By John Edwards Collingwood Enterprise Bulletin
The Green Party is a party on the rise, says Ontario leader Mike Schreiner.
"I feel like the Green Party's voice is more relevant today than it ever has been and it's time for a strong Green voice at Queen's Park," he said, in an exclusive interview with The Connection Wednesday.
Schreiner, who became the leader of the Green Party in November, was in Collingwood to be a part of a panel discussion at the Be the Change Film Series at the Gayety Theatre where The Blue Mountain Watershed Trust and Elephant Thoughts were screening the documentary Food Inc.
Schreiner, a married father of two, grew up on a farm before starting a business in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
"In the mid-90s, I started a local food business in the GTA, delivering local food to homes in the GTA, I ran that business for ten years," he said.
In 2005, he started a non-profit organization that promoted local food and farmers.
He was co-chair of the Green Party's platform committee for the 2007 election and served as the policy co-coordinator for the party.
"I am brining the entrepreneurial, no-nonsense, organizational approach to the party," he said.
He then ran in a by election in Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock, finishing third behind Liberal Rick Johnson and then PC leader John Tory.
"It was a big step for us to finish in the top three," he said. "It's an indication, that we're a party on the rise. We're the fastest growing political party in Ontario."
With other political parties adopting 'green' policies, Schreiner said his party's plan for the economy and health care are more comprehensive and will allow the party to stay relevant and ahead of the curve.
"I would argue right now that we have the clearest vision on how do we build a prosperous green economy in the 21st century," he said.
He said the economy is the most important issue and it's important for Ontario to have a "low-carbon economy."
"The reason we are in a recession right now is because oil hit $150 a barrel," he said.  "Our economy is designed to run on cheap energy."
Schreiner said a staple of the party's economic policy is a green tax cut, which offers corporate tax cuts to businesses "rewarding businesses to go green."
The party also supports green construction, which not only creates jobs today, but saves money tomorrow.
Schreiner said it's important for manufacturers to produce more energy efficient products and his party would have a program to help with that transition.
He looks to Ohio as an example, which has a similar economy to Ontario.
"Toledo has been known as the glass capital of the world," he said.  "They have converted themselves into what's being called solar valley and creating glass for solar panels, creating 6,000 new jobs."
Schreiner said the Liberals did introduce a Green Energy Act, but said they are also proposing a gas fired electrical plant in the Holland Marsh.
"We take a more comprehensive and holistic approach and not one that is full of contradictions," he said.
His plan also includes promoting small and medium-sized businesses as well as farmers.
"We have to look at what type of regulatory and tax changes that have to take place to support our small and medium-sized businesses," he said. "We have to have policies that are going to support our family farmers and make it easier for people to buy local food from our family farmers."
On health care, Schreiner said his party would invest in health prevention.
"We believe a penny invested in health care prevention today is going to save us a dollar in health care costs," he said.
Schreiner had a keen interest on the Site 41 issue during the summer and believes companies who create waste, should pay for it.
"We need to pass extended producer responsibility laws," he said. "It would shift those costs off of use to businesses and create an incentive for businesses to reduce their packaging and produce more durable goods. Government creates the rule of the game that enables people and businesses to do the right thing."
Schreiner said the future looks bright for the party, saying they have increased their vote in every election since 1995. He said in the last election, 17 Green Party candidates finished in the top three in voting.
He said the party attracts from the left, right and middle.
"We're attracting voters from a broad political spectrum," he said. "We're prepared to take it to the next level. We're already influencing public policy at Queen's Park. We're offering sensible solutions, practical solutions."