Fear, Fatalism, and Filler: Greens Miss the Moment on Power & Politics

The Green Party co-leaders appeared on CBC’s Power & Politics this week in what should have been a key moment to articulate a bold, coherent message for the 2025 election. Instead, Jonathan Pedneault and Elizabeth May delivered a confused mix of vague warnings, defensive justifications, and contradictory talking points—none of which added up to a clear political vision.

To make matters worse, CBC’s interviewers failed to press them on any of the party’s most controversial proposals, including Pedneault’s push for a national civil defence corps, new Arctic military installations, or expanded reserve forces. In a political climate dominated by real questions about militarization, economic crisis, and foreign policy, the Greens were allowed to skate by on platitudes about “grown-ups in the room” and “Team Canada.”

Fatalism as Strategy

Pedneault’s most revealing moment may have been his early admission that the Liberals are all but guaranteed to win a majority. With that statement, he effectively removed his own party from the realm of serious contenders—relegating the Greens to moral spectators rather than political actors.

Rather than offering a compelling case for Green leadership, Pedneault leaned on tired slogans “more democracy,” “resilience,” “keeping the big parties honest.” But no concrete democratic reforms were discussed, and no connection was made between their values and their proposed policies—many of which remain controversial within their own base.

Contradictions Piled on Contradictions

Throughout the interview, Pedneault criticized fear-based politics and strategic voting—while constantly invoking Donald Trump, the collapse of democracy, and a coming wave of economic catastrophe. This is fear politics wrapped in the language of virtue.

May, meanwhile, repeated vague calls for “more voices in Parliament” and praised Green MPs for “conducting themselves respectfully.” But when asked why anyone should vote Green rather than Liberal in a high-stakes election, her answer boiled down to a civics lesson. The Greens offer a different model, she said—then immediately pivoted to “Team Canada” unity rhetoric, blurring any distinction from Liberal messaging.

What Wasn’t Asked—and Why It Matters

Perhaps most damning was what CBC failed to ask. Viewers heard nothing about:

• The proposed 120,000-person civil defence force

• Pedneault’s support for expanded military readiness and Arctic defence

• The party’s stance on NATO, Ukraine, or Palestine

• The internal contradictions between calls for “more democracy” and the Greens’ own unelected leadership model

Instead, the interview reinforced a sanitized, emotionally safe version of the Greens, full of civility talk and vague patriotism—but devoid of serious policy discussion or ideological coherence.