GREEN LEADER WANTS TO CLEAN UP 'MESS' FOR NEXT GENERATION

Laura Secord Secondary School student Katie Shaughnessy sounds like a
political commentator when reviewing federal Green Party leader
Elizabeth May's performance Friday.

Shaughnessy, 17, says May was straightforward and upfront while
addressing students at the school Friday morning.

"She doesn't sound like a politician," Shaughnessy
said.

But that won't be enough to parlay the Greens into power, said
Shaughnessy, a self-declared politics junkie. The Liberal and
Conservative parties are too entrenched, she said.

Recent polls show the Greens are gaining support in Canada. The party
shot up to 11 per cent support in December, from five per cent in June.

"It's wonderful," May told The Standard before her speech at the
school, one of several stops in St. Catharines Friday. "For me, anyway."

Polls also show Canadians now rank the environment as the No. 1 issue
facing the nation - trumping matters such as health care and
Afghanistan.

It's an issue that's top of mind for Grade 12 student Livia Nassius,
17. With climate change and pollution, Nassius worries there won't be
a world left for her by the time she's 32.

"I don't want to bring children into this world," Nassius
said.

May told students she wants to repair some of the damage humans have
caused the world, for her daughter's sake.

"My daughter is in Grade 10," May, 52, said in her unscripted
speech.

"I would do anything to ensure that the mess that my generation made
of the world is cleaned up before she's my age. Preferably, before she
hits university."

May said she realizes that's not realistic and hopes at least for a
shift in a way people think - using more energy-efficient lightbulbs
and refrigerators and urging large companies to make eco-friendly products.

The students sat politely while May talked about the Greens' policies
on social justice, seniors' poverty and the complexities of climate
change.

One question brought the crowd to rousing cheers.

"If your party won, would you legalize marijuana?" shouted out one
student.

"A lot of people confuse the Green party for the marijuana party," May
said. "... But truth is, it is our policy. Yes, we would."

That's only because "keeping something criminalized creates
criminality," May quickly added as she pointed out the harmful health
effects of inhaling the drug.

One student couldn't figure out why May came to the
school.

"I didn't know what she was talking about," Grade 9 student Jeremy
Mullen, 14, said after May's speech.

"I don't care about all that environment stuff."