Community and democracy: Green Party federal candidate Thaila Riden

Thaila Riden, candidate for the Green Party of Canada, explains during an interview his connections to the Prescott-Russell-Cumberland riding, the general strategy for his party’s platform, as well as his message for disengaged voters. 

Benjamin Richard - Local Journalism Initiative

Thaila Riden explains in the interview that he is a proud member of the Prescott-Russell-Cumberland riding, and has many strong connections to the community. Indeed, he has lived there since he was six years old, is part of a music band that plays around the region and is on the board of directors of Eco East, an organization promoting sustainability in Prescott-Russell.

So why become a candidate? “Politics is not my calling. [...] But, there’s a need” he responds. As for his choice in political parties, he explains, “I really like what the Green Party has been proposing. [...] I can represent those ideals. And the go-to strategy has been: we have a solid platform, we don’t own this platform [...] we would share this platform with other parties.”

Strengthening democracy
When asked about a core issue that matters to him, Thaila Riden wanted to address voter disengagement. In the federal election of 2021, 38% of eligible voters didn’t go to the polls, while for the Ontario provincial election earlier this year, it was 55%. He states, “Now is the time to say, instead of dismantling democracy, what can we do to strengthen it, make it work for people, make it more honest, transparent, efficient.” One way to do that, he says, is through proportional representation.

“We need electoral reform. If you’re not thinking about coming out to vote this election, maybe come out and vote for that” he suggests. He points out that with proportional representation, like in France or Germany, parties come together to form coalitions and therefore compromise, which guards against polarization and ultimately strengthens democracy.