Some of the money made from votes cast for a disgraced Green candidate in Fleetwood-Port Kells last election will go to a local rape crisis group.
Alan Saldanha, the Green candidate in that riding, quit the election race an hour after The Leader posted a story that his favourite quote on Facebook was "If rape is inevitable, lie back and enjoy it!"
Because he quit after the Elections Canada deadline, Saldanha remained on the ballot and received 1,476 votes. The Green Party makes an annual allowance of $2 per vote, or $2,952 per year.
Green Leader Elizabeth May told The Leader last week she believes people in Fleetwood-Port Kells who cast ballots for Saldanha, were putting their support behind the Green Party.
"Even though the candidate wasn't there, they (voters) wanted to see support for Greens," May said. "That number of voters consciously put an "X" next to the name of a candidate they knew wasn't there, because they wanted to support the larger Green national vision."
The Green Party took the issue to its council on Sunday for a decision on the matter.
It was resolved to accept the money, but donate $1,000 each year to a local rape crisis group, yet to be decided.
"To respect the intention of those who voted for the Green Party of Canada, we will accept that money," said Green Party Press Secretary Debra Eindinger. "But out of recognition of the situation at hand, we would like to make a donation to a rape crisis centre or women's shelter of some sort within the riding."
Elections Canada is just looking into whether it's legal for the party to make such a donation or not.
kdiakiw@surreyleader.com