There is a concern, which I've seen expressed in the comments sections more often than not, that a vote for the Equality Party will lead to the Parti Quebecois winning seats that would otherwise go Liberal.
I've taken the liberty of digging up some voting numbers from the last election and present eighteen ridings where the Equality Party can safely run and perhaps win a couple of seats without any danger of contributing to a PQ victory.
In every single riding below there is no amount of votes that the Equality Party may garner that would lead to a PQ or CAQ victory.
Either the Liberals would hold the riding or the Equality party would overturn them, but the PQ or CAQ could not possibly win.
That is because even if the Liberal Party lost half its vote to the Equality Party, it would still mean that the PQ or CAQ would lose.
It would make sense that the Equality Party would run in these ridings BUT forgo running candidates in other ridings where Liberals or CAQ have small majorities, ridings where they could affect the outcome negatively.
I've spoken to the leadership of the Equality party and am assured that they are not Hell-bent on running candidates everywhere, just to make a showing.
They aren't that dumb or destructive.
The Equality Party could also run candidates in ridings where the PQ has a large majority, again where the outcome could not be affected.
Should the government decide to publicly fund political parties through a per-vote subsidy, every vote cast would mean additional funding to the Equality Party.
Let me be unequivocal, if you live in one of the above ridings, a vote for the Equality Party CANNOT in any way, shape or form contribute to a PQ or CAQ victory.
So why is it important for our community to elect one or more members of the Equality Party to Quebec's legislature?
Firstly, it is quite simply a question of pride.
If mainstream parties refuse to represent our interests and assume we will vote for what we consider the lesser of evils, we debase ourselves.
It's like choosing to live with one certain parent in a martial breakup, because he or she beats us up less the other. It's shameful.
Secondly, having just one member in the legislature sends a powerful signal that we do not accept the status quo and to borrow from Robert Browning we send the message that;
"God's is not his Heaven/All is not right with the world!"
Just one elected member can make all the difference, believe me.
Symbols are important. It would represent a symbol of resistance that could ignite a movement across Canada to support our cause.
I'm not a dreamer, most of you who come to this blog regularly know me as cynical , but I promise you that just one elected member of the Equality Party would be a game-changer.
Ask yourself... What do you have to lose?
