Nova Scotia Greens Cheer Schreiner

June 8, 2018 By gpnsadmin Leave a Comment

Ontario Greens Leader Mike Schreiner wins in Guelph. Photo: The Star

(K’jipuktuk) The Green Party of Nova Scotia says that Ontario’s election of the first Green MPP is a significant achievement.

“Mike Schreiner is our green light – his win shows that a fourth party has a place, even in our first-past-the-post system,” said Green Party of Nova Scotia leader Thomas Trappenberg. “This matters for us in Nova Scotia.”

The newly-elected Guelph, Ontario MPP joins other Green representatives from New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and British Columbia, bringing the total number of elected provincial Green officials in Canada to seven.

“If there was proportional representation in place, there would be more Green MLAs across the country,” notes Trappenberg. “Possibly even here in Nova Scotia.”

Trappenberg admits that Schreiner will have a challenging job. “With a majority government, it can be tough to get your own agenda across. But Greens are consensus builders,” he said.

“I have confidence Mike will put forward a strong voice for the environment, social justice, diversity and our other Green principles, and will work with other MPPs in a collegial manner to help all Ontarians.”

Meanwhile, here at home, Trappenberg has a message for Nova Scotians.

“A Green voice in the legislature will affect the quality and substance of debate. The people of Cumberland South have an opportunity on June 19 to help build the Green Wave by voting for Bruce McCulloch, to balance the government agenda with priorities of health and sustainability.”

Bruce McCulloch to Run in Cumberland South for Green Party of Nova Scotia

May 21, 2018 By gpnsadmin Leave a Comment

Bruce McCulloch, an engineer who has long been active in the community of Parrsboro, will be the Green Party of Nova Scotia candidate in the Cumberland South by-election.

Bruce is a seasoned professional with a strong knowledge of energy efficiency. He lived in Parrsboro while his children were growing up. He served on the Ship’s Company theatre board for 18 years, and was an active volunteer at Ottawa House museum. He is an investor in the Two Island Brewery start-up.

Read Bruce’s bio here.

“Cumberland South has great, resilient communities, and an excellent quality of life,” Bruce says. “This, in spite of the struggle to retain health professionals, and the trend of jobs disappearing and young people leaving the area.”

Bruce looks forward to discussing how the values of the Green Party align with the needs of the people of Cumberland South.

Recognizing some of the issues he has seen in the area, Bruce promises to strengthen supports for seasonal workers and businesses. He aims to create conditions to allow local businesses to flourish, including ensuring high speed internet access and global market opportunity. He wants to see Nova Scotia adopt the British Columbia model for attracting doctors.

Bruce assures current and retired teachers and health care workers in Cumberland South that he will strive to ensure a more transparent, cooperative approach to labour negotiations.

Finally, Bruce notes, “We need to overcome the “turf warfare” between the Atlantic provinces to see regulatory processes and services become more streamlined, cost-effective and efficient. We need better ‘free trade’ between provinces.”

Bruce previously ran in the area in the 2013 election.

Green Party of Nova Scotia Holds Earth Day Weekend Convention in Wolfville

April 23, 2018 By gpnsadmin 2 Comments

For Immediate Release – 23 April 2018

(HALIFAX) – Thirty members, guests, and observers of the Green Party of Nova Scotia gathered this weekend at the L’Arche Hall in Wolfville. The weekend marks the second Annual General Meeting since the Party’s near-dissolution in 2016.

In the last year, leadership reported that the membership has more than doubled. The 2017 election saw the Green Party run a slate of 32 candidates, and attain a record vote share of over 5%.

“We have really spent the last eight months building a solid foundation for growth,” noted Thomas Trappenberg, Party leader. “Ensuring that our regional grassroots members are supported had to be done before anything else. The election hit us so fast during our party’s recovery, we were in high gear. It was important to step back and make sure that our base was solid.”

Building Connections with Mi’kmaq Communities

In the last year, Deputy Leader Jessica Alexander reported making a special effort to build the Party’s connection with Mi’kmaq communities. “We approached the Sipekne’katik Water Protectors with an offer to stand with them. We tried to be humble and respectful. We learned a lot about how to be supportive allies, and we know we have a great deal more to learn. We feel it is incredibly important to open spaces for indigenous voices.”

The Party invited Trevor Sanipass to open the conference with an education session on Mi’kmaq spirituality and culture. Sanipass, who ran for the NDP in the last election, is the great-great-grandson of the last hereditary Grand Chief, John Denny Jr. Donning his ribbon shirt, Sanipass shared the Honour Song and tips for working respectfully and effectively with Mi’kmaq allies and offered a smudging to open the day.

A by-law amendment passed by consensus changed the party’s approach to including indigenous voices, allowing any members of indigenous origins to develop a suitable process and approach on their own terms.

(Political) Climate Change

Green Party of Canada Deputy Leader Jo-Ann Roberts delivered a morning keynote address, noting the success of the Greens in New Brunswick, PEI and British Columbia as a sign that the political climate is shifting in favour of the party. Later in the day, Thomas Trappenberg echoed this sentiment, noting that times have changed and the time has come to shut down the Northern Pulp mill in Pictou.

The day closed with a panel of cannabis experts—Myrna Gillis, entrepreneur and lawyer; Kenny Lord, consultant; and Andrew Laughlin, retailer—who discussed the state of the cannabis industry in a wide-ranging presentation. The party noted policy opportunities related to health, justice, business and agriculture.

-Photos to follow-

Green Party Supports Friends of Northumberland Strait: #nopipe

April 16, 2018 By gpnsadmin Leave a Comment

Federal and provincial Green Party leaders joined the Friends of Northumberland Strait in Pictou on Saturday, April 14, at an event to show their support for the #nopipe movement.

“It’s obvious to any Nova Scotian who visits the site that Boat Harbour is an ecological disaster. No pipe! It’s time to think about what can be, without the miasma of pollution hanging over Pictou,” said provincial party leader Thomas Trappenberg. “How many businesses and industries have not succeeded or not been pursued because of the mill?”

“The risk to fisheries waters is unacceptable,” added Green Party of Canada deputy leader Jo-Ann Roberts, who has recently returned to live in Nova Scotia. “We’re talking about an impact that will extend to other provinces, as our PEI neighbors have pointed out.”

Trappenberg and Roberts were joined by Green Party of Nova Scotia deputy leader Jessica Alexander, David Hachey, who ran in the Pictou riding for the Green Party of Canada, as well as Green Party of Nova Scotia executive members June Trenholm and Charlene Boyce.

The #nopipe event featured a reading from The Mill by author Joan Baxter, along with a chowder tasting and lobster crafts for the kids, to underline the importance to local fishers of protecting the strait.

At a post-rally gathering at the Stone Soup Cafe, the group was joined by local Green Party members, No Pipe activists and Pictou West MLA Karla MacFarlane, who is the interim leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia. A cordial and lively conversation followed.

The Green Party of Nova Scotia aims to bring a similar event to Halifax in June, to keep extending the conversation on how to successfully transition from the kind of industry the mill currently represents to our greener future.

Where has the discussion about classroom conditions gone?

February 22, 2018 By gpnsadmin Leave a Comment

Green Party Condemns McNeil Government for Losing Perspective on Education Reform

(HALIFAX) – The Green Party of Nova Scotia has long held that an education strategy should be developed through broad and transparent consultation, not the opaque and top-down approach favoured by the current Nova Scotia government.

“The McNeil government is irresponsibly picking and choosing reforms from their own report,” says Green Party leader Thomas Trappenberg, “They claim this will put more money in the classroom, but they can’t tell us how much money, or even where it will go.”

The immediate proposed changes from the report – eliminating school boards, creating a College of Teachers and removing administrators from the union – are primarily aimed at the administration and governance side of public education. However, teachers and parents have been vocal that the issues they see are in the classroom. There is not a clear connection between the government’s actions and the desired outcome of better education.

“Where has the discussion about classroom conditions gone?” says Trappenberg.

“The government must address cross-departmental issues that affect children in classrooms, things teachers are doing now single-handedly. They must commit to looking at different models of classroom composition, cap individual program plans per class. They must increase student services staff. They already have all the evidence they need for this,” notes Trappenberg.

“Education is the key to a prosperous and sustainable future. It should not be used as a battleground for pushing a particular labour relations agenda,” adds the Green Party Leader. “With Bill 75 still standing, the Liberals continue to treat education like the wild west.”

The Green Party of Nova Scotia supports the collective bargaining rights of all workers in the province, both private sector and public.