. . . "The Green Party of Ontario (GPO) became an officially registered political party in 1983, in Ontario, Canada, and has been developing in size and sophistication since that time, expanding its membership and rising in the polls. The GPO has increased the number of candidates in successive provincial elections. Elections Ontario records that in the 1999 provincial election, the GPO fielded 58 candidates, and became the fourth largest party in the province. In 2003, the party fielded its first nearly-full slate, 102 out of 103 candidates, and received 2.8% of the vote. In 2007, the party fielded a full slate of 107 candidates, receiving 8.06% and over 350,000 votes. The late 1960s is widely seen as the start of the global ecological movement, however it wasn't until the 1970s that this movement began to gain political and economic legitimacy, with advances such as the founding of the world's first green party (New Zealand's Values Party), and the entry of the West German Greens (Die Grunen) into that country's legislature. By the early 1980s, the idea of organized Green politics began to gain in international popularity, and in 1983 the Green Party of Ontario was registered with Elections Ontario and began to contest provincial elections. It wasn't until 1993, however, that the party began to better organize itself, electing Frank de Jong as its first official leader. Mr. de Jong continues to hold this position. In August 2006, GPO Heritage Council was organized, which oversees all heritage projects in the Green Party of Ontario. The GPO Archival Collection began to be catalogued in 2007. The GPO Heritage Council also established the GPO Historical Society in July 2007, with free open membership. The Green Party of Ontario is celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2008."@en . . "History of the Green Party of Ontario"@en . . . "The Green Party of Ontario (GPO) became an officially registered political party in 1983, in Ontario, Canada, and has been developing in size and sophistication since that time, expanding its membership and rising in the polls. The GPO has increased the number of candidates in successive provincial elections. Elections Ontario records that in the 1999 provincial election, the GPO fielded 58 candidates, and became the fourth largest party in the province. In 2003, the party fielded its first nearly-full slate, 102 out of 103 candidates, and received 2.8% of the vote. In 2007, the party fielded a full slate of 107 candidates, receiving 8.06% and over 350,000 votes."@en .