Green Party wants respect for more than just its environmental reputation

Green Party candidates are making a final push to educatethe public on their party's key messages, and to try and distance themselves from stereotypes such asbeing labelled as"hippies,granolas ortree huggers."

Sure, the party has built its platform around a "Green Vision" but local candidates say they also have plans to create more affordable housing, lower payroll taxes for small businesses and include mental health services in the current OHIP+.

People have this vision in their mind of the Green Party ...[being a]hippie, granola, we're tree huggers.-KrystaGlovasky-Ridsdale, Green Party candidate for Windsor West

However, those promises are often overshadowed by the party's environmental reputation.

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"People have this vision in their mind of the Green Party or a Green Party supporters [being a]hippie, granola, we're tree huggers, we don't care about business, we don't care about people's lives and we want to make everything inconvenient and inexpensive," saidKrystaGlovasky-Ridsdale, Green Party candidate for Windsor West."And that's not the case, that's not true."

Chamber allows Greens in debate

Historically, the Greens have been excluded from many debates. This year was the first time in the last 15 or 20 years they've been invited to the Windsor-Essex RegionalChamber of Commerce debate.

Keeping in line with Ont.leaders' debates,CBCWindsor didnot extendinvitations to local Green Partycandidates for its three Windsor Morningradio and Facebook Live debates. The decision was made because theGreens donotcurrently haverepresentation at Queen's Park and because of limited available airtime inside the debates (approximately 30 minutes per discussion). CBCWindsor excluded the Green Party from its debates before two local PC candidates (Chris Lewis in Essex and Mohammad Latif in Windsor-Tecumseh) decided to skip their debates.

• Windsor West provincial candidates tackle local issues

• Fiery debate on the issues between Essex provincial candidates

• Windsor-Tecumseh candidates debate issues in their riding and Ontario

Teacher supports amalgamating school boards

In addition to implementing a basic income guarantee for allOntarians, the Green Party is also talking about amalgamating the public and Catholic school board systems. It's been on their platform for years and they still insist it will save the province money.

It seems to go against the Charter of Rights and Freedoms."- NancyPancheshan, Green Party candidate for Essex

Essex Green Party candidate Nancy Pancheshan, who is also a Catholic private school teacher, believes combining school boards is a good idea.

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"As a teacher, I have half the job opportunity because of religion alone. Living in a country like Canada, it seems to go against the Charter of Rights and Freedoms," saidPancheshan. "But I realize it's been established since the British North American Act, but we have to look at where we can save money and use our resources better."

In the last election, Green Party candidates received about four per cent of the vote in each riding. And the party has never held a seat at Queen's Park.

Hear more fromGreen Party candidates Krysta Glovasky-Ridsdale and Nancy Pancheshan:

Candidate concedes

Perhaps that's why the Green candidate for Windsor-Tecumseh admits he won't beatNDP incumbent Percy Hatfield.

Henry Oulevey is running for political office for the first time and the electrical engineer isn't expecting much.

"This is Percy's riding," he said with a smile."But I'm getting more of a sense as the weeks go on, that Percy is becoming a little bit more complacent, like he just thinks he has it in the bag, which he's probably going to win anyway.

"But I'd hate it for people to go vote for just because he's the last man standing. It's good to have options. I wanted to make sure the greens were on the ticket and that's why I put my name forward."