The Green Party of Ontario is a minor political party in Ontario, Canada running in the 2007 Ontario provincial election. The party received 2.8% of the popular vote in the 2003 election, and has yet to win a seat in the Legislature.
The party ran a full slate of 107 candidates in 2007, none of whom won.
Willert is an engineer, holding a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of Toronto, and community volunteer and business leader. Her campaign is based on the sustainable development and improving quality of life and health through better transportation, education, health care, reducing poverty, sound fiscal management, and protection from toxic chemicals and hazards in our everyday lives.
Ted is an organic farmer, retired teacher, and three time former Burford township councillor who worked with the Liberals on election campaigns for years, until disenchantment with their handling in government of the environment and agriculture caused him to become a Green.[1]
Born in 1941,Ted was raised on a small dairy farm near Scotland, Ontario. He graduated from the Ontario College of Agriculture (BSA) and later the University of Guelph (MSc). Before his recent retirement, the father of three taught Science, Biology, Physics, and Agriculture at Pauline Johnson Collegiate, Simcoe Composite School, and Waterford District High School. While teaching, Ted still found time to farm, growing organic crops the last 14 years.[2]
Ted is former Director of the Brant County Federation of Agriculture, the Society for Biodynamic Farming and Gardening in Ontario, and OntarBio Organic Farmers Cooperative (now Organic Meadow Cooperative) in Guelph. He serves as Director of the Norfolk Local of the National Farmers Union (Canada), as Chair of the Organic Grain Pool of Organic Meadow Cooperative, and also serves as a Facilitator for Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario, teaching other farmers about the transition to organic. [3]
Other than his involvement in agriculture, Ted served for three terms as a Burford Township Councillor and chaired the Rural Community Development Project. He volunteers as a weather observer for Environment Canada's Meteorological Service and is also active in Sustainable Brant, the Knights of Columbus, the Optimist Club, and formerly the Brantford Flying Club.
Carmichael is a web strategist and ordained Elder with the Presbyterian Church of Canada, and holds a BA in political science from Wilfrid Laurier University. He bases his campaign around an improved quality of life for his riding and support of a mixed-member proportional system of representation.
John Ogilvie is an electrical engineer and a serial software entrepreneur[4] who created several companies using venture capital including Killdara Corporation and Hyla Corporation. He presently runs the Bifrost Group, a technology firm with customers in Canada and Asia.[5]
Trifon Haitas (born 1966) in Eordea, Macedonia, Hellas and moved to Canada in 1972. Haitas [1] a Documentarian and Editorialist, is founder of Audio Visual Communications Inc. O/A AVC [2]. The media firm creates news and entertainment for the global market. Haitas, an honourary member of the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada (NEPMCC), was granted the organization’s medal for distinguished services. He is also a recipient of the NEPMCC “Honoris Causa” award for promoting equality, respect for human values, human rights, cooperation and understanding amongst the members of the various cultural groups existing within Canadian society. A strong believer in environmentalism and politics, Haitas created a group named Green Planet, this popular group is located at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17598349061.
In the 2007 Provincial Elections in Ontario, Haitas ran as the official Green Party Candidate in the Toronto riding of Don Valley East. His Green team successfully raised 2300 votes, increasing the Green vote by a factor of six compared to the previous Provincial Elections. Haitas finished fourth in a field of seven candidates. The winner was David Caplan of the Liberal Party of Canada. On the Ontario Election of 2007, Haitas received the equivalent to 6.5% of the popular vote. Currently, Haitas is the official candidate for the Green Party of Canada in the electoral district of Oak Ridges-Markham.
“Ecology and Politics have always played an important role in my life,” Haitas says. “I’ve seen firsthand how committed people can make their community a better place when they have a long-term vision, the will to carry it out and most importantly, great listening skills.” Haitas bases his platform around the economy and environment. Haitas is an advocate of improved conditions for senior citizens, youth, women and labour relations.
Jeanie Warnock holds a PhD. in English literature and teaches at the University of Ottawa, as well as working as an editor for Doris Lessing Studies. Warnock has been a volunteer at the Ottawa Humane Society educational program and with Big Brothers and Sisters and has volunteered on a summer program teaching English to recent immigrants. She has lived in Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, the riding adjoining Leeds—Grenville for the last twenty years, and became the Eastern region co-representative for the GPO last year.
Jeanie Warnock was one of the 18 candidates who managed to place ahead of another major party candidate in her riding of Leeds—Grenville.
Born in Brazil, and moved to Canada in 1989 as a teenager. Was a naval reservist in the 1990s, and is now a Naval Officer involved in the Canadian Forces Cadet Movement. A founding member of Brasilnet, supporting Brazilian professionals and promoting diversity within Canada. Works as a Flight Attendant (Purser), and was a prominent member of the Canadian Airlines Employees Charitable Foundation. Also a computer animated drafting technologist, and the operations coordinator of the Green Party of Ontario. His father, Paulo Simas, is also a member of the GPO executive. He is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal. Was working toward a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology at the time of the election. Has formally presented green policies initiatives to Mississauga mayor Hazel McCallion. Has criticized former leader Joan Russow for leaving the Green Party in favour of the NDP.[16] Received 1,525 votes, finishing fourth in a field of five candidates. The winner was Navdeep Bains of the Liberal Party of Canada. On the Ontario Election of 2007, Paul received 3,888 votes, equivalent to 10.6% of the popular vote. The winner of that election was Amrit Mangat from the Ontario Liberal Party.
A literary Agent and documentary filmmaker, Johnston is a native of Port Credit, where he still lives. Johnston studied Literary Studies and Modern Languages at University of Western Ontario and The University of Toronto, and was a producer resident at the Canadian Film Centre. Johnston got 3,627 votes and 8.8% total, by far the best result for the Green Party in the history of the riding.
Gordon Kubanek was born in Montreal and raised in Sarnia, ON. After completing an undergrad degree in Chemical Engineering at Queens University he went to work in the BC forest industry. After completing a Masters in Engineering at McGill he had a change of heart and trained to be a teacher; first teaching in the USA, then returning to Canada to work for the Ottawa School Board, where he still teaches Math and Science. He worked as a consultant for the Department of National Defense for several years.[6]
Mullen is a with a degree in environmental engineering and recipient of the Canadian Engineering Memorial Foundation Award. She has founded a radio show as a forum for environmental issues, and was an executive member of Engineers Without Borders for four years. Mullen has previously worked with bio-diversity groups, helping to protect old growth forests in the Niagara Region.
Torrie is the deputy leader of the Green Party of Ontario. She was elected to that position in June, 2008.[7][8] She is also chair of Cobourg's Environmental Advisory Committee. She ran in the riding of Northumberland—Quinte West (provincial electoral district).[9]
| Northumberland—Quinte West (provincial electoral district) - Ontario general election, 2007 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Liberal | Lou Rinaldi | 22,288 | 45.4 | ||
| Progressive Conservative | Cathy Galt | 15,328 | 31.2 | ||
| New Democrat | Carolyn Blaind | 6,481 | 13.2 | ||
| Green | Judy Smith Torrie | 5,020 | 10.2 | ||
Laxton has a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies and History from Trent University, and a Masters degree in Political Science at York University. Laxton previous ran for the Greens in 2003 in Trinity-Spadina, getting 2,362 votes in 2003 (5.82%). He served as the GPO's fundraising chair from 2000 to 2003 In 2007, he won 6,456 votes (12.3%), the best result for the Greens ever in percentage terms, and placing among the top three Green vote-getters in the province. He ran for the post of GPO President, but was unsuccessful.
Leonard Poole, born in Toronto, 1951, graduated from Queens’ University at Kingston with a degree in Geography and Psychology. He worked in the transportation industry for almost thirty years, the last twenty for United Parcel Service. He has been active with the Overbrook-Forbes Community Resource Centr.[10]
Miriam Stucky is a journalist and activist who has lived in Peterborough since 1994. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Cultural Studies and Native Studies from Trent University[11] and has had freelance works featured in the Peterborough Examiner and on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.[12] In 2006, she wrote against the provincial government's plans to focus on nuclear energy development.[13] She is Jewish and has spoken in support of egalitarian services at Peterborough's Beth Israel Synagogue.[14]
Stucky was thirty-two years old at the time of the election.[15] She received 4,473 votes (8.72%), finishing fourth against Liberal incumbent Jeff Leal.
Pappas currently serves as a Director with The Scarborough-Agincourt Ward 40 Residents' Association and is a Member of The Lynngate Residents' Association & Neighbourhood Watch. As a Member of the Green Party of Ontario George Pappas tripled the voting return by over 300% for the Green Party, receiving 4.49% of the general vote in Electoral District 80 Scarborough-Agincourt.[16] A well publicized Community Activist, Pappas has previously ran for councillor in the 2006 City of Toronto municipal election for Ward 40 and had placed 2nd amongst 5 contestants including the incumbent.[17]
Kennedy is an environmentalist and chair of the Cornwall & District Environment Committee. Prior to these positions, she was a high school teacher. Kennedy has been involved in environmental campaigns since the 1970s, working with recycling and environmental advocacy groups, and has previously worked with Fair Vote Canada and been a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal.
David Sylvestre is a graduate of the Chemical Engineering Program at Cambrian College, and was a self-employed research writer at the time of the election.[18] He said that he joined the Green Party because he was impressed with its internal democracy.[19] He received 1,608 votes (4.89%), finishing fourth against Liberal incumbent Rick Bartolucci.
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