Myths
There
are many myths about the Green Party that we would like to take
the opportunity to address. If you have heard something about
the Green Party that you would like us to comment on, please feel
free to contact us with your question.
Further information on federal and provincial platforms and policies
can be found at their respective websites.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Myth #1: The Green Party has no
solid platform of principles
Myth #2: The Green Party is disorganized
Myth #3: The Green Party is anti-private business
and would destroy Alberta’s economy
Myth #4: What about the people who depend on
Alberta’s primary resource wealth for jobs?
Myth #5: The Green Party is just a bunch of tree
hugging hippies
Myth
#1: The Green Party has no solid platform or principles!
The
Federal and Provincial Green Parties each share 10 fundament principles
that guide policy decisions.
GRASSROOTS
DEMOCRACY
All
human beings deserve a say in the decisions that affect their
lives and not be subject to the will of others. Therefore, we
will work to increase public participation at every level of government
and to ensure that our public representatives are fully accountable
to the people who elect them. We will also work to create new
types of political organizations which expand the process of participatory
democracy by directly including citizens in the decision-making
process.
SOCIAL
JUSTICE AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
All
persons should have the rights and opportunity to benefit equally
from the resources afforded us by society and the environment.
We must consciously confront in ourselves, our organizations,
and society at large, barriers such as racism and class oppression,
sexism and homophobia, ageism and disability, which act to deny
fair treatment and equal justice under the law.
ECOLOGICAL
WISDOM
Human
societies must operate with the understanding that we are part
of nature, not separate from nature.
We
must maintain an ecological balance and live within the ecological
and resource limits of our communities and our planet. We support
a sustainable society that utilizes resources in such a way that
future generations will benefit and not suffer from the practices
of our generation. To this end we must practice agriculture that
replenishes the soil; move to an energy efficient economy; and
live in ways that respect the integrity of natural systems.
NON-VIOLENCE
It
is essential that we develop effective alternatives to society’s
current patterns of violence. We will work to demilitarize, and
eliminate weapons of mass destruction, without being naive about
the intentions of other governments.
We
recognize the need for self-defense and the defense of others
who are in helpless situations. We promote non-violent methods
to oppose practices and policies with which we disagree, and will
guide our actions toward lasting personal, community and global
peace.
DECENTRALIZATION
Centralization
of wealth and power contributes to social and economic injustice,
environmental destruction, and militarization. Therefore, we support
a restructuring of social, political and economic institutions
away from a system which is controlled by and mostly benefits
the powerful few, to a democratic, less bureaucratic system. Decision-making
should, as much as possible, remain at the individual and local
level, while assuring that civil rights are protected for all
citizens.
COMMUNITY-BASED
ECONOMICS AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE
We
recognize it is essential to create a vibrant and sustainable
economic system, one that can create jobs and provide a decent
standard of living for all people while maintaining a healthy
ecological balance. A successful economic system will offer meaningful
work with dignity, while paying a “living wage” which
reflects the real value of a person’s work.
Local
communities must look to economic development that assures protection
of the environment and workers’ rights; broad citizen participation
in planning; and enhancement of our “quality of life.”
We support independently owned and operated companies which are
socially responsible, as well as co-operatives and public enterprises
that distribute resources and control to more people through democratic
participation.
FEMINISM
AND GENDER EQUITY
We
have inherited a social system based on male domination of politics
and economics. We call for the replacement of the cultural ethics
of domination and control with more cooperative ways of interacting
that respect differences of opinion and gender. Human values such
as equity between the sexes, interpersonal responsibility, and
honesty must be developed with moral conscience. We should remember
that the process that determines our decisions and actions is
just as important as achieving the outcome we want.
RESPECT
FOR DIVERSITY
We
believe it is important to value cultural, ethnic, racial, sexual,
religious and spiritual diversity, and to promote the development
of respectful relationships across these lines.
We
believe that the many diverse elements of society should be reflected
in our organizations and decision-making bodies, and we support
the leadership of people who have been traditionally closed out
of leadership roles. We acknowledge and encourage respect for
other life forms than our own and the preservation of biodiversity.
PERSONAL
AND GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY
We
encourage individuals to act to improve their personal well-being
and, at the same time, to enhance ecological balance and social
harmony. We seek to join with people and organizations around
the world to foster peace, economic justice, and the health of
the planet.
FUTURE
FOCUS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Our
actions and policies should be motivated by long-term goals. We
seek to protect valuable natural resources, safely disposing of
or “unmaking” all waste we create, while developing
a sustainable economics that does not depend on continual expansion
for survival. We must counterbalance the drive for short-term
profits by assuring that economic development, new technologies,
and fiscal policies are responsible to future generations who
will inherit the results of our actions.
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Myth
#2: The Green Party is disorganized!
The overall organization of a party is often associated with the
publicity it gets, and until very recently, the Green Party was
pretty much lost to the media and in turn, the voting public.
The Green Party is missing out on local experience in holding
seats in the legislature, but with almost 30 years of Conservative
dominance, it’s not an uncommon occurrence in the Alberta
government! Globally, however, the Green movement has been a strong
voice in politics.
In
Canada, and particularly Alberta, what the Green Party lacks is
not organization, it’s funding. The Green Party is run solely
by volunteers, many of whom work full-time outside of their involvement
with the party, so sometimes things may take a little longer to
get done. Green members are, however, deeply concerned with the
state of our social and environmental systems and work hard on
creating a platform that reflects the strong need for change.
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Myth
#3: The Green Party is anti-private business and would destroy
Alberta’s economy!
Environmental
awareness and sustainable living does not have to come at the
cost of profitable business and private ownership! The Green Party
strongly supports sustainable business, and as a policy would
offer loans to small business start-ups that do not rely heavily
on Alberta’s dwindling primary resources. Working towards
sustainable community-based business where local production and
consumption dominate ensures that the Alberta economy can keep
itself afloat and we can work towards a healthier province that
is more self-sufficient.
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Myth
#4: What about the people who depend on Alberta’s primary
resource wealth for jobs?
It’s no surprise that oil will not be available forever,
and at the current rate of deforestation, Alberta’s vast
forest systems cannot be depended upon in the future either. The
Green Party loves Alberta and is not intent on running this province
into the ground by eliminating people’s jobs. Alternatively,
the Green Party is working towards making the move from environmentally
destructive resources such as coal, to sustainable energy sources
such as wind power, an increasingly attractive option in the flat
prairies. As for the forestry industry, a change in the cutting
and processing methods is what is needed, not an elimination of
the entire sector. Government control of business is by no means
in the Green platform. The Green Party would mandate regulations
limiting the damage a company can inflict on the environment,
and enforce pollution laws to ensure that there is still a liveable
and productive Alberta in the future years when oil is no longer
an option as a money-making industry.
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Myth
#5: The Green Party is just a bunch of tree hugging hippies!
Caring
about the environment does not make one a hippie or a tree hugger.
Since the greens are neither left nor right, one cannot say that
the party is entirely one way or another—there is in fact
a diverse mix within the party not just of age, status, and ethnicity,
but also of political leanings. There are some in the party who
might be better called left wing than right, and vice-versa. Because
the principals of the party are not grounded in left/right politics
we draw a broad range of support. Stereotypes exist for every
political party, but the reality is that activists, professionals,
businesspeople, and students alike all believe in the green vision.
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Stay
tuned for more myths!