Thursday, September 29, 2011

Are the Ontario Green's really farther right than the federal Greens?

In the Canadian federal election earlier this year, I used the VoteCompass tool produced by the CBC to see where I stood politically. I wrote a blog post about that. I was middle-of-the-road, like the Liberals (according to the tool) on the economic spectrum, but more socially liberal than the liberals. 

Notably, I did not seem to be placed close to my favoured party, the Greens (favoured because of their environmental stance, coupled with good economics). At the time, I commented that the Greens seemed to be placed wrongly by the VoteCompass tool. I have always liked the Greens precisely because they are environmentalists who also have a good grasp of economics, and are not as left-wing as the NDP.

The new VoteCompass tool for next week's Ontario election has a fascinating contrast to the above: All the other parties appear right where they did in the Federal campaign ... except the Greens. The Greens have shifted right. Not beyond the centre, but they are no longer on the left economically. I think this new tools is placing them where they belong. See below for the output of the tool after I had used it.

The Ontario VoteCompass puts me right on top of the Liberals. I think, actually I ought to have been placed right where the Greens are: In the dead centre. 

I will likely vote for the Greens, but might consider the Liberals if my district was close. I think Dalton McGuinty has done a good job. His push for clean energy is on target, for the most part. I would hate to see the Conservatives reverse course, as they have indicated they will.

My only question to McGuinty is, if he lowers university tuition as he has promised is he going to make up difference to the universities? And more than that, is he going to reverse the decline in per-student funding?



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