Interview with Alberta Green Party leader George Read
WP:This by-election is a crucial turning-point in Albertan politics. What, in your opinion, makes you stand out from all the other candidates vying for the Calgary-Elbow riding?
GR: The Green Party stands out from the other political parties as the right option in this by¬election because we are the only political party that is offering voters social, environmental and fiscal responsibility.The Green Party is committed to public health care and a healthy society along with saving our oil wealth for the future.
May 24th, 2007 at 8:39 am
I am liking George’s spin on things.
The fact is that Alberta could do a lot better with its natural resource (i.e oil) derived surplus and that the Green are likely the only party talking about Alberta as an energy and knowledge province - and backing it up by original ideas.
Housing and services, not just the impacts on natural environment, are some of the issues affected and set into motion by the oil sands boom. AB politics is inherently conservative, yes, but it has always had a very progressive, futuristic edge. What I see more than ever from outside the province is that AB government jealously guards its constitutional turf and that includes potential further regulation of the energy industry on its soil. What the Greens are doing - and it is a smart move - is redirecting the old, tired debate over oil wealth vs. environment, towards a more pragmatic debate in the vein of ” we have the oil wealth, but are we doing enough with it?”