Post by kelvin on Oct 13, 2008 8:48:00 GMT -5
www.thestar.com/FederalElection/article/516529
Oct 13, 2008 04:30 AM
Sandro Contenta
Ottawa Bureau
NEW GLASGOW, N.S.–Green Leader Elizabeth May says she's confident supporters will resist calls to leave the party for the sake of blocking a Conservative government.
May's comments yesterday came as Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion made a direct pitch for her voters and a poll found Green support dipping nationally.
May predicted her party would receive at least 9 per cent of the popular vote tomorrow. That's the score it received in Harris-Decima's rolling poll results yesterday, down from 12 per cent a few days ago.
"I don't think we're going to see any change from that, unless it goes up a little," May said in an interview.
In the 2006 election, the Green party received 4.5 per cent of the vote.
May described Green support as concentrated enough in several ridings to elect MPs for the first time. But she also described voters as being in a "volatile" mood.
"When people are dissatisfied with what they've got, they're prepared to move around in lots of different ways," she added.
If Green support sharply falls on voting day, as it has in past elections, some Green candidates are likely to blame May herself.
She has described a Conservative government as the worst possible election outcome and has several times called on Green supporters – in tight races where Green candidates don't stand a chance – to vote in ways that block a Conservative victory.
"Don't worry about (splitting the vote) anywhere except a handful of close ridings and there, I think, we'll leave it to the voters and our grass roots Greens to sort it out for themselves," she said again yesterday.
At least one Green candidate, running in a Quebec riding, has asked supporters to vote for the Liberal party.
Campaigning around the GTA yesterday, Dion warned Green supporters that a Conservative government would mean a "dirtier" environment.
"In order to go green, vote red," Dion said.
Oct 13, 2008 04:30 AM
Sandro Contenta
Ottawa Bureau
NEW GLASGOW, N.S.–Green Leader Elizabeth May says she's confident supporters will resist calls to leave the party for the sake of blocking a Conservative government.
May's comments yesterday came as Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion made a direct pitch for her voters and a poll found Green support dipping nationally.
May predicted her party would receive at least 9 per cent of the popular vote tomorrow. That's the score it received in Harris-Decima's rolling poll results yesterday, down from 12 per cent a few days ago.
"I don't think we're going to see any change from that, unless it goes up a little," May said in an interview.
In the 2006 election, the Green party received 4.5 per cent of the vote.
May described Green support as concentrated enough in several ridings to elect MPs for the first time. But she also described voters as being in a "volatile" mood.
"When people are dissatisfied with what they've got, they're prepared to move around in lots of different ways," she added.
If Green support sharply falls on voting day, as it has in past elections, some Green candidates are likely to blame May herself.
She has described a Conservative government as the worst possible election outcome and has several times called on Green supporters – in tight races where Green candidates don't stand a chance – to vote in ways that block a Conservative victory.
"Don't worry about (splitting the vote) anywhere except a handful of close ridings and there, I think, we'll leave it to the voters and our grass roots Greens to sort it out for themselves," she said again yesterday.
At least one Green candidate, running in a Quebec riding, has asked supporters to vote for the Liberal party.
Campaigning around the GTA yesterday, Dion warned Green supporters that a Conservative government would mean a "dirtier" environment.
"In order to go green, vote red," Dion said.