The media portrays itself in a number of ways. First, they are impartial conveyors of facts. Second, they are instruments of change.
In theory.
In fact, they are often tools of the establishment for the maintenance of the status quo.
Here is one example.
On October 6th, Ontario went to the polls in a provincial election. 107 provincial parliamentary seats were up for grabs and all of them, not surprisingly, went to the 3 'traditional' parties: the Liberal Party, the Progressive Conservative Party and the New Democratic Party. All the coverage after the election was focused on them and perhaps rightly so.
There were many, many other parties that ran a candidate in at least one electoral district -- we like to call them fringe parties -- but only one ran a candidate in every riding: the Green Party. Does this mean they deserved some coverage? Absolutely! The Greens are conspicuous in their absence because they are the only fully represented party that wasn't covered! They have already won a seat federally. What do they have to do to be taken seriously?
Perhaps you see it differently and in your opinion running a candidate in every district isn't really newsworthy. There had to be more to the story to give them some coverage.
Well how about this. The Green Party finished no lower than 4th in 102 of the 107 districts. The only exceptions were: Sarnia-Lambton (Independent); Scarborough—Rouge River (Libertarian) by a mere 2 votes; Timiskaming-Cochrane (Northern Ontario Heritage); Vaughan (Libertarian) which had the 4th highest fringe turnout in the province; and York Centre (Libertarian). In Timiskaming-Cochrane the only female candidate finished last -- you guessed it, the Green Party candidate. That might be an actual case of gender discrimination. (It's conceivable that the Scarborough—Rouge River result might flip-flop when the vote counts become official.)
On the other hand, the Green Party actually beat out the NDP candidate in Dufferin-Caledon by more than 1300 votes in order to finish 3rd.
Furthermore, in the collective popular vote the Greens garnered more votes than all the fringe parties, including Independents, combined. What's even more impressive is that this held true in 90 of 107 districts. The 17 where it didn't hold true...
Bramalea—Gore—Malton: (51% of the fringe total) The Big 3 all ran persons of South Asian extraction. None of the other 4 candidates were of similar ethnicity. As it turns out, this was a poor decision, politically speaking. 93% of the votes went South Asian, as might be expected by the local demographics and by party popularity.
Burlington: (96% of the fringe total) The retirement of the incumbent PC MPP left a tight race fought between the PCs and Liberals. Tight races tend to minimize voting for non-traditional parties.
Etobicoke North: (67% of the fringe total) The Ford family stomping grounds. Not in the least bit surprising.
Hamilton Centre: (86% of the fringe total) Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath's district and a decisive victory with over 61% of the votes. This is made all the more impressive given that Hamilton Centre was also the district with the most candidates (10).
Hamilton Mountain: (94% of the fringe total) I can see no obvious reason here for the relatively poor performance of the Green candidate.
Huron—Bruce: (90% of the fringe total) The only thing I can see here is a surprising turn out for the Family Coalition Party, close to their best in the province, if not the best.
Mississauga-Brampton South: (94% of the fringe total) M-BS was the only district with 2 officially "Independent" candidates. The Libertarian Party also had an outstanding showing here. As in Bramalea—Gore—Malton, the Big 3 also ran 3 South Asians here. One of the Independents was also South Asian. The Green Party candidate was not.
Oak Ridges-Markham: (99.2% of the fringe total) This was the only district to cast more than 1000 votes for any one fringe party, in this case, the Libertarians. Another 600 votes cast for an Independent and that edges out the Green Party by the slimmest of margins.
Sarnia-Lambton: (46% of the fringe total) One of the worst vote totals and the worst relative showing in the province.
Scarborough-Agincourt: (76% of the fringe total) For some reason, Scarborough seems to be immune to the Green Party's influence. Their performance is poor across the entire city.
Scarborough-Guildwood: (76% of the fringe total) Another Scarborough slap-in-the-face.
Scarborough—Rouge River: (59% of the fringe total) Yet more evidence that the Green Party has some work to do in Scarborough.
Thornhill: (98% of the fringe total) The Libertarians and Freedom Party just edged out the Greens for total fringe vote. A male dominated result with a female Green Party candidate. This apparent gender bias may not be significant.
Timiskaming-Cochran: (80% of the fringe total) There's as good a chance that this was due to gender discrimination as it was due to a strong NOH showing.
Vaughan: (47% of the fringe total) The second worst relative fringe turnout in Ontario. This has as much to do with poor Green results as it does with excellent support for other parties (4th highest fringe vote in Ontario).
York Centre: (49% of fringe total) One of the Libertarians strongest showings.
York West: (92% of fringe total) The district with the 3rd lowest support for nontraditional parties and one of the lowest vote counts for the Greens in the province.
These are the unofficial results as of today as they pertain to nontraditional parties.
Party Abbreviation Legend (alphabetical order):
CCP: Canadians' Choice Party
COM: Communist
COR: Confederation of Regions
FCP: Family Coalition Party
FP: Freedom Party
IND: Independent
LTN: Libertarian Party
NA: Non-Affiliated
NOH: Northern Ontario Heritage
PCP: Paramount Canadians Party
PHR: Party For Human Rights
PSN: Party For People With Special Needs
PPO: Pauper Party
PFR: People First Republic Party
PPP: People's Political Party
REF: Reform Party
SPO: Socialist Party
TOP: The Only Party
VEP: Vegan Environmental Party
Ajax—Pickering -- margin: 182% more votes
Green: 843 Others (LTN): 299
Algoma—Manitoulin -- margin: 215% more votes
Green: 684 Others (FCP): 217
Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale -- margin: 93% more votes
Green: 1,477 Others (FCP, LTN, Freedom, Communist): 765
Barrie -- margin: 284% more votes
Green: 1,909 Others (LTN, FP): 497
Beaches—East York -- margin: 442% more votes
Green: 1,025 Others (FP, TOP): 189
Bramalea—Gore—Malton -- margin: 49% fewer votes
Green: 1,034 Others (LTN, FCP, IND) 2033
Brampton—Springdale -- margin: 60% more votes
Green: 900 Others (FCP, COM, PCP, COR) 562
Brampton West -- margin: 181% more votes
Green: 1,432 Others (FP) 509
Brant -- margin: 7% more votes
Green: 957 Others (IND, FCP, LTN, FP, PPO) 893
Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound -- margin: 29% more votes
Green: 2,654 Others (IND, FCP, LTN) 2063
Burlington -- margin: 4% fewer votes
Green: 1,129 Others (LTN, FCP, FP) 1175
Cambridge -- margin: 17% more votes
Green: 1,056 Others (LTN, IND) 900
Carleton-Mississippi Mills -- margin: 238% more votes
Green: 1,857 Others (FCP) 549
Chatham-Kent-Essex -- margin: (infintely) more votes
Green: 1,027 Others (none) 0
Davenport -- margin: 37% more votes
Green: 855 Others (IND, COM, FP, PHR, TOP) 624
Don Valley-East -- margin: 134% more votes
Green: 702 Others (FCP, FP) 300
Don Valley-West -- margin: 134% more votes
Green: 718 Others (COM, VEP, FP) 307
Dufferin—Caledon -- margin: % more votes
Green: 5,540 Others (LTN) 250
Durham -- margin: 106% more votes
Green: 1,221 Others (LTN, FP) 593
Eglinton-Lawrence -- margin: 53% more votes
Green: 575 Others (FP, IND, PSN) 377
Elgin-Middlesex-London -- margin: 247% more votes
Green: 981 Others (FP) 283
Essex -- margin: (infinitely) more votes
Green: 860 Others (none) 0
Etobicoke-Centre -- margin: 10% more votes
Green: 837 Others (LTN, FCP, FP) 761
Etobicoke-Lakeshore -- margin: 67% more votes
Green: 1,164 Others (FP, LTN, SPO, IND, NA) 697
Etobicoke North -- margin: 33% fewer votes
Green: 541 Others (FCP, FP, PCP) 811
Glengarry-Prescott-Russell -- margin: 112% more votes
Green: 770 Others (LTN, FP) 363
Guelph -- margin: 494% more votes
Green: 3,234 Others (LTN, COM, IND) 544
Haldimand-Norfolk -- margin: 259% more votes
Green: 868 Others (FCP) 242
Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock -- margin: 538% more votes
Green: 1,562 Others (FP) 245
Halton -- margin: 104% more votes
Green: 1,286 Others (FCP, FP, NA) 630
Hamilton Centre -- margin: 14% fewer votes
Green: 1,249 Others (LTN, IND, FCP, FP, COM, REF) 1450
Hamilton East-Stoney Creek -- margin: 15% more votes
Green: 692 Others (LT, FCP, FP) 601
Hamilton Mountain -- margin: 6% fewer votes
Green: 748 Others (FCP, LTN, FP) 798
Huron-Bruce -- margin: 10% fewer votes
Green: 772 Others (FCP, IND) 856
Kenora-Rainy River -- margin: 81% more votes
Green: 391 Others (NOH) 216
Kingston and the Islands -- margin: 176% more votes
Green: 1,594 Others (FCP, LTN, FP, PFR) 578
Kitchener Centre -- margin: 106% more votes
Green: 938 Others (LTN, IND, FP) 454
Kitchener-Conestoga -- margin: (infinitely) more votes
Green: 1,121 Others (none) 0
Kitchener-Waterloo -- margin: 198% more votes
Green: 1,308 Others (IND, FP) 439
Lambton-Kent-Middlesex -- margin: 41% more votes
Green: 987 Others (FCP, REF, FP) 701
Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington -- margin: (infintely) more votes
Green: 1,754 Others (none) 0
Leeds-Grenville -- margin: 1,088% more votes!
Green: 1,319 Others (SPO) 111
London-Fanshawe -- margin: 28% more votes
Green: 852 Others (LTN, IND, FP) 667
London North Centre -- margin: 195% more votes
Green: 1,451 Others (FP, LTN, PPO) 492
London West -- margin: 231% more votes
Green: 1,194 Others (FP, PFR) 361
Markham-Unionville -- margin: 326% more votes
Green: 1,104 Others (LTN) 259
Mississauga-Brampton South -- margin: 6% fewer votes
Green: 1,247 Others (LTN, IND, IND) 1307
Mississauga East-Cooksville -- margin: 86% more votes
Green: 932 Others (IND, FP, PCP) 500
Mississauga-Erindale -- margin: 385% more votes
Green: 853 Others (FP) 176
Mississauga South -- margin: 114% more votes
Green: 860 Others (FP, VEP) 401
Mississauga-Streetsville -- margin: (infinitely) more votes
Green: 1,329 Others (none) 0
Nepean-Carleton -- margin: 373% more votes
Green: 1,641 Others (LTN, FP) 440
Newmarket-Aurora -- margin: (infinitely) more votes
Green: 1,256 Others (none) 0
Niagara Falls -- margin: 19% more votes
Green: 759 Others (LTN, FCP, IND, NA) 639
Niagara West-Glanbrook -- margin: 64% more votes
Green: 1,372 Others (FCP, LTN, PPP, REF, FP) 835
Nickel Belt -- margin: (infinitely) more votes
Green: 810 Others (none) 0
Nipissing -- margin: (infinitely) more votes
Green: 971 Others (none) 0
Northumberland-Quinte West -- margin: 187% more votes
Green: 1,484 Others (LTN, IND) 517
Oak Ridges-Markham -- margin: 0.8% fewer votes
Green: 1,731 Others (LTN, IND) 1745
Oakville -- margin: 10% more votes
Green: 878 Others (IND, FCP, FP) 801
Oshawa -- margin: 78% more votes
Green: 1,035 Others (LTN, FP) 582
Ottawa Centre -- margin: 208% more votes
Green: 2,184 Others (IND, LTN, COM) 709
Ottawa-Orléans -- margin: 163% more votes
Green: 886 Others (FP, LTN) 337
Ottawa South -- margin: 194% more votes
Green: 1,442 Others (LTN, PSN) 490
Ottawa-Vanier -- margin: 388% more votes
Green: 1,719 Others (FCP) 352
Ottawa West-Nepean -- margin: 275% more votes
Green: 1,485 Others (FCP) 396
Oxford -- margin: 272% more votes
Green: 1,336 Others (FCP) 359
Parkdale-High Park -- margin: 156% more votes
Green: 1,325 Others (LTN, NA, NA, IND, PPP, IND) 517
Parry Sound-Muskoka -- margin: 1,847% more votes
Green: 3,251 Others (FP) 167
Perth-Wellington -- margin: 16% more votes
Green: 918 Others (FCP, FP) 791
Peterborough -- margin: 488% more votes
Green: 1,235 Others (FP, SPO) 210
Pickering-Scarborough East -- margin: 335% more votes
Green: 1,096 Others (LTN) 252
Prince Edward-Hastings -- margin: 258% more votes
Green: 2,049 Others (FCP, LTN, PFR) 573
Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke -- margin: 86% more votes
Green: 574 Others (COR) 309
Richmond Hill -- margin: 222% more votes
Green: 1,268 Others (LTN) 394
St. Catharines -- margin: 182% more votes
Green: 1,066 Others (FCP, COM, CCP, FP) 378
St. Paul's -- margin: 106% more votes
Green: 1,180 Others (LTN, FP, SPO, NOH) 573
Sarnia-Lambton -- margin: 54% fewer votes
Green: 567 Others (IND, LTN) 1237
Sault Ste. Marie -- margin: 202% more votes
Green: 519 Others (FCP) 172
Scarborough-Agincourt -- margin: 24% fewer votes
Green: 722 Others (LT, PCP, FP) 948
Scarborough Centre -- margin: 85% more votes
Green: 558 Others (FP) 301
Scarborough-Guildwood -- margin: 24% fewer votes
Green: 413 Others (LTN, FP) 543
Scarborough-Rouge River -- margin: 41% fewer votes
Green: 455 Others (LTN, FCP, FP) 773
Scarborough Southwest -- margin: 211% more votes
Green: 777 Others (FP) 250
Simcoe-Grey -- margin: (infinitely) more votes
Green: 4,057 Others (none) 0
Simcoe North -- margin: (infinitely) more votes
Green: 2,488 Others (none) 0
Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry -- margin: 39% more votes
Green: 551 Others (LTN) 396
Sudbury -- margin: 318% more votes
Green: 870 Others (FCP, IND) 208
Thornhill -- margin: 2% fewer votes
Green: 756 Others (LTN, FP) 772
Thunder Bay-Atikokan -- margin: 341% more votes
Green: 379 Others (IND) 86
Thunder Bay-Superior North -- margin: 317% more votes
Green: 555 Others (LTN) 133
Timiskaming-Cochrane -- margin: 20% fewer votes
Green: 312 Others (NOH) 391
Timmins-James Bay -- margin: 115% more votes
Green: 233 Others (FP) 108
Toronto Centre -- margin: 37% more votes
Green: 1,123 Others (LTN, COM, VEP, FP, PPP, CCP) 820
Toronto-Danforth -- margin: 55% more votes
Green: 1,354 Others (LTN, PPP, TOP, FP, CCP) 875
Trinity-Spadina -- margin: 414% more votes
Green: 2,415 Others (PSN, FP, SPO, PHR) 470
Vaughan -- margin: 53% fewer votes
Green: 694 Others (LTN, REF, IND, COR) 1,485
Welland -- margin: 99% more votes
Green: 1,005 Others (LTN) 505
Wellington-Halton Hills -- margin: (infintely) more votes
Green: 1,309 Others (none) 0
Whitby-Oshawa -- margin: 207% more votes
Green: 1,139 Others (PSN, FP) 371
Willowdale -- margin: 194% more votes
Green: 874 Others (FP) 297
Windsor-Tecumseh -- margin: 74% more votes
Green: 830 Others (LTN) 476
Windsor West -- margin: (infinitely) more votes
Green: 1,051 Others (none) 0
York Centre -- margin: 51% fewer votes
Green: 535 Others (LTN, IND, FP) 1,081
York-Simcoe -- margin: 114% more votes
Green: 1,479 Others (LTN, FP) 690
York South-Weston -- margin: 114% more votes
Green: 477 Others (FP, NA) 223
York West -- margin: 8% fewer votes
Green: 286 Others (NA, FP, IND) 310
The highest Independent tally was 1,478 in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound.
The best fringe party performances were all put in by the Libertarians. 1,115 votes in Oak Ridges-Markham, 929 votes in Vaughan, 846 votes in York Centre and 840 in Bramalea—Gore—Malton.
Highest Green tally: 5,540 (Dufferin—Caledon)
Number of Green candidates with 1,000+ votes: 56
Number of Green candidates with 1,115+ votes (to beat the Libertarians' best showing): 46
Number of Green candidates with 1,478+ votes (to beat all other nontraditional candidates): 20
Number of Green candidates with 2,000+ votes: 9
Number of Green candidates with 3,000+ votes: 4
Number of Green candidates with 4,000+ votes: 2
Number of Green candidates with 5,000+ votes: 1
Total Green votes: 126,127
Total 'Other' votes: 54,332
ratio 2.32 : 1
In other words, the Green Party received significantly more than double the amount of votes of all the other nontraditional party, independent and non-affiliated candidates combined.
If Ontario had opted for the Mixed Proportional representation model proposed a few years ago, the Green Party would likely have earned their first provincial seat!
Mean Green tally (rounded to nearest vote): 1,179
In other words, the average Green Party candidate beat all but two nontraditional candidates (both Independents).
These numbers make it pretty clear that the Green Party has transcended its 'fringe' party status. The only thing standing between full recognition as a traditional or legitimate party is the media who still lump them in with the 'others'.
Actually, it's worse than that. When listing the abbreviations used for political parties in tables and graphics in the Toronto Star, the editors make a value judgement. They do not list them alphabetically. They list the traditional three parties first but not alphabetically. Instead they list the by seats won or percentage of popular vote, i.e. LIB, PC, NDP. So they set a precedent that they aren't listing the parties in alphabetical order but by popularity.
Then they do something baffling and list Independents next. Somehow, they think that being Independent is more legitimate than being a Green Party candidate. As I've shown above, 20 Green Party candidates received more votes than the most popular Independent in the province! Clearly, if the intent was to cite parties by popularity then the Green Party should have been listed 4th, right after the NDP.
But they weren't. They were listed 11th. The 'other' parties were listed from 5th to last (23rd) in a very poor attempt at alphabetical order. Both times this list was published (once for the GTA and once for the rest of Ontario) the Libertarians somehow leaped ahead of the alphabetically superior Green Party. There were a few other alphabetic anomalies but the point is that the Star is clearly disrespecting the Green Party, and probably intentionally.
It's time the media took a look at the numbers and changed their attitude toward the Green Party. By burying the Greens' significant leap forward against the backdrop of fringe parties the media (in this case the Toronto Star) is deceiving the public in a way that ensures the continued monopoly on parliamentary seats held by the so called traditional parties. Stop being an agent for the establishment and embrace your role as an agent of change! Recognize the Greens' breakthrough! Start treating the Green Party as a peer to the 'Big 3', or at he very least stop lumping them in with the sundry others as they clearly no longer belong with them.
Go Green!
A self-derisive title. We're off to a good start. Image source: @johnlund.com (who is not affiliated with this blog)
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