OTTAWA -- The federal Green party has landed its first member of Parliament.
By: Mike De Souza, Ottawa Citizen (CN ON), 08-30-08

Blair Wilson, an embattled former Liberal MP who was expelled from his party's caucus last year over allegations of improper spending, announced on Saturday that he was joining the team of Green Leader Elizabeth May.

"I am extremely happy and proud to be able to join Elizabeth and the Green party and do something so positive for two core values that my family and I_deeply believe in," said Wilson. "One of those obviously is protecting the environment and the other one is advancing the cause of democracy."

Wilson, who has sat as an independent MP for the past year, has said that a recent Elections Canada investigation cleared him of any serious wrongdoing.

"Not only do I embrace the policies of my new party, I will feel that all my past difficulties are justified if, by my actions, I can make a real difference by ensuring Elizabeth May is included in the leaders' debates," said Wilson. "There is a democracy deficit in Canadian politics and this is one step in restoring effective democracy in Canada."

May called it a historic day for her party and said it would ensure that she could participate in the leaders' debates in the next election campaign.

"It should not have been a question that required the kinds of efforts we have made to secure my participation in the debates," said May. "We have established ourselves as a party that cannot be described as fringe. We are a party whose ideas and policies are now in the mainstream."

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is expected over the next few days to ask the Governor General to dissolve Parliament and start a general election campaign that would see Canadians heading to the polls in mid-October.

Harper has argued that Parliament is deadlocked and cannot function properly unless the opposition parties make compromises and agree to work with the government.

He is scheduled to meet with NDP Leader Jack Layton to discuss the situation later on Saturday. But on Friday, following a meeting with Harper, Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe said he was convinced that the prime minister was intent on calling an election.

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