Judith recently did a great Q & A with Sway Magazine – learn more about her new position as Green Party of Ontario Women’s Critic and her priorities as a candidate.

(July 28, 2011) Toronto, Ontario — The Green Party of Ontario announces the appointment of Judith Van Veldhuysen of St. Paul’s as Women’s Issues critic.

“Judith brings a fresh perspective to our Shadow Cabinet,” said Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner.  “I am proud to add such an intelligent and passionate individual to our team.”

Currently Ms. Van Veldhuysen is the nominated candidate for St. Paul’s.

“This is my opportunity to shed some light on topics that have always been important to me – like poverty, violence and equal rights,” said Ms. Van Veldhuysen. “I am honoured to have this opportunity to bring a critical eye to policy matters in Ontario, and it is a responsibility that I do not take lightly.”

As the Women’s Issues critic, Ms. Van Veldhuysen will pay special attention to child care services in Ontario and examine the adverse effects of our current system.

“Our candidates come from all walks of life and bring with them valuable community experience,” said Schreiner. “Together we will present our vision for a more economically, socially and environmentally sustainable Ontario for generations to come.”

For more information on Judith Van Veldhuysen please visit: http://www.gpo.ca/riding/77/candidate

For more information on the Green Party of Ontario’s 5 Point Plan for Ontario please visit:www.itstimeforgreen.ca

This is it! It’s Election Day, and every single vote counts! Please ensure you get out to vote today, and encourage your friends, family and neighbours to make their voices heard. History will be made today, and all Canadians deserve to be a part of this.

Visit vote.green.ca and enter your address to find your voting location.

Polls are open from 9:30AM to 9:30PM today.

Don’t be swayed by the headlines in the media, or the numbers in various polls. This election is by no means a ‘done deal.’ Just get out and vote today, and send a clear message to Ottawa that healthy, clean communities and smart economies are a priority for Canadians.

We’re having an Election Night Victory Party at the Great Hall, 1087 Queen St. W, starting at 8PM. We’re celebrating a great Green Party campaign with the other Green volunteers and campaign teams from across Toronto as we wait for the election results to come in, especially from Elizabeth May’s riding in British Columbia! The hall has space for 500 people, so please join us and invite more to come along. Thanks to the Oak Ridges Markham Green Party campaign for organizing this event.

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A big thank you to all the volunteers who braved the rain and cold to help clean up Cedarvale Park this Sunday afternoon.

The weather was wet and miserable, but we managed to pick up seven full bags of trash, including some of the garbage right near the school, before the skies really opened up in the late afternoon.

Some of the stranger items we found this time included several rusty barrel hoops (??), a full living room furniture set (too heavy to lift, unfortunately), and several pairs of underpants.

Watch Roger Martin of Unicell and Jim McGarva talk about the Unicell Quicksider, a fully electric delivery truck prototype, at the Wychwood Barns this past weekend.

We’re in the home stretch until election day, and we’re celebrating a great Green Party campaign with our regularly scheduled spring park cleanup this Sunday, May 1, from 1 – 3 pm at Cedarvale Park. Come join Jim McGarva and our amazing volunteers and friends do a good deed, clean up the park and ravine, and encourage local residents to think–and VOTE Green on Monday!

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Invite your friends and neighbours to come along too. If you’ve never been part of our park cleanups, check out our past cleanups here. It’s a lot of fun, and a great way to meet people who care about a healthy Earth, and healthy communities. Why should an election get in the way of giving back to our community parks?

“A vote for Jim McGarva in St. Paul’s is a wakeup call to business as usual in Ottawa”

St. Paul’s Green candidate Jim McGarva was a breath of fresh air on the Rogers TV all candidates debate April 18, 2011, speaking with passion and conviction for a cleaner, healthier Canada for this generation and the next.

Jim McGarva was one of four candidates at the debate on Rogers TV, which included Liberal incumbent Carolyn Bennett, NDP William Molls and Conservative Maureen Harquail, and the only one whose campaign team covered the event live on Twitter @stpaulsgreens.

Viewers called in about issues such as accreditation for foreign-trained professionals, a national childcare program, transit plans and participatory democracy.

McGarva told viewers he has voted Green for every election since he was eligible, but was frustrated by the fact he’s had no voice in Ottawa to represent him.

“Proportional representation is about fairness, about giving every voter an equal voice.” When a viewer asked about how to make proportional representation work, McGarva said the Greens “would put forth better mechanisms to enhance participatory democracy.”

On the topic of the corporate tax rate, McGarva argued corporate tax cuts do not guarantee jobs and economic growth in Canada as enterprises “take these savings out of the country.” As a young father of an expanding family, McGarva said he’s all too familiar with the high-coast of childcare and said the child care benefit is ” simply not enough.”

With a high number of  subway stops in St. Paul’s and a large population of transit users, the topic of transit was a hot issue as well. The problem, argued McGarva, is too many projects start and stop.

McGarva highlighted the Green Party support for a high-speed rail corridor between Windsor and Quebec City. “Cleaner, fast transportation is essential to our well being,” he said. But more importantly, Canadians need a government with the will to see these projects through, said McGarva.

“We need a long-term strategy with vision and foresight. Cancelling plan over plan is not leadership, and wastes important tax dollars,” said McGarva. And it’s these crucial dollars that can be better put to use for a national childcare plan.

The program was hosted by Dale Goldhawk, who gave candidates time for final arguments.

Said McGarva  in closing: “A vote for me as your St. Paul’s representative is a wakeup call to business as usual in Ottawa.”

See you on the campaign trail!

Happy Passover to those who celebrate it in our great riding of St. Paul’s!

From Jim McGarva and the campaign team.