It's Official

I've made a commitment that I've not made in my life. I've joined a political party. It was a matter of time before I jumped into the political party ring. Which party have I joined?

It appears I'm going the way of my partner. He is a Green Party of Canada member who ran in the 2004 Federal Elections in Beaches-East York. He has also made his intentions known that he is seeking the nomination in the Davenport riding for the pending federal election. So to support him and because I think the Green Party is where I'm at politically at the present moment I've joined the group.

Some would think this is an odd choice for me. Often times people ask if I'm an NDPer. It would make sense as I'm all about Social Justice. I'm an avid pusher of social justice policy and often write about it on this blog. However, I was reluctant to join this political party because of the leader of the party. Jack is the lesser of the three evils--or was--of the big parties. Harper and I don't see eye to eye on anything, and the people he has running his ministries are a complete bunch of idiots and I will not join a party that has a deep root of social conservatism. If Joe was running the Conservatives as they use to be I'd give it a thought but at the current state there is no way I'd ever vote or join the Conservatives. I use to be a Liberal fan because they were socially progressive and fiscally responsible. However under Martin's reign I refused to give them a second thought. After Chretien's second round I refused to give them second thought. So Alexa McDonough and the NDP started getting my votes.

As of late though Jack has done nothing for me other than be a protest vote against both the Liberals and the Conservatives. However I feel empowered lately to make a vote with my great pride. I feel the Greens are where the Liberals ought to be. They are socially progressive yet fiscally responsible. They are more than a one issue party which for me is a key to my joining. I like the Leader. I admire her ability to put herself out there and her party out there. I like her fighting spirit and when I met her briefly in the summer she was very delightful. Not full of the usual weird standoffishness of most leaders. I remember meeting Dalton McGuinty the first time he ran against Mike Harris. He was very standoffish. Just a plain, hi, and then off he went. There wasn't much sincerity in it. I remember voting Liberal that election just because I couldn't stand Harris.

So here I am, a member of a political party at last. I suppose in a few years I'll consider running provincially or federally. This year though I'll concentrate on helping Peter out with his election.