X Marks the Spot

Not all the candidates are yet in place in Mississauga, but so far Mississauga South Green Party candidate David Johnston is by far the most interesting.

Johnston, who was born and raised in Mississauga and currently lives in Port Credit, took part last night in the Bistro 1603 all-candidates meeting, and he was the most laid back, the most cordial, and the least partisan.

He even went so far as to say he thinks the Green Party plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions might not be enough.

His non-political life is what makes him the most interesting candidate, though.

First, his father was a civil servant, and worked as Deputy Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Culture in the 1970s. He then became the general manager of the National Ballet of Canada. At 78, he's still going strong, working in the arts and culture sector.

Growing up with arts as a positive influence probably had something to do with the Green Party candidate's decision to get into the arts and culture industries, Johnston admits.

He is a literary agent and has worked with writers Paul Quarrington and Richard Wright, and even musician Randy Bachman (when Bachman wrote his memoirs).

He's also a documentary filmmaker who recently spent two years researching monarch butterflies, and following them down to Mexico during their migration. That documentary, currently in the advanced stages of post-production, has been bought by the Documentary Channel in Canada, and will take on the film festival circuit.

With that nearly done, he's begun work on his next film, a doc about "the fifth Beatle." Johnston said, in a telephone interview earlier today, that about 50 people have been credited with being the fifth member of the Fab Four. Johnston plans to track down all that are still alive and interview them.

Beyond his resume, he seems to be a really decent guy who's in the race to make a few points and get people to consider the Green Party in Mississauga.

He also got my fence-sitting posterior back on the pro-MMP side of the electoral reform debate. He thinks Ontarians should support the Mixed-member Proportional system in the Oct. 10 referendum.

When asked last night about proportional representation, he told the small audience he's been disappointed when asking people for their vote.

Many people have told him they agree with what the Green Party stands for but that they don't want to waste their votes on a group that isn't expected to win any seats in the election.

"If there's a better argument for proportional representation," said Johnston, "I haven't heard it."

Indeed. If people want to vote for the Green Party, or any other party, they should not fear that their vote will be a waste. They should know it means something, and makes a difference.