'The Liberal government needs to lead again': What the Green party is hoping for in 2024

As the 2024 political season gets underway, the federal Green party is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to prioritize a trio of objectives in the year ahead: affordability, federal-provincial collaboration, and international peace.

Underpinning these goals, is a call from Green Party of Canada co-leaders Elizabeth May and Jonathan Pedneault for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to improve his leadership, coupled with a belief that the next election won't be called this year.

"The Liberal government needs to lead again, quite frankly. Canadians expect that, and demand, and need that from their government right now," Pedneault said.

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Speaking to reporters on Parliament Hill a few weeks before the House of Commons kicks off its 2024 sitting, the duo raised alarms about income inequality and a rise of hate in Canada, the impact of climate change, disorder in federal-provincial relations, and the escalating world tensions as a result of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars.

"I know Justin Trudeau has hired people to give them a new narrative," May said, referencing the prime minister hiring experienced marketing guru Max Valiquette to be his new executive director of communications. "We suggest that the country needs to pull together, and that the narrative people want to see isn't a new story, but results."

Specifically on the Greens' wish list for 2024:

• A guaranteed federal minimum income;
• Affordable housing amid gentrification;
• Concrete plans to counter the climate crisis;
• A federal-provincial-Indigenous 'coalition' on health and energy files;
• Renewed efforts to halt Russian oil sales and enhance sanctions; and
• Advocating for a peaceful end to the conflict in the Middle East.

"We're seeing attacks on the federation from several provincial leaders and that is having a great impact on our collective ability as a country to fix the housing crisis, to fix the healthcare crisis, to fix the education crisis," Pedneault said. "That needs to be tackled in the same way that we need as part of a family of nations… to stand strong… in support of justice throughout the world."

The Green party's push for progress in these areas comes with an overarching doubt that Trudeau will launch the country into a second early election, citing the economy and current state of the Liberal-NDP confidence-and-supply arrangement.

"I feel quite confident at this point, we're not going to see the election until the fixed election date of 2025. And frankly, I think that will be good for the country and good for our economy," May said.

GREENS VOW ELECTORAL GAINS

Regardless of when the election happens, May predicted that the Green party "is going to surprise people with electing a lot more MPs than we've had in the past."

From May's perspective, she said the party is "laser-focused on finding great candidates" to run a full slate across the country, citing plans to hit the road in 2024 to meet and pull people together.

Facing questions about the Greens' political prospects and party goals as they begin to gear up for the next federal election, Pedneault— who placed fourth in the June 2023 Notre-Dame-de-Grâce--Westmount, Que. federal byelection— said their goal is to promote internal "disciplined energy" and pitch themselves to Canadians as a viable alternative.

"Canadians need to start dreaming again. The future can actually look much brighter… than what we're in right now, but, there's a need for changes," Pedneault said, framing his party as a promising progressive foil to the Liberals who he said have "failed to deliver," or the NDP who is propping up the government, and in contrast to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's " attack and destroy" style.

"The next election will be, and will have to be a referendum about the nature of this country. It's not a referendum about a carbon tax, or about affordability, or the Trudeau legacy. It is a referendum about who we are as a country as a nation… There is no future for this country through division, but there is immense, tremendous opportunities if we join together," he said.

Asked why she thinks the political landscape will generate different results for the Greens than in elections past, May said in her home province of British Columbia she is seeing a high degree of "disillusionment" with the Liberals and NDP, as well as "a lot of concern" about a Conservative government.

"We're looking at a shift that elects Greens in Ontario, in Atlantic Canada, more in British Columbia, and the territories," May said. "So we're looking across the country at winnable seats, that it's up to us… as a team, rebuilding and convincing people that we are a competent team and that we can do this together."