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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!