On Tuesday, April 19, 2011 Elizabeth May will meet Calgarians over coffee and while mainstreeting in downtown Calgary. Come out and lift a latte with a potential leader of our country! Then saunter down the avenue (Stephen Avenue) with Greens wearing Green and Elizabeth May. When everyone reaches Calgary’s historic Trolley Car Stage, Elizabeth May will give remarks to the gathering crowd. There will be great photo opportunities: be sure to bring your cameras! (And don’t say we didn’t warn you.) The 75-minute long event will look like this:

Lift a Latte with Elizabeth May
Good Earth Café, Bankers Court, 850 – 2 Street SW
9:15 am – 9:35 am (approx)

Saunter Down Stephen Avenue with Greens in Green
(Start at 8 Ave and 2 St SW; end at 8 Ave and 1 St SW)
9:35 am – 10:00 am (approx)

Remarks from the Trolley Car Stage
Stephen Avenue Mall
(8 Avenue SW near 1 Street SW)
10:00 am – 10:30 am (approx)

“This visit is excellent news for Calgarians,” added Calgary Centre candidate William Hamilton. “It’s time for Calgarians to see for themselves on Tuesday that Elizabeth May and the Green Party of Canada are the only ones standing up for the smart economy, strong communities, and true democracy Calgary deserves. She knows just how much Calgary deserves a louder voice in Parliament. A stronger voice.”

Elizabeth May returns to Calgary on July 8th, hosted at La Joie De Vivre (7 PM).

La Joie De Vivre
1008 14 Street SE
Calgary, AB T2G 3K3

Green Party members can attend for free, non-members will be charged $10 at the door. Non-members can (of course) purchase a green party membership for $10 at the event.

We’d appreciate attendees RSVP by emailing Adrian Textor, so we can scale accordingly.

Last year (at La Joie De Vivre), Elizabeth spoke on topics including the economic recovery, Preston Manning, Green candidates and democracy. The topic of hemp production in Canada was brought up by attendee Lisa Kirkman…

…yes that Lisa Kirkman. Her son Noah was finally returned home to Lisa in Canada earlier this month.

Good to hear.

Currently, there’s 10 policy revisions being debated online. Any proposal which receives 20 sponsors (who must Green Party members in good standing) will be addressed at the 2010 Green Party convention in Toronto, August 20th to 22nd.

Policy motions passed at a General Meeting are sent out to Members for a final vote. If more than 50% of the votes cast in a Members’ vote approve of the motion, then it becomes official Party policy.

The Green Party strives for a democracy in which all citizens have the right to express their views, and are able to directly participate in the political decisions which affect their lives. We place great value on the input of our members into all aspects of our Party, including policy development.

Our policy process brings individual members of the party together to consider the needs of their community and their country. The new and innovative ideas of these members are then used to draft policy motions which then make up our party’s official policy. The party’s policy allows the membership to determine the direction of the party because it is the policy which forms the foundation for the platforms we will run on in coming elections.

The most common question we’re asked this morning? “Aren’t you guys dead?”

We’re tabling for the morning shift here at Marda Gras (on 33rd Ave SW in Marda Loop), and it is indeed a fine day to be outside.

The “dead” party we are being asked about is the provincial green party. Natalie Odd is a Federal Green Party candidate for the riding of Calgary-Centre. The two organizations do not have anything to do with each other. It is certainly helpful for us to learn not everyone is aware of this fact. They have always been different parties, with different constitutions.

And offered up by Alvin Shier of Canmore, “Your riding offices should have phone numbers that can be found in the phone book.”

We then picked up our Natalie Odd brochure, and sure enough… no phone number. As Alvin points out, not everyone uses a computer as their primary means of communication. We’ll get on that and update our materials once we’ve got a Calgary number.

If you’re attending Marda Gras, be sure to stop by and say hello. We’re looking for feedback, and happy to talk politics.

July 2nd 2009 (Thursday), 7 PM to 9 PM at:
La Joie De Vivre, 1008 14th Street SE, Calgary AB
(403) 237-0537

View Larger Map

Tickets are $30 for non-Green Party members, and $15 for members. Venue proceeds will be donated to the Servants Anonymous Society of Calgary.

Please rsvp by emailing calgarycentre@greenparty.ca or join the Elizabeth May Wine & Cheese FaceBook event.

If you’d like to help promote this event (aside from telling friends and family) we’ve got a promotional flier you can distribute. Coffee shops and community centres might have message boards you can post the flier on.

Thanks for any help, and hope to see you there!