Hi Friend,
Our campaign is almost ready. Nearly every electoral district has a Green candidate, and soon, we will have a full slate.
The quality of your candidates this campaign is so impressive. Strong, local voices with diverse backgrounds and history. We have more young candidates, more Indigenous candidates, more people reflecting the multicultural character of Canada.
We have TV ads in production. Lawn signs at the printers. Our fully costed platform budget will be confirmed by the Parliamentary Budget Office very soon. In my own riding of Saanich-Gulf Islands, we are gearing up. Next Sunday we are planning a gathering to boost our funds. I love the name my team gave our event–“Writ Around the Corner.”
We do not know when Justin Trudeau will make his way down the lane between his residence as Prime Minister and the home of Governor General Julie Payette. It is the Governor General who actually “drops the writ”–a strange term as no one drops anything. It is the G-G who draws up the writs of election–individual writs for every district. That happens once the Prime Minister visits and asks her to dissolve parliament. And then, we are off to the races.
We know by tradition that this ritual takes place on Sunday. Some Sunday. With the minimum number of days for a campaign, and a fixed election date of October 21, the very last chance for the election to be launched is September 15. It could be September 8. So we’re down to the wire.
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How you can help:
1. Request a lawn sign
If you have a home with a lawn, or a fence or any suitable space, please call your local candidate’s campaign office or email them through our website and ask for a lawn sign.
Nothing says Greens are serious contenders like a forest of green signs springing up ahead of the other parties. I know, it is kind of crazy. It took a few elections for me to see that it actually matters. And yes, the signs are made of plastic. But I promise, we save them and re-use them. Over and over again!
Contact your local Green office today for a lawn sign.
2. Go knock on doors
Do you have a few hours a week between now and October 21? Please consider donating your time. Become a reliable campaign volunteer.
In my experience, it is so important to know someone will come at a predictable time for a predictable task. Even if for only a few hours a week. Whether answering the phone, welcoming other volunteers, bringing healthy snacks, or knocking on doors, we need you. And, it is fun!
Contact your local Green office today to sign up to volunteer.
3. Donate to help us pay for advertising
And back to those TV ads. Do you want to see them? We need money to buy airtime. We will do all we can with social media, so yes PLEASE, post and share our YouTubes and ads.
We can never come close to the advertising budgets of the other parties, but we will run a serious campaign. We have set the goal of raising one million dollars between now and the day the election is called, which could be any time.
This is realistic and do-able. Please help us reach our goal.
People sometimes ask me, when is the best time to make a donation? The answer, with the writ around the corner, is RIGHT NOW.
Please give whatever you can afford. Give to a candidate in your area. Give to the national party. Your legal limit is $1,600 to the national effort and $1,600 to a local candidate–or combination of candidates. The tax rebates are generous. A $1,600 donation will cost you $950 after taxes; $400 costs only $100. Any amount will help reach our goal of $1 million before the election begins.
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And then please ask friends if they have considered voting Green. Ask your family, ask everyone you know!
If they sound enthusiastic about our vision, our mission and our platform, ask them if they have considered joining the party. Encourage people to move from mildly interested to happily enthusiastic!
Thank you for all you have already done to support my work and the work of all our candidates and volunteers. We are a strong team going into this election. We will never have as much money as the other parties, but we have something they do not: our commitment to the whole human family, the other species with whom we share this amazing planet.
Unlike the old-line parties, we are driven by love.
In hope and solidarity,
Elizabeth May
Leader
Green Party of Canada