Parry Sound Green Party Rally

Green Rally in Parry Sound photos
After a Green party rally, attended by about 80 supporters on the Equal Voice, trying to encourage women to enter politics, and our daughters to vote.
The platform of the Parry Sound train station, Elizabeth May's VIA train pulled in after 7:30. It had been expected around 4:00, but was inevitably delayed. Everyone crowded the platform. They put out the steps and Elizabeth burst from the train in an explosion of energy, enthusiasm and excitement. She has great energy and I see her as a role model to all those who aspire. There is a women's group,

What an historic moment, as previous candidates, such as Wilfred Laurier in the 1900s had not option but to travel by train. Then, John Diefenbaker in 1965 and Pierre Trudeau in 1974, similarly ran the rails visiting whistle stops across the country. As one fan said, is gives respect to those of us in small towns, as well as saving carbon emissions.

There were two false starts as two freight trains pulled through at breakneck speed. It was a practice run, as folks picked up signs and began cheering. There were 6 Green Party candidates on the platform, with 5 jumping on the train to travel the rest of the way to Toronto. There were no platform speeches other than a welcome to all of us and thanks for Mr. Hodgson's team, a missed opportunity, but perhaps the candidate, Glen felt he would be preaching to the choir.

Elizabeth May burst out of the train with such energy and spirit and spoke to a formerly weary but now energised crowd. We had anticipated a 4:00 p.m., then 6:30, and finally a 7:30 arrival of the train taking across the country. It was poignant as the train arrived in the dusk, the sun setting as she began to talk to us. The sound of the train entering the station is a Canadian moment, the whistle being a familiar Central and North Ontario sound. She was articulate and powerful, and greeted all with a strong presence that puts forward the women’s movement, unlike some female politicians, i.e., the American McCain's running mate Sarah Palin, who sets the women’s movement back 4 years with her conservative views!

It was a shame not to see more reporters; CTV was represented by A-Channel: Barrie, COGECO had a videographer, The Moose sent a reporter, Mark Clairmont of Muskoka Today, and North Star Media sent a videocam and photographer. The National news reporters embedded onboard did not even disembark, despite the cheering crowd on the platform.

My YouTube Elizabeth May's arrival | her platform speech .