Former federal Liberal Saanich-Gulf Islands candidate Briony Penn has said she won't be supporting Green leader Elizabeth May in her bid to win that riding. Speaking with Public Eye, Ms. Penn, who had backed the Greens prior to becoming a Grit, said, "Before Elizabeth declared her intention, I had supported Renee Hetherington who is running in the nomination race for the Libs in the riding. And I'm still going to support her through her nomination race because she's a great person and I'm not going to drop her like a hot potato."
But that doesn't mean Ms. May didn't try to get Ms. Penn to endorse her. "Elizabeth did ask for my support. And I kind of had to point out, 'Where was yours six months ago?' Because I would have been in Ottawa right now if it had been there. And I had already made this commitment to Renee and I stick by it because she's a fabulous candidate."
That being said, though, Ms. Penn stated, "I dearly would love to see both women elected. That would be my biggest dream...I wish she would be running in the riding that she knows and loves best and that all the political parties got together and said, 'We need Elizabeth May in this riding and figured something out.'"
But now that she's made the decision to abandon Central Nova in favour of Saanich-Gulf Islands, Ms. Penn worries Ms. May will split the anti-Conservative vote, ensuring another win for incumbent candidate Gary Lunn.
Moreover, she said, "There's a real danger in identifying the greenest riding and being the most superb green candidate that's ever been. If she doesn't win, then what?"
Well.
Isn't that special.
Especially for Mr. Lunn.
.
What Saanich Gulf Islands needs is a good strong Liberal candidate to run on a platform of economics, jobs, services and real tangible ideals. Stop all this nonsense of environmental mish mash. Liberals in that riding have continually overestimated the enviro demographic and the last election clearly illustrates that. Even without an NDP candidate, they still came up short. Until that happens SGI will continue to go conservative regardless of how inept Lunn is.