Less than a year after a failed bid for mayor, Carleton alumnus Charlie Taylor is fighting for a seat in provincial politics Oct. 6 as the Green candidate for Leeds-Grenville.
Taylor, who lost his mayoral bid to Mayor Jim Watson, said he first became interested in politics when he realized there was no “opt-out” option for the U-Pass.
After graduating from journalism last spring, Taylor said he was approached by the Green party.
“It was an immediate fit,” he said, adding he’s been a Green party supporter all his life.
“I’ve always voted for the Green party,” he said. “Their philosophy really appealed to me, along with their approach to the issues from every political spectrum and how they believe they can make a difference in those issues.”
His focus, he said, is about matching environmental and economic sustainability issues.
“You can’t have a healthy economy without a healthy environment,” Taylor said. “In this particular election, two out of the three parties are offering a tax break on consuming fossil fuels. This is an issue which causes disasters and climate change . . . what we need is reform.”
While Taylor said he’d be surprised if he won due to the very Conservative nature of his riding, even a better voter turnout would be a step in the right direction.
“The Green party is all about empowering different communities,” he said.
Some citizens feel like their voices are not being heard, Taylor said. But they should “keep fighting the battle.”
“We must make sure our politicians know what the people want and try to make a difference in this society.”
