Still wondering who to vote for? Today we’re running profiles of the four major leaders, their platforms, and their scandals. Click here to see the rest of them.
Mike Schreiner (Green Party of Ontario)
Place of Birth: WaKeeney, Kansas in 1969. He became a Canadian citizen in 2007.
Education: Bachelor’s in business administration and history from the University of Kansas, Master’s degree in history from Indiana University-Bloomington.
Life Before Politics: Businessman in local food distribution.
Political Background: He’s been actively involved with the GPO since 2005, co-chairing their election platform committee in 2007, and serving as Party Coordinator from 2008-2009. Has ran unsuccessfully in two elections as an MPP-candidate.
Current Position: Leader of the GPO (2009- ).
Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner taking a bus, because no one knows who he is.
Mike Schreiner
Tax Policy:
The Green Party plans to lower payroll taxes on small businesses, paid for by raising corporate taxes by 1%, bringing them up to 12.5%. If you can say one thing about the Greens, it’s that they don’t cater to the Bay Street fat-cats. They would also end electricity subsidies, raise royalties on resource extraction, and close all kinds of loopholes. Green energy clearly powers those policies.
Spending Policy:
Education: The Green plan is to merge the school boards together (which they claim will save oodles of money), double the Ontario Child Benefit for families near the poverty line. It’s conscientious, and rather calm and reasonable in the face of the plans of their opponents. What really shocks people about this part of their platform is that they have a serious take on something other than the environment.
Transit: Schreiner vows to create a dedicated public transit fund, but he never specifies what he’ll do with it. There’s nothing more to say than that. Maybe that money will do some of the things other candidates have proposed.
Scandals:
Rob Ford, when asked who to vote for said he’d vote Green “cause the green guy didn’t say a fucking word.” While that is technically an endorsement, it’s not exactly the most positive one.
Schreiner was born in the USA, so we expect a “Mike Schreiner Just Visiting” attack ad any day now, though the other candidates seem to believe he isn’t even worth it.
Quotes:
“I support wind energy.”
Be sure to check out the other three major candidate’s platforms here! And, if you want more hilarious and extensive Ontario election coverage as June 12 approaches? Go buy a shot glass or t-shirt from our IndieGoGo campaign! igg.me/at/truenorthtimes!