Universities influence elections. Politicians are controlled by technocrats... behind the scenes http://technocracy.news
As many of you know (and some of you might be surprised to find out), I have been working hard to have Megan Mitton, the Green Party candidate for Memramcook-Tantramar, elected in the provincial election in New Brunswick. That may seem an odd choice for a former Liberal MLA and party organizer! My decision has nothing to do with any ill will or bad feelings towards the Liberal Party or the present government. I made my decision for two reasons.
The first reason is that for the past 12 years the students at Mount Allison University have inspired me to be a more thoughtful and engaged person. I am doing it for them. They have taught me so much about climate change, startups, LBGTQ rights, Indigenization, and a host of other things. Their frustration with traditional parties is disheartening. I want their voices represented in the Legislature. They deserve a voice. They deserve a little hope. We have left them with some tough issues to deal with.
The second reason I am voting for Megan is that the Liberals and Conservatives make for pretty weak opposition in New Brunswick. This is usually because the party in opposition is the one that was decimated in the previous election. I believe in the importance of other voices and opinions in the Legislature. It is difficult to have a voice as a government backbencher. I cannot emphasize this enough — trust me on this one, I experienced it first-hand.
During my time as an MLA I also saw first-hand the power and purpose of Elizabeth Weir — the lone NDP member of the Legislature in the ‘90s. She was a one-woman opposition machine and no one did it better. Her voice was important because it made my colleagues and I better, kinder, and more reflective legislators. There was no one I admired more in the Legislature than Elizabeth Weir. Her voice represented all like-minded New Brunswickers from across the province. They deserved to have their voice heard in the Legislature. David Coon is filling that role now and doing it admirably. Adding Megan to the Legislature will amplify those voices.
For those of you thinking I am wasting my vote by voting Green, you need to visit this riding. What we are hearing at the doors indicates she can win. The huge amounts of money raised for the campaign indicates she can win. The lawn sign campaign (best I have ever seen) indicates she can win. The number of voters on campus indicates she can win. The hundreds of volunteers working day and night to get her elected indicates she can win.
Megan will win or lose this election by a small margin. If you live in this riding, please go vote for her. We need diverse voices in the Legislature, so we can all have a say in the solutions to the complex social, economic and environmental issues facing New Brunswick."
As you may or may not know .. Megan Mitton is married to a university professor at mta.ca .. many of the professors in my neighbourhood had green party signs on their lawns and have been influencing their students how to vote... imagine that?
