Windsor-Essex Green party candidates facing uphill battle

The party has onlyregistered candidates in two of the three area ridingsDavidMomotiukinWindsor-Tecumsehand JenniferAldersoninEssex and the focus is on increasing supportinstead of taking seats.

"I think that there's a feeling of defeat already set up," Alderson said. "That the NDP are going to get in, that maybe we don't have much of a chance."

Alderson said she's not expecting to land a seat in Parliamentsince she's started late and has a limited campaign budget.

"I don't expect to win. I understand that," she said. "I would just like to get a larger percentage of the vote than in previous years."

With party leader Elizabeth May campaigning in B.C. and a starcandidate running in Guelph, Alderson said the party isn't concerned with ridings in the Windsor region.

"I think with no one really stepping up in this area, they've kind of put it on the back burner," Alderson said.

The party's website shows several Ontario ridings without a Green party candidate, including WindsorWest.

Momotiuk, who quit his restaurant job to campaign fulltime, said the party might be bringing in someone from out of town to run in that riding.

"The WindsorWest situation is what it is because they're not as organized as what we are in Windsor-Tecumseh," Momotiuk said.

Though his campaign is admittedly small, with only four or five volunteers, Momotiuk said his campaign is serious.

"This campaign is not going to be a traditional campaign where we have a lot of volunteers doing traditional campaigning strategies," he said. "What we're going to try and do is connect with those who are involved and interested in organic solutions, environmentallyfriendly products."