There's been no week quite this one in my memory. Those of you following the web-based action leading up to the International Day of Action on Climate Change, this Saturday, October 24, will have some idea of the thousands of actions taking place all over the planet, all directed toward one end, convincing our leaders to take drastic action to reduce the CO2 levels. All of these action cry out: It's an emergency! Quit messing about with the small stuff. Do what has to be done.

There's a joint effort of a breadth of scale not seen ever before. We demand rights for the health of the air we breath, that the ocean absorbs. We demand a return to 350 parts per million of CO2 in the atmosphere — closer to the amount the was steady and persistent for millions of years, up until the Industrial Age. We expect our leaders to act on behalf of the Nature Kingdoms and the Unborn Generations of Humans. Respect for the generations that follow. That's the gig.

There's never been a week quite like this one, in recorded history. Such a melding together of some many from so many parts of the world, building a togetherness, a determination to take charge of our futures and a demand to our leaders.

And so it is an auspicious week for the opening of the headquarters of the the Green Pary for the Canadian political riding of Saanich and the Gulf Islands here off the left coast of Canada. We celebrate because our candidate is the Leader of the Green Party of Canada, Elizabeth May.

The Office was opened with a prayer earlier in the day, a prayer by a local man of the orginal people, the natives, the aborignials, the First Nation of this particular location on the earth. Embarassingly I forget his name, a usual occurrence with me. I remember him vividly. Then began the celebration, fittingly with a very fine fiddler. I didn't get her name either, I'll remember her music. A fiddler only has rhythm like that after playing for dances. I knew it immediately. I played spoons for a while. Damn it was fun.

It is an auspicious time to elect the first Green Party Member of the Canadian Parliament.

Your awkward scribe will report occasionally in the billblog as things progress with local Green Party initatives— I've signed my reclusive self up to do my utmost to canvas, put up signs, encourage and do anything I can to help get Elizabeth May get elected to the House of Commons in the next election, wherever it lands in the calendar. I take some training Thursday. Grand!

I have reasons for deciding to unequivocally support Elizabeth May. You'll find out about them in blogs down the road. Today, in this auspicious week, I simply celebrate. The official Green Party offices are located in the town of Sidney, a twenty minute drive from my home here next door to the Uiversity of Victoria and close to ferries connecting Vancouver Island to the nearest Gulf Islands.

Tonight I picked up my mother and we toodled back up the Pat Bay Highway to Ye Grande Opening. It was a scene of music, fun, renewal of friendships, wine for some, coffee for others, veggies, fruit and not a pop or potato chip on the premises, not to mention the obvious absence of plastic, cardboard or styrofoam beverage containers. Folks, wine was in glass wine glasses, coffee in mugs. Metal spoons.

Thanks for the great hug, Elizabeth. My mother feels you are a fine person for the job. Her instincts are to be trusted. Therefore, damn the torpitudes. Ahoy to the future. Here we go.

From right to left: My mother, Marion Davidson, Elizabeth May, your awkward scribe

Smaller print: The billblog is not an official communication device for the Green Party of Canada. Opinions are those of bill or anyone he chooses. There may be a degree of irreverence or radical-in-your-faceness now and then. There won't be profanity or anything requiring parental controls. The billblog is brilliant and ... oops sorry, got carried away there. My apologies. In short, the Green Party has no responsibility for this blog.