Kyle running for Green Party in upcoming provincial election

Scot Kyle has run from one election to another.

The former federal Green Party candidate for Thunder Bay – Superior North was acclaimed Thursday night as the Green Party candidate for the provincial Superior North riding. He will now prepare to run in the upcoming provincial election.

Kyle, who placed fourth in the May 2 federal election, said he’s looking forward to his first foray into provincial politics.

"It was a natural jump for me after my first run through things but there was a lot of encouragement from people in my team and people who voted for me so I thought you know what the heck, give it a run and see what the difference is," Kyle said.

Kyle added that he needs to get more up-to-speed on provincial issues, but sees the potential for nuclear waste to be stored in Northwestern Ontario as one of his main concerns. While he understands some northern communities see the storage of nuclear waste near their communities as an economic advantage, Kyle said he is opposed to the idea.

"More and more I’m coming to the conclusion that I’d like the nuclear waste to stay where it’s produced and actually leave it on the surface so that we know exactly where it is and what it is for future generations," he said.

As for one main election issue, HST, Kyle said he doesn’t like it but there’s not much he could do about it.

"I’m a consumer and a spender like everybody else, it kind of hurts" he said. "I’m not a great big fan of it but that’s a big powerful issue, I’m not sure what a little green guy can do about that. I’ll be looking into it."

Too much money is being spent on technology and reactionary medicine in health care instead of prevention and holistic practices Kyle said. The Greens would offer a different approach to a sector that will soon spend half of the province’s GDP every year.

"More responsibility to individuals looking after their own healthcare and education for the medical profession in that area," said Kyle.

Tackling bureaucracy is another area Kyle would like to see.

"A little bit of attention toward grand missed expenditures on things like consulting and big panels and committees where money kind of just gets blown away in the wind," Kyle said.

As for the controversial Green Energy Act, Kyle would like to see it have a bit more teeth when it comes to corporate responsibility. Kyle said his party is not anti-corporate but a healthy corporate climate is needed.

"There’s still not enough in that document about holding corporations responsible for what they’re actually doing to the environment," said Kyle.

Kyle takes on incumbent Liberal Michael Gravelle, Progressive Conservative Anthony LeBlanc and an unknown NDP candidate. The election is October 6, 2011.