Nunavut's Green Party candidate admits defeat before election is called

Spencer Rocchi will be the Green Party candidate for Nunavut in the fall election. According to him, though, he won't be taking office... period.

Rocchi, a Green Party supporterwho has worked as a teacher in Nunavut for the past three years,reached out to the partyto ask what he could do to help them in the upcoming general election.

In response, they asked: "could you run?"

Since the 2004 election, the Green Party has attempted to run candidates in each of Canada's 308 ridings, fielding no fewer than 303 and the entire slate twice, in 2004 and 2006.In many cases, though, this can only be achieved through the use of stand-in candidates.

That's where Rocchi comes in.

"I realistically don't think I will finish anywhere outside of last place," he said. "I would not be assuming office if I were to hypotheticallywin this thing."

Rocchi sees his role as a candidate in this election not so much as a competitor, but more as a placeholder.

"It's more about the actual party itself," he said. "The Green Party's policies and plans of action themselves more than it's about who'ssitting in the position."

Rocchi has struggledto get the 50 signatures requiredto get on the federal ballot. However, he remainsoptimistic that Nunavut residents will rally to his cause.