Federal Green candidates rally support in Manitoba amid 'two-horse race' election

About a dozen Green Party members and supporters gathered at Vimy Ridge Park in Winnipeg Saturday afternoon to hear Manitoba candidates speak, as polls suggest the federal party faces a tough battle on election day.

CBC's poll tracker suggests the Greens are hovering at just over two per cent of the overall vote —- a notable low for the party compared to previous years. In 2019, Green candidates took 6.5 per cent of the vote, earning three seats in Parliament.

Janine Gibson, who is running for the Greens in Portage–Lisgar, says she hopes the party can get back to that five to six per cent range this election, but she's adopting a "broader definition of winning."

"The Green policies really speak to my heart," said Gibson, one of 10 Green candidates on the ballot in Manitoba in this federal election.

"I think it's important that we live our lives from our values. I think a lot of people know that things aren't working right, they just feel in their hearts, in their guts, that there's gotta be a change. We need more accountability and that's the role the Green Party has always played."

Nicolas Geddert, the Green candidate for Elmwood–Transcona, told CBC that this election is clearly a "two-horse race," based on what he's been hearing from residents in his riding.

Geddert said he was disappointed to see party co-Leader Jonathan Pedneault dropped from the federal leaders' debates for not meeting participation requirements, but added "there will always be a home for the Green Party in Canada."

As of Saturday, polls suggest the Liberals are sitting at 42.5 per cent of the votes, with the Conservatives trailing closely behind at 38.7 per cent. The New Democrats, who have also seen support plummet this election, are at 8.6 per cent. 

Gibson says that no matter who wins on Monday, she's hoping Canadians will elect a minority government.

"I welcome the diversity of having  minority parties at the table so that we can put our heads together and solve the problems that Canadians want solved," Gibson said. 

"We've got to put all our heads together. That's what it takes to solve problems in 2025."

Election day is Monday.