Sudbury has a chance to make history, Greens say

Electing Ontario's first Green MPP would let the rest of the world know that city is no longer a “dirty” mining town, says the party's candidate for Sudbury.

David Robinson, an economist at Laurentian University, was elected to run for the party Tuesday night in the upcoming byelection in Sudbury, slated for Feb. 5.

Robinson said in an interview Wednesday he's running, in part, because the mainstream parties refuse to talk about climate change, or propose meaningful solutions. He said Sudbury could be a leader in switching to a green economy, away from one dependent on fossil fuels.

“The majority of the people do want action,” Robinson said. “But when leaders are both ignorant and afraid, it's not surprising that the public is confused. They're not doing their jobs.”

He was joined by Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner, who said he was delighted Robinson is running for them, describing him as the party's “star candidate.”

“He's one of the smartest economists when it comes to job creation in Northern Ontario,” Schreiner said. “He knows how to make Sudbury a leader when it comes to sustainable mining practices. It's the kind of political leadership this province needs.”

Robinson repeated his opposition to the Maley Drive extension, which Wynne has agreed to fund after decades of requests from the city.

He said the only ones that will benefit from the projects are mining companies, and he sees no reason why taxpayers should subsidize the project.

“It's a waste of money,” he said.

Robinson said the Greens are offering ideas that are profoundly different from other parties – ideas that will create jobs while directly addressing issues like climate change.

“I think we are offering something really exciting and new,” he said. “It's something people want, but aren't finding a way to express it through the old parties.

“If (voters) see that, we could come right up the middle. Because we do know that the majority of Canadians support action on climate change.”

And Schreiner said he plans to be in Sudbury frequently during the campaign, urging residents to make history by electing Robinson, rather than sending a backbencher to Queen's Park from one of the mainstream parties.

“But electing David, that's a game-changer – it's a historic opportunity for the people of Sudbury,” he said. “It's an opportunity for Sudbury to be a provincial and global leader in delivering the solutions we need to create jobs in a 21st Century, low-carbon economy.”