PICTOU, N.S. - Green Leader Elizabeth May insisted Friday that she hasn't dropped off the public's radar any more than any other opposition politician since the last federal election.
Some pundits have said that without an MP in Ottawa, the Greens are no longer in voters' minds now that attention has turned from campaigning to governing.
But when it comes to the Commons, May argues that the old adage "out of sight, out of mind" doesn't apply.
"When you're in a federal election campaign, the leaders get a certain amount of attention that doesn't continue past the election if you're not either leader of the official Opposition or prime minister," May said in an interview Friday as her party's annual convention kicked off in Pictou.
"That's the reality of politics."
May said she's spent the months following the Oct. 14 vote delivering speeches and travelling across the country as part of a book tour.
She also said her party, which failed to win a single seat, is "not stuck in neutral" and has been busy developing an economic stimulus package that was released last month prior to the government's throne speech.
The fiscal plan calls for more investment in renewable energy and long-lasting infrastructure while avoiding deficits that May says would cripple the economy and threaten social services.
"We knew the economic crisis was on us during the election campaign," said May. "We've been honest, clear, correct and economically responsible in ways that at least some Canadians are noticing."
Before and during the campaign, May -- the outspoken former head of the Sierra Club of Canada -- had no problem attracting attention to her platform or the party.
May earned headlines when she announced she'd be running in Central Nova -- the riding held by Defence Minister Peter MacKay.
As the campaign wore on, she attracted attention after successfully arguing she should be included in the nationally televised leaders' debates. She became the first Green leader to do so and was lauded for her performance.
As well, her cross-country, whistle-stop tour aboard a rented passenger rail car also proved to be a high-profile hit.
Still, some argue the party will remain at a disadvantage so long as the House of Commons is beyond their reach because of the vagaries of the first-past-the-post electoral system -- something that has "scandalized" many voters, said May.
Still, May said being an MP doesn't automatically guarantee media coverage.
And, as far as everyday Canadians are concerned, she said polls show support for the Green party has increased since the election.
"There's no sense from the Canadian public that we're not saying things that they think need to be said," she said.
The Green party convention runs until Sunday.
Delegates were expected to meet Saturday for workshops on a number of party policies, including the environment, social justice and the economy.
