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Tall Poppy Interview – Chris Tindal, Green Party Candidate
At this point of the election, the exclusion of the Green Party’s Jim Harris in the leader’s debate is on the moot side. The debate has been deemed relatively inconsequential, with more attention to TV advertising and mainstream party scandals. Still, Torontoist couldn’t help feeling a litte sorry for the Greens and their ‘also-ran’ status in the media. So, in an attempt to balance out the party coverage, here is a quick tete-a-tete with Green Party candidate for Toronto Centre-Rosedale, Chris Tindal.
In a four sentence paragraph, explain what you would do as member of Parliament for Toronto Centre-Rosedale. Your paragraph must contain a question and an exclamation.
For one, I’d like to see some breathable air in this city! One in five children has childhood asthma. A few decades ago, childhood asthma practically didn’t exist. Why are we using our children as canaries in the mineshaft?
What has been your media strategy given the exclusion of the Green Party in the debate amongst other coverage?
We’ve been focusing on three areas in order of importance. First, direct face-to-face contact through canvassing door-to-door. By the end of this campaign we will have distributed approximately 50,000 flyers. (Don’t worry, they’re 100% post-consumer recycled paper, non-bleached, printed with a waterless printing process powered by wind…actually.) Second, we’ve been using our website, christindal.ca, where visitors can view our entire platform, watch a video of myself, get in touch with us, and more. Thirdly, we’ve been participating in every local debate, getting great feedback and signing up new volunteers and supporters.
The Green Party often paints itself as a party that defies traditional categorization (“The Green Party of Canada has moved beyond outdated notions of ‘left’ and ‘right’ politics”). There are, however, issues which have traditionally divided Canadians. For instance, where do you stand on same-sex marriage?
We unequivocally support same-sex marriage.
…gun control?
It’s important, and we can do a better job of restricting the flow of illegal firearms into Canada, especially into our cities. We can also do a better job of making sure that the gun registry, for example, targets criminals rather than others. However, we need to also address the root causes of violence for a long-term, sustainable solution. The loss of any life is equally tragic, weather it’s committed with an illegal firearm or with another weapon. We need to confront the problem of violence on many fronts, including by building strong, local economies so that every neighbourhood has jobs and opportunities.
…public-system health care?
Maintaining our universally accessible, public heal-care system is critical. Doing that with money alone is impossible. The Green Party is the only party talking about health, not just health care. When up to 50% of cancers are preventable, and an even larger percentage of heart disease, strokes, and respiratory illnesses are preventable, we need to do more. We cannot allow the amount of cancers and other diseases to increase at current rates and maintain our health care system. And we can start by stopping the introduction of known toxins and carcinogens into our air, water, and food.
What’s your favourite restaurant in the riding you aim to represent?
There’s a new Indian take-out restaurant called Veda that’s opened up near my home on Yonge St just north of Bloor. It’s cheep, healthy, and delicious. It’s also family owned and operated, which is great. Locally owned small business is very important to Green politics.
Where’s your favourite park?
I wish there was more selection in Toronto, but I treasure what we have. High Park is beautiful and I’ve enjoyed seeing Shakespeare in the Park there in the summer. I also like Allan Gardens, where we hosted our first annual
“Green Community BBQ” last year for over 250 people.
Who – in either municipal, provincial or federal – is your favourite elected representative in Canada history?
A challenging question. I respect Ed Broadbent for his positive, constructive work over the years, as well as for his support for proportional representation and for the inclusion of the Green Party in the leader’s debates.
Anything else you’d like Torontoist readers to know?
Lots of people tell me, “Chris, I believe in the Green Party, and I think you’ve got the best ideas, I just don’t know if I’m ready to vote that way.” Instead of voting for what we want, many of us have been voting against what we don’t want. We need to use our votes positively, to say YES to something. When deciding how to vote, I think we all need to ask ourselves two questions. First, when we send our politicians to Ottawa, do we expect them to vote with integrity, with their conscience, and for what they think is right? And, when we vote, do we expect the same thing of ourselves?
Chris Tindal, as well as all other Toronto Centre-Rosedale candidates, will participate in a public debate at Ryerson University on Monday, January 16.