Canadians have a powerful new online tool to help them cast a vote for the environment.
VoteForEnvironment.ca provides a recommended pick for every riding in the country for the Liberal, NDP, Green or Bloc party candidate most likely to overwhelm their Conservative opponent.
“At a time when we need urgent global action on climate change, Stephen Harper seems to be the only national leader in North American who just doesn’t care,” said Kevin Grandia, co-founder of VoteForEnvironment.ca. “Yet now the pro-environment vote looks like it’s splitting again among the four environmentally conscious parties, creating the possibility that Harper’s Conservatives may win a second term – maybe even a majority. The best way to block that win is to vote strategically – to vote for the environment instead of for any political party.”
The website gathers the latest polls and cross-references them against the 2006 results. It then adds some on-the-ground analysis to predict the likely outcome in each of the 308 ridings. Voters can plug in their postal code and instantly see the last election results modified to show which party is likely leading. The site currently identifies 63 ridings where a Conservative victory can be stopped if progressive voters unite behind a single candidate.
VoteForEnvironment.ca is party-neutral, looking only for the pro-environment candidate with the best chance of blocking a Conservative in each riding. In the analysis stage, the website collects relevant details – such as the retirement of an incumbent – and then searches to identify “swing” ridings, those in which an NDP, Bloc, Liberal or Green candidate could win if at least one-third of the opposition party supporters voted for them.
In other words, anything but the Conservatives.
Jeannine says
Glad you mentioned voteforenvironment.ca because it seems the only way for Canada to have a representative democracy.
Since we don’t have a proportional voting system, having 4 or 5 parties doesn’t work for us. It just splits the vote. And if the centre-left vote stays so badly split, Canada will be run forever by 1/3 of the voters until opposition parties learn to co-operate.
Voters are ahead of the politicians on this one. Voteforenvironment.ca represents a paradigm shift.
Jason says
I have a bit of a problem with the calculations on voteforenvironment.ca, though it’s generally a good idea. Thing is, it doesn’t allow for any standout candidates in traditional tory strongholds. It’s based on the past and what the national trends are.
While it’s a good starting point, I’d urge everyone to pay close attention to the local debates and talk to people in their riding. There just might be a strong contender you may want to back.
Andrea Bellamy says
Jeannine – hear, hear!
Jason – Yup, you’re right. I wonder how much they’ve considered that, though. For example, I live in the Vancouver-Kingsway riding, which is David Emerson’s (boo-hiss). (He’s the one who was elected as a Liberal and crossed the floor to the Conservatives days after the election.) Voteforenvironment.ca has given the NDP a 5% boost in their calculations to compensate for a potential Liberal backlash because of the Emerson scandal. But all said, yes, do pay attention to your local candidates. I’d never urge anyone to just blindly vote a certain way based on someone else’s recommendation!