whether you’re talking about education, or health care, or foreign service, or the military, we have policies that are complimentary.”
She added that while the Green Party has many environmental initiatives, the party is not one-dimensional. “It’s not just about the environment,” she said.
MacLellan has been focusing much of her energy on the student population of Kitchener-Waterloo, believing that their votes are essential for a Green victory. “There are over 40,000 students in my riding,” MacLellan explained. “If only students voted, they could actually choose the MP they want, because you win with 21,000 votes.”
With the election occurring May 2nd, many parties have attempted to use initiatives to encourage student voting.
MacLellan has been canvasing door-to-door. “I’ve been in the student neighbourhoods for the past few days … just encouraging them to vote,” she said. “I don’t even care who they vote for. I just want them to vote and have their voice be heard.”
Ben Hurwitz, MacLellan’s campaign assistant, outlined some of the party’s missions, most of which directly affected Canada’s youth.
Hurwitz discussed the party’s plan to assist post-secondary students with tuition prices and managing debt. “They want to implement a system that is similar to the U.K.,” Hurwitz said. “So for every student, regardless of parental income, to be able to get a loan up to the amount of tuition.”
Hurwitz also explained the finer points of the Green Party’s proposed carbon tax, which he admitted “has obviously gotten a bad name in a lot of places.” He stated, “What it would do is make everyone pay for the damage we’re doing for the environment. So it would be like the big evener.”
MacLellan is confident that Kitchener-Waterloo is ready for a Green leader. “I think it is my time,” she said. “In this community, I can do it. I know I have to triple my vote, which would be kind of a miracle, but I’m an entrepreneur and I believe in miracles.”
