Blair Wilson switches parties to become Canada's first Green Party MPUpdated Saturday, Aug. 30, 10:30 a.m.West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country Member of Parliament Blair Wilson has become Canada's first Member of Parliament representing the Green Party - though it's not clear if he will ever take his seat with his new party.Green Party leader Elizabeth welcomed Wilso to the Green Party Saturday morning (Aug. 30) in Ottawa."Today we make history," said Ms. May. "I am grateful for Mr. Wilson's principled belief that the Green Party deserves a voice in Parliament and for his firm commitment to democracy. With a Green MP sitting in the House of Commons, it will now be impossible to exclude the Green Party from the televised leaders' debates in the next election."Wilson will join the party's shadow cabinet as immigration critic, said May." As a past member of the House of Commons Immigration Committee, he is well-qualified for this role and brings expertise to this position that will prove invaluable to the Green Party."Wilson was elected as a Liberal in the January 2006 federal election, but has served as an Independent MP since November 2007 after allegations of improper election spending and personal financial difficulties surfaced. An Elections Canada probe cleared Wilson of the major campaign spending allegations in July and Wilson made a bid to rejoin the federal Liberal caucus, but was rebuffed by the party, which rescinded his candidacy last December because of his failure to disclose information as a potential candidate.Wilson publicly challenged the decision and said he was planning to appear to the federal Liberal caucus when it met in the summer. That meeting, originally slated for mid-August, was rescheduled for mid-September."Not only do I embrace the policies of my new party, I will feel that all my past difficulties are justified if, by my actions, I can make a real difference by ensuring Elizabeth May is included in the leaders' debates," said Mr. Wilson. "There is a democracy deficit in Canadian politics and this is one step in restoring effective democracy in Canada."Democracy is threatened when legitimate national leaders are barred from what is arguably the single most important political event in an election - the televised debates. It is shocking that the Green Party was excluded from the debates in the past, but by joining the Green Party, I can help guarantee that this travesty will not be repeated in the next election."More now than ever before, it is critical that the voice of the Green Party is heard. I am looking forward to working hard as Canada's first Green MP."However, if Prime Minister Stephen Harper calls a federal election this week as expected, Wilson will not have a chance to take his seat in Parliament with his new party, as the House is currently in recess until Sept. 15. An election call would dissolve Parliament and send Wilson on the campaign trail under a new party banner.The Greens' candidate in West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country in the last federal election, Silvaine Zimmerman, placed fourth with 3,966 votes, or 6.2 per cent of the vote. Wilson won a narrow victory over Conservative John Weston, with 23,867 votes (37.5 per cent) to 22,891 for Weston (36 per cent). NDP candidate Judith Wilson placed third with 12,766 votes (20 per cent).
