Questions for Politicians

So, Federal elections are coming up May 2nd. To get a better grasp on the situation I thought I'd ask each of my potential MP's (that's Members of Parliament for any Americans out there) a few questions that nobody else seems to be asking so far (considering what I believe are the importance of these questions, this strikes me as strange).

The questions are:

1- What is Canada's role in Libya, where do you stand on Afghanistan, and more broadly, what is the Canadian Military's role in the world?
2- What is your stance on biotechnology and genetic engineering, specifically pertaining to agriculture?
3- What is your position on biofuels and their impact?
4- What is or should be the role of corporations in Canadian society?
5- Do you believe that global warming is a fact? If so, what should be done about it?

So how did they respond? Read on...

I'll post the responses as they come in. So far only one.


Ellen Michelson of the Green Party responded first:

1- What is Canada's role in Libya, where do you stand on Afghanistan,
 and more broadly, what is the Canadian Military's role in the world?

Here's the Green Party of Canada's latest statement on Libya. (You can see I'm quoted in it.)

<http://greenparty.ca/media-release/2011-03-26/greens-call-robust-diplomatic-intervention-libya>

And here's an earlier statement.

<http://greenparty.ca/media-release/2011-02-28/canada-needs-learn-libya-evacuation-missteps>

Here's a brief summary of our Afghanistan policy.  The Green Party of Canada does not consider NATO the appropriate force for this effort.  We advocate withdrawing our support, except for a small Canadian security and support presence, to help the Afghan National Army develop independent operational capacity, while protecting on human rights.  We need to re-focus on development and diplomatic strategies to address poverty, for example, via the Senlis Council's Poppies for Medicine program, as part of facilitating environmentally-responsible agriculture.  And we urge a UN-brokered regional peace conference.

And our military's role:  Greens work to shift military budgets to peacekeeping and peace-building.

2- What is your stance on biotechnology and genetic engineering, specifically pertaining to agriculture?

The Green Party of Canada released our budget and platform on Thursday, April 7, in Toronto (and on our website).  I stood with our leader, Elizabeth May, at our press conference.  Our budget includes a line item, showing the savings from stopping federally-finded GMO research, and another line item, for transitioning to organic farming. 

3- What is your position on biofuels and their impact?

I support the Green Party position:  "The Green Party opposes the development, manufacture and use of ethanol or biodiesel (biofuels)
derived from food crops. The Green Party opposes current laws requiring the use of biofuels and will only support standards for biofuel use when supplies of biofuels that are derived from demonstrablysustainable
waste sources become available."  This is from Vision Green, our main policy document, available on our website, greenparty.ca.

4- What is or should be the role of corporations in Canadian society?

This question is broad enough to admit of no easy answer.

5- Do you believe that global warming is a fact? If so, what should be done about it?

Several years ago, I was awarded a fellowship to work for ten months in Greenland.  While there, I saw first-hand the effects climate change is having on people's lives.  Enormous personal transitions have become essential.  Canada must take responsibility and not miss the opportunity to turn our old, planet-jeopardizing economy into a new, green economy.  People tend to focus on construction and retrofitting jobs when they think of good green jobs.  Good green jobs also include a myriad of arts opportunities. Another example is wellness-fostering jobs, both medical care and also health promotion and protection.  If we act, we can have clean air and water, safe food, and prosperity and good health for all.