Green Party of Manitoba
Encyclopedia
The Green Party of Manitoba is a provincial political party in Manitoba
, Canada
, founded on November 11, 1998. The party is legally autonomous from the Green Party of Canada
, though for several years many of its members also belonged to the Green Party of Canada in Manitoba, a federal organization established in 1996. (The two organizations were separated in May 2005.) The GPM was the most successful of Manitoba's smaller parties in the provincial election of 2003
.
Nick Ternette
established a "Green Party" in Winnipeg in 1989, and fielded candidates under its banner in that year's municipal elections. Ternette was from the left-wing of the NDP, and opposed the party's centrist direction in the 1980s. His "Green Party" supported several progressive and environmental causes, and was further to the left than is the current GPM. None of its candidates were elected, and the party never ran candidates at the provincial level. Ternette is not affiliated with the GPM, although neither has he opposed it.
The current party was established by Winnipeg electoral reform activist Chris Billows in November 1998, with the assistance of the Green Party of Canada. Billows, Eymond Toupin, and future provincial leader Markus Buchart
hosted the Green Party of Canada's national convention in Winnipeg in August 1998.
The GPM also favours liberal positions on social issues such as abortion
and same-sex marriage
, and promotes accessible public health care with emphasis on healthy lifestyles and illness prevention.
The party supports the extension of labour protection laws to farmworkers and a reduction of Manitoba's standard work week from 40 to 32 hours. It has also endorsed full employment, and has criticized Gary Doer
's NDP government for not reversing welfare cutbacks enacted by the previous Tory
government of Gary Filmon
.
The GPM ran six candidates in the provincial election of 1999
, and scored its best result in the Winnipeg riding of Wolseley, where Phyllis Abbe, also a prominent former New Democrat, received 386 votes. Former party leader Markus Buchart
ran against Premier
Gary Filmon
in the riding of Tuxedo, and received 126 votes. The party received 0.2% of all votes cast in the province.
The GPM ran fourteen candidates in the 2003 election
. Buchart received 1193 votes (19.5%) in Wolseley, placing second against New Democrat Rob Altemeyer
. The GPM as a whole received 4.08% of the vote in the ridings that it contested.
In the December 13, 2005 by-election held in the strongly conservative Fort Whyte
constituency, GPM candidate Shelagh Pizey-Allen garnered 1.77% of the vote.
The GPM ran fifteen candidates in the 2007 election
. The fifteen captured 1.33% of the vote, or 5.5% in the electoral divisions that were contested. The Green candidates received 12.32% in Wolseley
placing second, 8.46% in Lord Roberts
, 7.76% in St. Boniface
, 6.38% in Fort Rouge
, and third place in Minnedosa
ahead of the Liberal Party of Manitoba.
The party's second leader was Daniel Drimes. He served as leader from April 2 to 22, 2005.
The party's first leadership contest under the rules of Elections Manitoba
began on July 1, 2005, and a new leader was chosen on November 20, 2005. She was Holly Nelson
, a retired electrical technologist and professional writer who owned a Winnipeg New Age book store, the Philosopher's Stone, during the 1990s.
In September 2006, a few weeks before the party's leadership convention, she stepped down, having accepted an out-of-province job. On 19 November 2006, the party chose 23-year-old Andrew Basham
as its new leader.
On November 15, 2008, James Beddome
was elected leader, defeating incumbent leader Andrew Basham and contender Shane Nestruck. Beddome's first term expired November 2010, and he was acclaimed a second term.
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, founded on November 11, 1998. The party is legally autonomous from the Green Party of Canada
Green Party of Canada
The Green Party of Canada is a Canadian federal political party founded in 1983 with 10,000–12,000 registered members as of October 2008. The Greens advance a broad multi-issue political platform that reflects its core values of ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy and...
, though for several years many of its members also belonged to the Green Party of Canada in Manitoba, a federal organization established in 1996. (The two organizations were separated in May 2005.) The GPM was the most successful of Manitoba's smaller parties in the provincial election of 2003
Manitoba general election, 2003
The Manitoba general election held on June 3, 2003 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the New Democratic Party, which won 35 seats out of 57. The Progressive Conservative Party finished second with twenty seats...
.
History
The GPM is not the first "Green Party" in Manitoba history. Former New DemocratNew Democratic Party of Manitoba
The New Democratic Party of Manitoba is a social-democratic political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is the provincial wing of the federal New Democratic Party, and is a successor to the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation...
Nick Ternette
Nick Ternette
Nick Ternette is a politician and political activist in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He is a perennial candidate for mayor of the city, representing left-wing and socialist policies....
established a "Green Party" in Winnipeg in 1989, and fielded candidates under its banner in that year's municipal elections. Ternette was from the left-wing of the NDP, and opposed the party's centrist direction in the 1980s. His "Green Party" supported several progressive and environmental causes, and was further to the left than is the current GPM. None of its candidates were elected, and the party never ran candidates at the provincial level. Ternette is not affiliated with the GPM, although neither has he opposed it.
The current party was established by Winnipeg electoral reform activist Chris Billows in November 1998, with the assistance of the Green Party of Canada. Billows, Eymond Toupin, and future provincial leader Markus Buchart
Markus Buchart
Markus Buchart is a lawyer and politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was the first leader of the Green Party of Manitoba, serving from 1999 until his resignation in March 2005. He is now a leading spokesperson for the Winnipeg Green Party...
hosted the Green Party of Canada's national convention in Winnipeg in August 1998.
Policies
The GPM's policies are generally progressive. The party is primarily focused on environmental issues, and promotes the conservation of land and non-renewable natural resources. It has expressed concern about "urban sprawl" in Winnipeg's suburbs, has called for reform in Manitoba's commercial hog sector, and generally supports the rights of small farming interests over corporations.The GPM also favours liberal positions on social issues such as abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
and same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
, and promotes accessible public health care with emphasis on healthy lifestyles and illness prevention.
The party supports the extension of labour protection laws to farmworkers and a reduction of Manitoba's standard work week from 40 to 32 hours. It has also endorsed full employment, and has criticized Gary Doer
Gary Doer
Gary Albert Doer, OM is a Canadian diplomat and politician from Manitoba, Canada. Since October 19, 2009, he has served as Canada's Ambassador to the United States...
's NDP government for not reversing welfare cutbacks enacted by the previous Tory
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
government of Gary Filmon
Gary Filmon
Gary Albert Filmon, PC, OC, OM is a Manitoba politician. He was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba from 1983 to 2000, and served as the 19th Premier from 1988 to 1999.-Early life and municipal career:...
.
Elections
| General election | # of candidates | # of elected candidates | % of popular vote | # of votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 6 | 0 | 0.20% | 973 |
| 2003 | 14 | 0 | 0.96% | 3,792 |
| 2007 | 15 | 0 | 1.33% | 5,553 |
| 2011 | 32 | 0 | 2.52% | 10,886 |
The GPM ran six candidates in the provincial election of 1999
Manitoba general election, 1999
The Manitoba general election of September 21, 1999 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada....
, and scored its best result in the Winnipeg riding of Wolseley, where Phyllis Abbe, also a prominent former New Democrat, received 386 votes. Former party leader Markus Buchart
Markus Buchart
Markus Buchart is a lawyer and politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was the first leader of the Green Party of Manitoba, serving from 1999 until his resignation in March 2005. He is now a leading spokesperson for the Winnipeg Green Party...
ran against Premier
Premier of Manitoba
The Premier of Manitoba is the first minister for the Canadian province of Manitoba. He or she is the province's head of government and de facto chief executive. Until the early 1970s, the title "Prime Minister of Manitoba" was used frequently. Afterwards, the word Premier, derived from the French...
Gary Filmon
Gary Filmon
Gary Albert Filmon, PC, OC, OM is a Manitoba politician. He was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba from 1983 to 2000, and served as the 19th Premier from 1988 to 1999.-Early life and municipal career:...
in the riding of Tuxedo, and received 126 votes. The party received 0.2% of all votes cast in the province.
The GPM ran fourteen candidates in the 2003 election
Manitoba general election, 2003
The Manitoba general election held on June 3, 2003 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the New Democratic Party, which won 35 seats out of 57. The Progressive Conservative Party finished second with twenty seats...
. Buchart received 1193 votes (19.5%) in Wolseley, placing second against New Democrat Rob Altemeyer
Rob Altemeyer
Rob Altemeyer is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He is currently a member of the Manitoba legislature.Altemeyer was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and was educated at the University of Manitoba where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology and a Master's Degree in Natural...
. The GPM as a whole received 4.08% of the vote in the ridings that it contested.
In the December 13, 2005 by-election held in the strongly conservative Fort Whyte
Fort Whyte
Fort Whyte is a provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was created in 1999, after the provincial electoral boundaries commission determined that southwestern Winnipeg had experienced enough population growth to deserve an extra seat. Fort Whyte was created from...
constituency, GPM candidate Shelagh Pizey-Allen garnered 1.77% of the vote.
The GPM ran fifteen candidates in the 2007 election
Manitoba general election, 2007
The Manitoba general election held on May 22, 2007 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the New Democratic Party, which won 36 seats out of 57. The Progressive Conservative Party finished second with nineteen seats. The Liberal...
. The fifteen captured 1.33% of the vote, or 5.5% in the electoral divisions that were contested. The Green candidates received 12.32% in Wolseley
Wolseley (electoral district)
Wolseley is a provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was created by redistribution in 1957, and has formally existed since the 1958 provincial election. The riding is located in the centre of the City of Winnipeg. It is named for Col...
placing second, 8.46% in Lord Roberts
Lord Roberts (electoral district)
Lord Roberts is a provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Manitoba, located in the south-central section of the City of Winnipeg. It was created by redistribution in 1999, and consists primarily of territory taken from the now-defunct ridings of Osborne and Crescentwood...
, 7.76% in St. Boniface
St. Boniface (provincial electoral district)
St. Boniface is a provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It should not be confused with the federal electoral division of the same name, which includes most of the provincial riding's territory but has expanded borders and a larger population base...
, 6.38% in Fort Rouge
Fort Rouge (electoral district)
Fort Rouge is a provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was created by redistribution in 1957, and formally came into existence in the general election of 1958. The riding was eliminated in 1989, and re-established in 1999. It is located in the central section of the...
, and third place in Minnedosa
Minnedosa (electoral district)
Minnedosa is a provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was created in 1881 with the expansion of the province's western boundary, and has existed continuously since that time. From 1886 to 1888, it was divided into Minnedosa East and Minnedosa West.Minnedosa is...
ahead of the Liberal Party of Manitoba.
Leadership
Markus Buchart resigned as party leader in late February 2005.The party's second leader was Daniel Drimes. He served as leader from April 2 to 22, 2005.
The party's first leadership contest under the rules of Elections Manitoba
Elections Manitoba
Elections Manitoba is the non-partisan agency of the Government of Manitoba, responsible for the conduct of provincial elections....
began on July 1, 2005, and a new leader was chosen on November 20, 2005. She was Holly Nelson
Holly Nelson
Holly Nelson is a Canadian writer, poet, activist and print reporter. She served as leader of the Green Party of Manitoba from 2005 to 2006.- Early life and career :...
, a retired electrical technologist and professional writer who owned a Winnipeg New Age book store, the Philosopher's Stone, during the 1990s.
In September 2006, a few weeks before the party's leadership convention, she stepped down, having accepted an out-of-province job. On 19 November 2006, the party chose 23-year-old Andrew Basham
Andrew Basham
Andrew Basham is an activist and politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was the leader of the Green Party of Manitoba from 2006 to 2008, and ran against premier Gary Doer in the 2007 provincial election...
as its new leader.
On November 15, 2008, James Beddome
James Beddome
James Robert Beddome is a Canadian politician, and the current leader of the Green Party of Manitoba.-Early life and career:Beddome was born in Brandon, Manitoba, and was raised on a livestock farm north of Rapid City...
was elected leader, defeating incumbent leader Andrew Basham and contender Shane Nestruck. Beddome's first term expired November 2010, and he was acclaimed a second term.
See also
- List of political parties in Manitoba
- List of Green party leaders in Canada
- List of Green politicians who have held office in Canada