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Frequently Asked Questions

1Author, speaker, guy with young kids, rational human being who doesn’t generally like shouting—so Chris Turner, why are you running, anyway?

“Simple: because this is Calgary’s moment. The energy in this city is all about progressive optimism these days, and we’re ready for our first non-Conservative MP in many, many years. I wrote a book called The Geography of Hope and another called The Leap, and both were about seizing this kind of optimism to embrace sustainability and make great lasting change. I have a vision of Calgary as the true energy capital of North America—a leader in solar and wind and geothermal as well as oil and gas. I get fired up like a hockey fan about making cities great, and we have the tools here in Calgary to become Canada’s great urban idea lab of the 21st century—we just need leadership, especially in Ottawa.

There’s a chance to make history here—to send a message about what Calgary is now that will be talked about across the country—and I know I’m the guy to deliver it.”

2Why the Green Party? Isn’t it kind of, you know, fringe? Single issue? Granola and patchouli and all that?

“Far from it: the Greens are practically the official opposition in Calgary, and their star is on the rise across Canada:

• The Green Party has finished ahead of the traditional parties in Calgary many times in the last few elections. As a moderate, future-focused party, the Green Party is where people from all political stripes can find common ground.
• As of 2011 the party has its first MP —the first Green Party representative ever elected to public office in North America—in the staggeringly smart and energetic Elizabeth May, who Walrus Magazine called “the country’s hardest working politician.”
• The Green Party platform is a comprehensive reform plan, with a moderate economic policy and strong positions on electoral reform, affordable housing, defense, transit, you name it. I’m excited to run for the Greens because I know I’ll have a chance to help that platform shape and evolve to better represent my vision of livable cities and a bright sustainable energy future for Canada.”

3Wait, don’t the Greens want to shut down the oil sands and power the world with positive vibrations or something?

“It’s Green Party, not Greenpeace—we’ve never called for a halt to the use of Canada’s resource wealth and I’d never have my name on a banner associated with something so reckless and unrealistic.

• At my nomination meeting, Elizabeth May pointed out what makes the Green Party so different. “The Green Party will never attempt to control the thoughts, actions or positions of our MPs.” When I get to Ottawa, unlike any of the other candidates, I will be free to represent Calgary Centre and the amazing vision for the future that I’ve laid out in my most recent books.
• The Green Party supports responsible, sustainable development in the energy sector. This means growth, innovation, and the opening of new markets—but under a regulatory apparatus led by the federal government that’s second to none
• My sustainable energy vision sees the one-time gift of fossil fuels as an engine to power Canada’s transition to a low-carbon renewable energy future. And though everyone likes to say that, I actually spent the last 10 years researching how to do it. Ask me about Germany, though I’ll warn you the full answer will take awhile. And it somehow involves beer and currywurst.”

4People are saying Dan Meades is a veritable saint and Harvey Locke doesn’t just hug trees, he gives them soothing back massages. Aren’t you just splitting the vote?

“Candidates don’t split the vote; voters do. If a transformative candidate emerges, progressive voters in Calgary Centre will come together at the polls (as they have before). That said . . .

• Elizabeth May made attempts at formal cooperation between the progressive parties for the three by-elections this fall. It was a nonstarter with the Liberals and NDP.
• The NDP don’t have the support base to win, and the Liberals don’t have a transformative candidate. Dan Meades is starting way late and toeing a party line that is openly hostile to Calgary’s interests under Thomas Mulcair; Harvey Locke is a great conservationist but is far out-of-touch on urban issues, hasn’t lived in Calgary in more than 10 years, and openly stated to his local paper (The Banff Crag & Canyon) that he was okay with losing because then he could “stay in Banff where we want to be.”
• My campaign’s the only one that has attracted staff and volunteers across party lines and built the momentum to emerge from the pack and really challenge Joan Crockatt for the seat.”

5That’s all just swell, really, but can Chris Turner actually win?

“Look, I admire the heck out of people who sacrifice their time and energy to run for office knowing they can’t win. They are noble people, truly. I’m not one of those people. I’m in this to win it, and there is a path to victory. How?

• Simply put, the best candidate and the strongest team. I’m the bestselling author of two influential, National Business Book Award-finalist books on livable cities and our sustainable energy future. I’m a prominent public figure, a “star candidate” handpicked by Elizabeth May to win a second seat for the Greens.
• Calgary Centre has always voted in strong numbers for the Green Party (including a virtual tie for second by T4YYC’s awesome volunteer coordinator Natalie Odd in 2008). And Calgary Centre’s never seen a Green campaign like this one—fully funded, amply staffed, ready to battle stride for stride with the other parties.
• By-elections are unpredictable. Voters know they aren’t picking the next government, so they rally behind the best candidate. This time around, we know Calgary’s ready to have a real voice instead of just another backbencher.”

6What are your thoughts on protecting Canada’s supply of potable water? How would you protect our water?

“Canada’s abundance of natural bounty is well known, and there’s probably no resource more precious than our fresh water supply-1/5 of the world’s fresh water is within our borders. There are two crucial ways that I would work to protect this priceless resource: the first is by not putting a price on it, which is to say I would oppose privatizing it for short-term profit.

The second way would be to restore funding for the second-to-none freshwater research and monitoring system that was decimated by the Harper government in the omnibus bill and subsequent acts. Top of the list would be restoring funding to the world-class Experimental Lakes Area-which could have been funded for 25 years for the cost of upgrades to Tony Clement’s riding ahead of the G8 summit in 2010, and which has been responsible for discovering the causes and impacts of acid rain, phosphorus and other pollutants on our freshwater supply. Reversing the changes to the Navigable Waters Act is another priority.”

7Canada’s food safety inspection protocols are being challenged by the XL Foods beef recall. What action would you like to see taken to reassure Canadians about food safety (for example, would you be willing to mandate new labelling on tenderized steaks so Canadians will know how to properly cook their beef for improved safety)?

“Again, reversing reckless Harper government cuts to the country’s monitoring apparatus is a top priority. This spring, despite warnings that it would jeopardize food safety, the government eliminated 100 food inspection jobs across Canada. The XL recall has shown us all too clearly that Canada’s food safety should not be a political issue. Labelling might help, but the burden should not be on Canadian consumers - we need proper safety inspections and we need to give the Canada Food Inspection Agency all the resources it needs to do the job.”

8What is your opinion of the First-Past-The-Post system of voting? And would you consider looking at some form of proportional representation?

“In keeping with Green Party policy, I am in favour of pushing Parliament to consider comprehensive electoral reform, and a proportional representation system similar to the one in Germany (where voters cast separate ballots for candidate and party) strikes me as the ideal to strive for. At present, Parliament’s makeup does not accurately reflect the democratic will of the Canadian people; 38% of voters comprise a “majority,” and new parties with fresh ideas are shut out of decision-making. What’s more, the first-past-the-post system encourages ferociously divisive partisanship in a winner-take-all government. Canadians are not well served by their electoral system at present.”

9Do you support the creation of a National Energy Strategy, including alternative energy sources (such as wind and solar) in the mix? And what are your timelines for doing this?

“Changing the conversation about Canada’s energy future in Ottawa is a top priority of my candidacy. Right now, we are mired in an immature, divisive partisan mudslinging match about one of the most important issues facing Canadians-Calgarians, in particular. We need to have a calm, rational national conversation about energy. We need to decide how best to develop our conventional energy resources today-in a way that’s acceptable and beneficial to all Canadians-and invest the wealth this generates in building the low-carbon energy future we know we must provide for our children. I’ve spent the last 10 years researching, writing and speaking about the enormous opportunities created by investment in renewable energy sources-not just to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions but also to create a new industrial sector and give everyday Canadians a chance to generate their own power on a decentralized grid.

I think this conversation would best be conducted under the rubric of a National Energy Strategy involving cooperation between the federal government and all the provinces, but in the event that proves impossible, time is of the essence. Parliament should’ve had this conversation years ago. The lack of federal leadership - creating uncertainty for the oil patch and eroding confidence in Canadian stewardship at home and abroad-is a huge and growing liability. We need to initiate this process as soon as possible, which is why it is an absolute top priority for my campaign. I think as a Green Party MP for Calgary Centre, I’d be able to bring a singular amount of political capital and focus to this issue, and I know I can build bridges between industry, governments and critics in ways that parties already stuck in the partisan shouting match cannot.”

10Canada’s economy has been hailed around the world, but there are indications of concern around the levels of household debt and housing prices. Moody’s is reviewing six Canadian banks for downgrade and the provinces like Alberta are not helping build confidence by operating under huge deficits. What are your ideas to preserve our economic integrity going forward?

“One thing these trends tell us: this is no time to be complacent about the Canadian economy. Yes, we weathered the financial storm of 2008 better than most, but we still need to be moving with much more intensity into the real growth sectors of the 21st century economy. Simply put, we need to be targeting our “Economic Action Plans” and everything else toward becoming global leaders in the green economy. In Germany, renewable energy alone created 300,000 new jobs due to strong federal leadership; the renewal of Canada’s manufacturing sector and the best use of our technology R&D money is in an aggressive push into cleantech (not just renewables but energy efficiency, energy storage, smart grid technology, etc.). This is one of the fastest growing sectors of the global economy and it promises not just a healthy bottom line but new jobs, cleaner air and a return to Canada’s place of pride among the world leaders in sustainability and stewardship. It’s win-win-win-win.

I can say this unequivocally because I’ve witnessed it firsthand as a journalist, not just in Germany but in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Spain, Iowa, California, Ontario, even India. We’re in grave danger of falling behind in the race to lead the second industrial revolution. We need an aggressive catch-up plan now. I’m reasonably sure, at the risk of immodesty, that there’s no one in Parliament now who can speak to this issue with the depth of knowledge and breadth of experience that I have.”