I am about to be controversial. You have been warned.
I am a proud (if not very loud compared to some) Green Party of Ontario member. I have worked on the last two provincial elections with our local candidates. In 2011 as a member of the communications team and then interim communications director, and in 2014 as the communications director both locally and provincially for the leader of the party, Mike Schreiner.
Since I discovered the party in 2007 I have voted Green in both the provincial and federal elections, but to be honest, I really don't know much about the federal party.
After the last provincial election I chose to join the local Green party executive, which operates as both our Constituency Association (provincial) and Electoral District Association (federal). I worked very hard on the last provincial election and while we didn't win the seat we made a lot of headway. Four years is a lot of time, and it would be easy to let all that headway slip away before the next provincial election in 2018. I don't want to see that happen, so I joined the executive, bought my Green Party of Canada membership and committed to acting in some way on the upcoming federal election.
So, as I mentioned, I really don't know much about the federal party. I, as many Canadians do, know that Elizabeth May is the leader of the party and that she won the first Green Party seat in Canada in the last federal election. I also know that Bruce Hyer, who was elected as an NDP member, left his party and became a Green Party member, giving us a second seat in parliament.
I've met both of these people through my work on the recent provincial election and all of my opinion of them pretty much comes from that.
Here's one part of my controversy. I don't know what to think of Elizabeth May. I know that she is a very hard worker, I know that she is a very good politician and representative for her constituents, giving many people a voice. I know that this leads to some interesting decisions on her part, like presenting a petition from people many consider to be conspiracy theorists.
My opinion of her is mostly based on what she has done in relation to the provincial elections I have worked on. To remain diplomatic and to say the least, I have definitely given her the side eye when faced with her outspokenness.
Here is the next part of my controversy. I don't know if I have changed my opinion in full, but after her speech/skit at the press gallery dinner, I have never been prouder to say she is leading the party I support.
Listen, maybe you don't know me very well, but I swear. A lot. In fact, I swear so much that an old roommate made me a t-shirt for Christmas one year which reads "I say bad words"
So, the plethora of f-bombs from the Leader endeared me to her.
On top of that, I am proud of my country and the not perfect system of democracy we have. We elect representatives to listen to us and make decisions in our best interest. Right now we have a party in power which has done their best to make our government insular, secretive, and instead of them representing our best interest, they are telling us how and what we should believe and care about. This frustrates me and it frustrates Ms. May. She spent a lot of last year doing a speaker tour to let people know, but few people listened.
And one more thing. I am a woman. I strive to grow up to be a broad. I am not some demure lady who was taught to be lady like, show respect and ne
ver speak out of turn. I have worked in very male heavy fields my entire life. I have always acted in just the same manner as the men I work with. Sometimes it shocks people, but I am simply being myself. I gave myself permission to be myself a long time ago. I am not going to change my behaviour or personality just to fit some societal norm of how a woman should act. It's been awhile since I've called myself this, but I am one classy cunt. And, at least in this case, so is Elizabeth May.
So, Ms. May, go ahead and apologize for lack of comedic timing, but please don't apologize for the sentiment.
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