Green party leader backs Wasylycia-Leis

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This article was published 13/09/2010 (5503 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Another federal politician has weighed in on Winnipeg’s contentious civic election, with Green party Leader Elizabeth May throwing her support behind Judy Wasylycia-Leis.

May was in Winnipeg on Sunday to speak at a local green living expo about how the city lags behind some Canadian municipalities in establishing a modern rapid transit system and reducing pesticide use. While she initially said it would be "inappropriate" for a federal party leader to endorse a mayoral candidate, she announced her support of former NDP MP and MLA Wasylycia-Leis’ bid for mayor just hours later at the University of Winnipeg.

Her endorsement comes just two days after Tory cabinet minister Steven Fletcher announced his support for Mayor Sam Katz’s re-election campaign.

On Friday, the junior cabinet minister raised eyebrows when he issued a statement saying Katz has been a key supporter of justice reforms "the federal NDP have opposed, obstructed and watered down at every opportunity."

May said she felt compelled to publicize her support for Wasylycia-Leis since other federal politicians have come forward to support candidates and the race is so hotly contested.

"I’m pretty concerned about the issues of poverty and social justice in Winnipeg and I think (Judy) will do very well at that," May said. "(The election) is contentious."

Political expert Paul Thomas said the endorsement is not a huge deal or "turning point" in the race since it cements Wasylycia-Leis as the greener candidate.

"This will just reinforce their predisposition to think ‘if we really want to put environmental issues at the top of the city agenda then we’ve got to go for Judy,’ " said Thomas, a retired University of Manitoba political science professor.

Thomas said Katz has made progress on initiatives such as bike lanes, but does not have a reputation for taking a stance against urban sprawl the way former mayor Glen Murray did.

Wasylycia-Leis and Katz could not be reached for comment Sunday night. May spoke at the Winnipeg Green Lifestyle and Organic Living Show at the convention centre on Sunday about how the city could become more sustainable. She told a crowd of about 150 people Winnipeg uses more pesticides to kill mosquitos than any other city in North America, and that the federal government needs to develop a national transportation strategy to help cities such as Winnipeg build more efficient bus and light rail transit systems.

She said Winnipeg citizens who want a greener environment are going to "know which way to vote" and that people pick up on symbolic cues from local leaders. She called the rapid transit debate a "hot issue" and urged Winnipeggers to get involved and attend every candidates’ meeting to find out how they plan to make the city a better place to live.

Late last year, Katz kiboshed millions in federal-provincial cash earmarked for the second phase of bus rapid transit to the University of Manitoba. Katz now wants to redirect $130 million earmarked for Phase 2 to roads, and is lobbying Ottawa and the province for millions of dollars in new money to transform the BRT system into a rail-based streetcar system.

jen.skerritt@freepress.mb.ca