Photo/SHELBY DEWSBURY GREEN PARTY OF CANADA leader Elizabeth May address the crowd of over 200 in attendance at the Orangeville Agricultural Centre on Tuesday night. Ms. May spoke to the mainly partisan gathering for approximately 45 minutes then followed her speech with a short question and answer session. Federal Green Party leader Elizabeth May visited Orangeville Tuesday and spoke to about 200 supporters at the Agricultural Centre in Mono.

In anticipation of a possible spring federal election, the Green Party is rallying support, motivated by a recent Decima Research poll that shows 13 per cent support nationally - tied with the NDP.

Ian McGugan, spokesperson for the local Green Party, said that in recent elections, candidates have held numbers near the top in both federal and provincial ridings.

"Locally, our candidates have place third, ahead of the NDP, twice - once federally and once provincially," he said.

Ms. May stepped down as executive director of the Sierra Club of Canada to run for the Green Party leadership. At the national convention in August last year, she won by a clear majority.

Photo/LAVINIA KERR LOCAL GREEN PARTY member Bernadette Hardaker was instrumental at organizing the event that brought the Green Party of Canada leader Elizabeth May to speak to supporters at the Orangeville Agriculture Centre. As an environmentalist, writer, activist and lawyer, Ms. May believes the next federal election will see the Green Party take at least one seat in the House of Commons and make a difference.

"If there has ever been a time when people in elected office should put partisanship aside for the common good, it's now," she said. "We face issues, not about playing games. We are facing issues that are irreversible, of being global and unforgiving."

Ms. May has served on boards for environmental groups and advisory bodies to universities and the government of Canada, including the International Institute for Sustainable Development and the National Round Table on Environment and Economy, and says Canada was once considered a leader on environmental issues in the international community and the government had been discussing the effects of climate change, ozone pollution and acid rain since the late 1980s.

"I learned about climate change from the government of Canada scientists who were enormously concerned even then that the international scientific community was stating a fact that it appears we might in fact - it was still a future-tense problem - have such an impact burning fossil fuels, we will actually affect the global climate."

In June 1988, with Canada in the lead on the climate issue, it hosted the first international scientific conference on the threat of climate change and the 400 scientists gathered issued a statement that Ms. May believes is still relevant for today and what the global community is facing today.

The statement read, "Humanity is conducting an unintended, uncontrolled, globally pervasive experiment. Where all of the consequences are second only to global nuclear war."

Ms. May believes the current government has only now been discussing the environment because it is the issue about which Canadians are most concerned.

It a recent poll about issues, 26 per cent of Canadians said the environment was the most pressing issue, followed by health care at 18 per cent.

She said the Kyoto accord is only a modest first step in reducing emissions and its six per cent target - to reduce greenhouse gases to 6 per cent below 1990 levels by 2012 - isn't enough, and Canadians should be pushing for more.

"Mr. Harper has only changed his tune, he hasn't changed his spots," she said.

Ms. May said Canada could return to a leadership role within the global community and should be leading the way to influence change on environmental issues.

"We're seen as a middle power with real influence."

With the party's sights set on getting a foot in the door at the House, Ms. May suggested that anyone who says they can't do it should remember the first steps taken by the Reform party.

"One person can make all the difference in the world. I firmly believe that. ... Our solution for what Canada will look like in 10, 20 years will be a vision that will give people hope who say, 'I want my kids to live in that world.' "

One local Green Party member said after the meeting that she was pleased with the turnout for the event.

"It is more than we imagined," she said. "I think we've taken the party to a whole new level."

The local party is gearing up for a nomination meeting on April 14. Ard Van- Leeuwen has registered as a candidate and the party is seeking other nominations.

For more information on The Green Party of Canada, you can visit its website at www.greenparty.ca .