How Green is this valley? One has to wonder when walking through town and seeing only a single variety of campaign signs around. It would seem that Jasperites are behind our local candidate, Monika Schaefer, of the Green Party.

It makes good sense for Jasper residents to support Schaefer. She is local and knows the ins and outs of the issues affecting this community better than any of her adversaries. She speaks passionately about her party and its platform and we have no doubt that she would do an admirable job for this town and this riding if she was to be elected as our representative.

The problem is not Schaefer. It’s her party. The Fitzhugh has advocated in this space for the Greens to be included in the leadership debates, but make no mistake, we do not support the party or what it proposes. Indeed, well-intentioned voters ought to give the Greens a strong look before casting their ballots on January 23.

The Green Party purports to feature a large role for party members, with grassroots involvement on the development of new policy through a web feature called the “Living Platform.” It’s easy to see why people might believe that the Greens are moving beyond politics as usual.

It’s not that simple. The Living Platform forum has been without a moderator for several months, and according to an article written by BC left-wing activist Murray Dobbin, that individual was forced out by Green leader Jim Harris.

Dobbin also claims that Harris’ behaviour and attitude precipitated the departure of four members of the party’s governing council. 

Also of concern is the low profile of the party on a national level. Although an argument can be made that exclusion from the debates handicapped the Greens’ potential visibility, it is odd that a party which received more than $1 million in federal funding only managed to raise $200,000 and has had little presence in the national media. If the goal is to have representatives elected, surely this exposure should be a priority.

Much hay has been made in certain circles about the fact that environmental organizations have ranked the Greens’ environmental platform below that of the NDP and on certain matters, the Bloc Quebecois. However, the difference is between an A and an A+, so voters wishing to support a party with sound environmental policy can rest assured. 

However, anyone who feels like supporting the Greens because of a desire to back a progressive, new approach towards federal politics should take that step with trepidation.

In terms of the party’s platform, the Greens present the electorate with food for thought. Policies that call for the re-negotiation of international trade agreements or a ban on all non-natural pesticides and insecticides by 2010 aren’t likely to be found associated with parties that actually have an opportunity to form government, and with good reason. That doesn’t mean these ideas are without merit or shouldn’t be discussed.

All told, support for the Green Party is understandable on several levels and for a host of reasons. Voters should withhold that support for now, so that the Green Party may take steps to examine and right the troubling developments within it. Canada needs a strong Green Party. We won’t get it by supporting a flawed one.