Going Green? Can Parry Sound-Muskoka be swayed from tradition

The Green Party has set its sights on the riding of Parry Sound-Muskoka, ramping up resources as early polling puts the party in a close race to earn a seat at Queen's Park.

Five-time Green Party candidate Matt Richter says the party has been picking up momentum with each election.

"To have the support from the Green Party is going to help us get over the top and really get the imagination of this riding going Green. From imagination to reality."

Federal MP Elizabeth May arrived from British Columbia to show her support Friday.

"There's a lot of volunteer energy that's come here, like me, to show up to say and encourage voters in Parry Sound-Muskoka to make history," May says, pointing to her own success in gaining a seat in parliament. "I defeated back in 2011, and I was the first Green ever elected in Canada."

Cottage country has traditionally swayed blue, but political analyst Michael Johns says the Green Party's focus on its end game could prove beneficial.

"For the Green Party, their goal is to move from having one seat up to two and becoming an established party in the legislature."

He notes the Greens are making a smart move in the Parry Sound-Muskoka riding.

"In the last week of the campaign, if your goal is not to win the election, but to win another seat, then yes, you throw everything you can at the seat that gives you the best chance at that."

Richter is running against New Democrat Erin Horvath, Progressive Conservative Graydon Smith, Andrew John Cocks with the Ontario Party, Doug Maynard with New Blue, Independent Daniel Predie Jr., and Brad Waddell with Populist Ontario.

The Liberal Party does not have a candidate running in the riding.

With files from CTV's Catalina Gillies

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