Green candidate in Waterloo endorses NDP rival, cites vote-splitting as a concern

Shefaza Esmail, the Green candidate in Waterloo, says she's endorsing NDP candidate and incumbent Catherine Fife in that riding.

Esmail made the comment Monday morning following a candidate panel on CBC K-W's The Morning Edition with host Craig Norris.

Esmail was answering a reporter's question about funding to universities and colleges when she offered the endorsement, saying she's concerned about vote splitting in the riding.

"If you are inclined toward voting Green, I think that you should, but also consider this: You like the Green movement, that's amazing. If you're in Kitchener Centre, you should vote for [Green candidate] Aislinn Clancy because she has the best chance of winning, but when you're in Waterloo riding right now, there is a worry that by taking votes away from the NDP, the PC government might come back in Waterloo. And that is a real concern for me as well," she said.

"If you really like the Green movement, send me a message, tell me I'm doing great, tell me I can earn your vote for next time, but this time, vote Catherine Fife, vote NDP."

Esmail is running for the Green party for a second time. 

Fife has been MPP for the riding since 2012 when she won a byelection.

There are eight people on the ballot in Waterloo:

• Suja Biber, New Blue.
• Shefaza Esmail, Green.
• Catherine Fife, NDP (incumbent).
• Peter House, Electoral Reform Party.
• Chris Martin, Ontario Party.
• Clayton Moore, Liberal.
• James Schulz, Libertarian.
• Peter Turkington, Progressive Conservatives.

Esmail's not alone in throwing support behind a rival during this Ontario election campaign. Natasha Doyle-Merrick, the NDP candidate in the Toronto riding of Eglinton-Lawrence, pulled out of the election earlier this month and threw her support behind the Liberals.

In that riding, Doyle-Merrick said it was a "clear two-party contest" between the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives.

"I got into politics for the people, and it would be a disservice for me to keep my name on the ballot knowing that the race in Eglinton-Lawrence is pivotal," Doyle-Merrick wrote in a statement.