One Door at a Time
Mike speaking with a Kitchener homeowner
It’s been just over a month now that our team has been knocking on doors across Kitchener Centre, talking with our neighbours about their priorities heading into this year’s federal election.
We’re hearing from people every day about the concerns at the forefronts of their minds: from health care to affordable housing to the costs of failing to act decisively on the climate crisis.
Far and away however, the most common conversation we’re having at the door is people telling us they want to vote Green, but they just aren’t sure we can win. They don’t want to ‘waste their vote’, and they’re curious why we think we have a shot in this election.
Each time I hear this, I feel so grateful for this honesty. Because it gives us a chance to share just how different this election is going to be, and why we feel so strongly: that, yes, this is our moment.
First, there is what’s happening across the country and across the world: Greens are winning. From the European Parliament last week, to Paul Manly’s by-election win in Nanaimo last month, to Greens forming the Official Opposition in PEI, to Mike Schreiner’s win in Guelph last year. We are seeing that it’s possible: we can collectively vote for what we’re for, rather than the fear of what we’re against. And we can win.
Second, there’s what Canadians are saying across the country: Greens are now polling at 12% across Canada, almost 45% of Canadians would consider voting Green (and truthfully, based on what we’re hearing at the door, this number seems even higher), and Elizabeth May continues to be the most popular and ethical party leader.
Third, there’s what is happening across Kitchener Centre as we step in to this moment. We continue to see the onus being on us, together, to demonstrate that we can build a campaign worthy of our neighbours’ support. To date, this includes:
Doubling the membership of the local party back in February, and the nomination meeting hitting fire code before it even began
More than 200 people asking to be part of our campaign team to date
More than 500 people attending our campaign launch party, with Elizabeth May and Mike Schreiner, on May 16
This column in the Waterloo Region Record in advance of our launch party, and this one immediately after
Raising more than $23,000 in 10 minutes at the campaign launch party, putting us on track to have a fully funded campaign before the writ drops
In short, this is about being ready with the message, organizing ability and resources to be able to engage our neighbours across Kitchener Centre, at such a pivotal moment. At a time when the status quo isn’t working.
The team of volunteers on a weekend canvass in May
The team of volunteers on a weekend canvass in May
Increasingly, people at the door have already heard of our campaign from a friend, on social media, or in the local media.
We often talk about active hope, as more people choose to be part of this momentum with us: every lawn sign requested, every new canvasser that signs on, and every new donation gives us the drive to continue on to the next block, to knock on the next door.
One at a time, as more people choose this ‘active hope’, we move that much closer to bringing to Ottawa ideas that match the scale of the challenges we face.
And while these conversations may only be a few minutes long, we promise to continue to show our neighbours just how hard we are willing to work for their support: we intend on knocking on their door again before election day.
So while canvassing isn’t the only way we’ll be engaging across our riding, it certainly is one I’m grateful we are focusing on. One door at a time.
-Mike
