Friends, our hard work has paid off. Just two years ago we finished a distant fourth with 5% of the vote. Last night, we tripled our support to 14%, beat the government’s own candidate and came within 36 votes of taking second place (what CBC radio this morning is calling a “virtual tie” for second). By any measure, this is a huge victory we should be very proud of.

In fact, Greens can be proud right across the country. We broke 10% in Toronto Centre and Vancouver Quadra (where Dan Grice represented the Greens), meaning those campaigns will receive a valuable 60% campaign expense refund. In Willowdale, Lou Carcasole finished third ahead of the NDP. Nationally, our support averaged in the range of where we’ve been polling, disproving the myth that we are unable to convert favourable public opinion into votes.

Our impact goes beyond numbers as well, as those of you who have been in Toronto Centre know. On February 27th, Bob Rae said at the St. James Town debate that he did not support a carbon tax. The next day at the Rosedale debate, he said we needed to put a price on carbon in the form of a “tax shift.” At the final public debate in the St. Lawrence on March 11th, he called for a “green tax shift” and described what has been Green Party policy for years, hinting strongly that it would be in the next Liberal platform. Four days later, and just two days before the election, Liberal leader Stéphane Dion (who has consistently opposed a carbon tax) announced that the Liberals were seriously considering adopting the Green Party’s tax shifting policy. This was not a coincidence; it was an indication and result of the strength of our campaign and our ideas.

Writing in The Toronto Star this morning, Susan Delacourt says that we have moved closer to “becoming [a] major player” and that last night’s results “show that voters are not willing to accept the status quo in politics:”

The Green Party may not have won a single seat in last night’s by-elections, but its strong showing in Toronto and Vancouver seals its standing as a political force to watch in days and months ahead.

As the results were still being tallied late last night, the Greens were vying for second place in Toronto Centre and poised to surpass the New Democrats in Willowdale and perhaps Vancouver Quadra, too.

The implications are significant and likely to be much discussed by strategists of all parties in the coming days.

Congratulations to Bob Rae, who ran a strong, positive campaign and earned a decisive win last night. We were never in this to run “against” anyone, and I told Bob last night that I believe he’ll be a good Member of Parliament. I also want to congratulate my other opponents, El-Farouk Khaki, Don Meredith, Liz White, and Doug Plumb. Whenever engaged citizens participate in their democracy by running as candidates, our democracy and our country are stronger.

We will continue to build on this success and defy expectations. Two years ago, last night’s results would have been unthinkable; just think what we’ll be able to accomplish two years from now. Let’s keep moving.

Liberal, Bob Rae: 14,187, 59.2%
NDP-New Democratic Party, El-Farouk Khaki: 3,299, 13.8%
Green Party, Chris Tindal: 3,263, 13.6%
Conservative, Donald Meredith: 2,982, 12.5%
AAEV Party of Canada, Liz White: 123, 0.5%
CAP, Doug Plumb: 97, 0.4%

Total number of valid votes: 23,951
Polls reporting: 275/275
Voter turnout: 23,951 of 85,976 registered electors (27.9%)

By any measure, this Green campaign has already been Toronto’s most successful ever. We have heard from far more supporters, delivered far more signs, raised more money, and received more media attention and endorsements than would have seemed possible when I first ran just two years ago. More importantly for me, we’ve also driven the agenda in a substantial way (more on this later).

Now, we need your vote. Call our office if you have any questions or need a ride. And happy St. Patrick’s day to all!

By the way, people sometimes tell me “I agree with almost everything you stand for, I think you’re the best candidate, and I’d vote for you if you were running for another party.” There’s a problem with that: if I were running for another party, I wouldn’t be able to say the things I’ve been saying. I wouldn’t be able to represent the platform that so many people agree with once they hear it articulated.

I think people sometimes conclude that since I sound reasonable, and since they assume the Green Party isn’t reasonable, I must be some kind of rogue anomaly. I’m not. If you agree with what you’ve heard me say in a debate or in the media or on a piece of campaign literature and think that those ideas should be represented in Parliament, I need more than your good wishes (though those are always appreciated, too) to make it happen. I need your vote this Monday.

Yes, I said, there are. “No there aren’t,” Mr. Rae said again. “They’re part of our military exchange program,” I explained. (I’m paraphrasing from memory for now, but will be able to check the tape later and will post the video when I can. UPDATE [March 13th @ 10:21pm]: Video of this exchange is now available, in both full and shortened versions.) Strangely, Mr. Rae demanded I tell him where in Iraq our officers were stationed, as if my inability to do so would prove they weren’t there.

At that point, seeing no immediate resolution to our disagreement, I moved on with the rest of my answer. Today, however, having confirmed that I was correct, I’m quite taken aback that Mr. Rae could have been so misinformed about our military’s exchange program with the United States and our direct involvement in the war in Iraq. It’s made worse by the fact that Mr. Rae isn’t just any Liberal candidate: he’s the party’s foreign affairs critic.

Ironically, some of the first criticisms of Canadian involvement in Iraq were directed at the Liberal government in 2003, and came from then-opposition Alliance Leader Stephen Harper. At the time, CTV reported that “there are currently 31 Canadian military officers serving with U.S. forces in Iraq.”

Then on December 14, 2006, according to this US military website, Canadian Maj. Gen. Peter Devlin became the MNC-I (Multi National Corps – Iraq) Deputy Command General. He’s even photographed for the CENTCOM website wearing a Canadian uniform.

Finally, in January 19th 2008, just two months ago and during this election campaign, Canwest News Service reported that Canadian Forces Brig.-Gen. Nicolas Matern had “recently arrived in Baghdad” to take “a leading roll in Iraq.” The report also confirmed that “a number of high ranking Canadian officers have been involved in helping direct operations in the Iraq conflict,” and offered this summary:

In 2004 Lt.-Gen. Walter Natynczyk, then a major general, served as deputy commander of the Multi-National Corps during operation Iraqi Freedom.

At the time, he was in charge of 35,000 soldiers. Natynczyk oversaw planning and execution of all multi-national corps-level combat support operations.

For his service in Iraq, Governor General Michaelle Jean, presented him with the Meritorious Service Cross.

At the time, the press release noted Natynczyk’s pivotal role in the development of numerous plans and operations “resulted in a tremendous contribution by the Multi-National Corps to Operation Iraqi Freedom, and has brought great credit to the Canadian Forces and to Canada.”

Canadian Maj.-Gen. Peter Devlin was also recently a deputy commander in the multi-national corps.

Other Canadian soldiers have served in front-line positions. In May 2003 a Canadian Forces exchange officer was wounded near Baghdad airport after a grenade exploded next to the convoy he was traveling in. At the time there were 16 Canadian military members serving on exchange programs with various foreign forces involved in the Iraq war.

So, Canadian officers have been serving in Iraq since at least 2003 as discussed in both the House of Commons and the mainstream media. Further, our soldiers have actually been in front-line positions and even been wounded.

How is it possible that the Liberal foreign affairs critic was not only unaware of these basic facts, but was so sure of the opposite that he forcefully interrupted to contradict me – not once, but repeatedly? Mr. Rae is a good orator and a good candidate, but this raises some serious questions regarding his knowledge of his own portfolio.

…I’m voting Green in the upcoming federal by-elections next Monday. Tindal has my vote not only because I’ve come to realize how ridiculously obvious his platform makes sense, but because he seems to present a certain air of confidence, humility and intelligence that I haven’t seen in a federal election candidate.

Bob Rae exhibited that decades in the political establishment can result in a well-spoken, well-oiled political machine; Don Meredith‘s difficulty in distinguishing himself from Harper shed light on one failing of our parliamentary system; El-Farou Khaki proved that even with the right background and smarts, showmanship is the name of the game.

But Chris (who I had already seen in action at a University of Toronto young leaders debate for the Ontario Provincial election) presented his position and views clearly, threw in a self-deprecating remark or two, remained above the muck-slinging one might have expected in a political debate and earned the loudest applause from the crowd. At least that was my take…

One last thing: what is up with cantankerous old people? Maybe I’m not cynical enough, I haven’t had my dreams shattered, or I don’t rely on the government for many things, but the number of angry comments, venomous spittle and all manner of viciousness that was thrown at the Grits and Tories was shocking. A little bit of decorum and respect please…at least the candidates took it all in stride. Most of them were probably used to it by now.

So in closing: if you’re in a riding that is up for a by-election on March 17, I encourage you to get out and vote. I’ll probably have more thoughts on this wicked little game called politics as the year carries on, especially with the circus that’s happening south of the border.