Green Party of Ontario releases its platform.

Eco issues are the only ones that matter? Hmm...Afghanistan, poverty, crime, etc. etc. are somehow all just eco issues? And exactly how is merging Catholic and Public school system an eco issue? Or is it an issue that doesn't matter even though the Green party has a position on it? This is from the Star.
Sep 13, 2007 12:46 PM
Michele Henry
Staff Reporter

Taxing water and pollution instead of income, encouraging "walkable" communities linked by transit and meshing Roman Catholic schools with the public system together form the basis of Ontario's Green Party election platform.

Frank de Jong, provincial leader, introduced his party's priorities in front of Queen's Park today, saying eco issues are the only ones that matter.

"The issues that are being discussed in this election are all green issues, whether we're talking about smog or electricity or nuclear power or preventive health care or agriculture or transportation," he said.

"It's high time Ontario started changing the way we live to live in balance with nature. Contrary to popular opinion, it's easy being green."

The platform - a combined effort of 100 Green Party members, all volunteers, across the province - emphasizes four points: halting climate change, "energy self-sufficiency," "better education" and local sustainability.

De Jong is calling to phase out coal by 2009 and to shift provincial taxes off of "goods and onto bads," taxing resources and sprawl instead of businesses and people.

During today's announcement, de Jong, who is running in the Davenport riding against Liberal incumbent Tony Ruprecht, Conservative candidate Antonio Garcia and NDP candidate Peter Ferreira, said he should be included in the all of the candidates debates, especially considering that green issues are on everyone's agenda.

"The Green Party is a player in this election," he said. "I hope to be in the leaders debate because I don't know how we can discuss religious education without the Green Party being there.

"I don't know how we can discuss climate change without the Green Party being there.

"I don't know how we can discuss the environment and finally address sprawl without the Green Party being there."

De Jong is opposed to funding faith-based schools. The Green Party advocates merging the Catholic and public systems into one, with French and English streams.

"We want to encourage all children in Ontario to learn together," he said. "And to learn to live in social harmony. That will happen only when Ontario ends faith-based education."