TORONTO – Ontario’s first Green Party legislator has been sworn in at Queen’s Park, promising to help change the culture of politics in the province.
Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner, 49, made history when he handily won his Guelph riding in the June election.
He took the brief oath of office at Queen’s Park on Thursday in front of dozens of supporters and vowed to bring a different tone and approach to his work in the legislature.
READ MORE: Green Party leader Mike Schreiner not interested in joining the Liberals
“I’m going to do politics differently,” he said. “I campaigned on a promise to create jobs, put people and planet first. I’m going to keep fighting for that.”
Schreiner, who has led the provincial Greens since 2009, won the riding with 45 per cent of the vote, vaulting from a third place finish in the 2014 election.
He acknowledged it’s been a fight to get his party into the legislature, but credited his team of supporters and candidates across the province for helping lead him to victory.
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Even as the single party member elected, Shreiner said he believes he can help shift policy and make an impact.
READ MORE: Guelph mayor looks forward to working with Green MPP
Elected Greens across the country have proven that one Green MLA, MPP or MP can make a huge difference,” he said.
Born and raised in a farm in Kansas, Schreiner came to Canada in 1994 when his wife became a professor at the University of Toronto. He moved to Guelph a few years ago after working in the southwestern Ontario city for years.
The Green leader is a known commodity in Guelph, through owning various small food businesses, including an organic food distribution operation.
Schreiner campaigned on a platform that promised to move Ontario to 100 per cent renewable energy and wants to close the nuclear energy plant in Pickering.
He also pledged to roll mental health coverage into the Ontario Health Insurance Plan and supported implementing a basic income program.
VIDEO: Mike Schreiner addresses Green Party supporters after projected win
Schreiner said Thursday he has written Premier Doug Ford to ask for a meeting and plans to address a number of issues including the Tory government’s decision to scrap cap and trade.
“I think the premier is being reckless in eliminating carbon pricing without having an alternative plan in place,” he said.
Schreiner called one of Ford’s rationale for scrapping cap and trade – to cut fuel prices – a short-term fix that doesn’t address the real problem.
“I want to get the noose of the oil and gas industry off our neck and start really helping peoples save money by travelling with electric vehicles, transit and other forms of transportation so we aren’t dependent on the oil and gas sector,” he said.
Ontario’s legislature is expected to sit for a brief summer session beginning July 11.
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