Elizabeth May, the federal Green Party leader, is making a stop in Whitehorse for three days beginning Aug. 21 to offer her thoughts on democracy and raise the profile and some cash for the fledgling party.

Elected to lead the Greens in 2006, the lawyer and former director of the Sierra Club of Canada is currently shopping around for a new riding after losing to Conservative incumbent Peter MacKay in his Central Nova stronghold in last fall's federal election.

Not one to avoid controversy, May raised eyebrows last month when she told a group of Green Party candidates meeting in Ottawa that the party's number one priority is to elect her to the House of Commons.

But this self-serving attitude is nothing new for May. During the 11th hour of the October 2008 federal election, May turned off other party faithful by urging supporters in some ridings to vote strategically if it could keep Conservatives from getting elected.

For some Green Party candidates, it was a betrayal by the same person who crafted a sweetheart deal with the federal Liberals; whereby each party would not run a candidate in the respective leaders' ridings.

But even without a Liberal candidate in the Central Nova race, MacKay still won by more than 5,500 votes.

Following the election, rumours swirled that May had been promised a seat in the Senate by then-Liberal leader Stephane Dion in exchange for her support to the Grits and their carbon tax platform.

When the votes were counted, incumbent Prime Minister Stephen Harper had to settle for another minority government, but his Conservative Party dealt the Liberals one of their worst-ever election defeats, and May was no closer to the House of Commons or the Senate.

While popular support for the Greens surged to nearly seven per cent at the polls, the party failed to win a seat in Parliament.

Nevertheless, May earned much public backing and praise for demanding a spot in televised debates among federal party leaders, which she eventually won in spite of objections by Harper, NDP Leader Jack Layton and Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe. The three originally threatened to boycott the debate if May was included, but recanted as the public rallied behind May.

With the Greens' brand of fiscally conservative economic policies melded with an environmentally conscious agenda, the newest party on Canada's political scene is often viewed as a spoiler for its ability to draw support from both left and right-leaning voters.

May will kick off her Whitehorse visit by giving a free public talk billed as Real Democracy in Canada, at the Old Fire Hall at 7:30, Friday Aug. 21.

The following day, the Yukon Greens will host a $100-a-plate fund-raiser with May as the guest of honour. Those wanting a more up-close-and-personal experience can pay $150 to sit at May's table.

The following Sunday at Rotary Peace Park is being billed as Elizabeth's Picnic, and the hospitality will begin at 11:30 a.m.