Answer
Thank you Joey for your activism on these important topics, close to my heart.
Please read Platform 21. Be Daring! for how the Green Party Policies reflect my personal values, which is why I serve as a Green candidate, even if on a shoestring budget. You can find a link from our greenpartyprovencher.ca website.
1. Climate Change – Joey I chose simple living ( no running water, off grid) 30 years ago to remove myself as much as possible from extractive capitalism, with its destructive impacts on our earth. I helped found a farm cooperative off grid in 1984 and have lived here on solar and wind power since 1991. I choose to work in organic agriculture where I have helped our food growers wean off of GHG producing synthetic chemicals in their crop management and move to organic soil building methods reflected in the Organic label. Having spent thousands of hours as a volunteer building the organic agriculture movement, because our dominant food production methods account for a third of the GHGs we emit in Canada.
Building local agriculture for local needs also reduces food insecurity, as the culls from the retail market can also be used locally. When food arrives in a truck from far away not only does it have a greater footprint, it contributes to food insecurity.
Not only have I composted all my waste including from my outhouse, for 40 years , I have taught farmers to compost and supported large scale composting efforts in our local municipalities in Provencher for 30 years, by volunteer service on a composting coop working with municipalities.
I agree Ottawa should be doing much more to stop subsidizing fossil fuel production and start investing in renewable energy sources with a just transition to clean jobs and clean energy. See the Green Future pillar under Platform 21.
2. People of Provencher (& Manitoba) must have access to local food, both the production of which and consumption of fresh organic food supports better mental health & healing long-term trauma including that from colonialism & residential schools. I have helped write grants for Shoal Lake first nation for their community garden and consulted with other first nations ie Grassy Narrows, Rosseau River to assist with their local food production efforts.( In this process I discovered many elders were forced to garden at residential schools, so gardening can be a trauma trigger.) This type of support should be funded, not relying on volunteers such as myself.
3. Truth & Reconciliation – This important area is outlined in detail under the Just Society pillar of Platform 21. Be Daring! I have actively chosen to support my friends who have been impacted by Residential Schools and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women., including my friend Marie Anneharte Baker who has written a book about her mother who went missing when she was 6.
4. Housing – is another crucial aspect of a Just Society Platform 21- homelessness is a critical issue especially in youth and is contributing to Canada having the third highest youth suicide rate in the industrialized countries. Cooperative and low cost housing is part of our platform and as one who was homeless in my youth due to mental illness in my family, I am passionate about this issue, having created a cooperative farm home for myself and our coop members.
5. Tax – Polluters pay and tax the 1 %, again see our clear party policies on action for fair taxation.
6. Healthcare – Research shows a guaranteed Annual Income will reduce the pressure on our Emergency rooms, and together with universal pharmacare and dental care we will prevent many health emergencies. We also need to train more nurses and health care providers, doing away with mandatory overtime which leads to dangerous burnout. We need fair remuneration for all healthcare providers including residential care workers to uphold our public healthcare system.
On Thursday, Sept 16, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, I will be participating in an all-candidates forum hosted by the Steinbach Chamber of Commerce that will be streamed live on Steinbach Online.