Franícoise Raunet is battling more than just tough Liberal and NDP opponents in the final days of the Vancouver-Point Grey provincial by-election.

"I got a really bad cold about three days ago and I’ve been coughing and hacking, but my spirits are still high,” the Green party candidate said between sniffles.

Raunet is campaigning to become MLA for Vancouver-Point Grey riding against B.C. premier and Liberal candidate Christy Clark and NDP candidate David Eby.

The Green candidate told the Straight that she plans a final stint of campaign door knocking before voters cast their ballots May 11.

Raunet said she has struggled with a limited budget. She hasn’t been able to afford campaign signs and had few volunteers, she said.

But she still maintains her campaigning raised the Green party’s profile within the riding, formerly held by ex-premier Gordon Campbell.

A vote for the Green party is the only way to tell both the governing Liberals and Opposition NDP that they’ve fallen short on the environment, she said.

“One more seat for the NDP isn’t going to do anything to change the balance of power in Victoria so if we really do want to make a change I think that we need to start electing some new voices and taking politics in a new direction.”

But the Green party isn’t focused solely on the issue of the environment, according to Raunet.

“I think people should take a close look at the Green party’s policies. I know they think of us as being for the environment but the environment really isn’t the only part of our platform.”

“We have lots of great ideas about social justice issues and the economy,” said Raunet, a student support worker for the Vancouver school board.

She said she is committed to running in the next provincial election as the Green candidate in Vancouver-Point Grey, win or lose on May 11.

“I grew up here. I still live here. I’m raising my family here. I’m not going anywhere and I plan to still be running next time around.”