Green Party of Nova Scotia

The Green Party of Nova Scotia recognizes the intricate connections of a healthy environment, conservative use of our natural resources, thriving communities, and a sustainable economy.

Green Party Leader Thomas Trappenberg calls for a ban on open pen aquaculture.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 2
The Green Party of Nova Scotia calls for a ban on open pen aquaculture.  South Shore communities are clear, demanding protection for their coastal waters.  Thomas Trappenberg, the leader of the provincial Green Party say constituents must be respected.

“There is direct evidence that open pen aquaculture poisons ocean waters.  Fish waste, disease, and contamination from medicines destroys traditional fisheries, on which South Shore families depend.” said Trappenberg.  “The community has spoken: no open pen fish farms here.”

Thomas has an inside operational perspective on the industry.  An internationally trained scientist and professor at Dalhousie University, he helped startup Reel Data AI develop artificial intelligence (AI) systems for the much safer land based aquaculture industry.  “Doing the right thing for the environment does not mean saying no to strong economic development.” says Thomas.  “A safe, regulated, land based aquaculture industry creates quality food and jobs.  Nova Scotia has what it takes to be the world leader in this.”

Trappenberg has worked with South Shore community-led initiatives for years, supporting local groups like the Protect Liverpool Bay Association as the first federal political candidate calling for a national ban on open-pen aquaculture.  Together they pushed hard to stop massive salmon feedlots that were being forced on Nova Scotians by Cooke Aquaculture and the Federal Liberal government.

Another important issue with the industry is that it takes in more in that it provides.  “The evidence is clear: open pen fish farms struggle to produce as much food energy as they absorb in operation.” says Thomas, “Often they resort to just scraping our ocean bottoms of sea life to get enough fish food.  That is a price Nova Scotia and our environment cannot afford.”

Green Party of Nova Scotia principles include:

++  Sustainability
Move all open-net pen finfish aquaculture facilities into closed containment systems on land. As with land farmers transitioning from conventional production, provide financial and extension support will be ensure to fish farm workers to make this transition.

++  Ecological Wisdom
Stop to the proliferation of these damaging business practices like open net pen operations, and protect the most valuable resource in Nova Scotia : our seas and the people who depend on them.

FOR MORE DETAILS ON THE GREEN PARTY of NOVA SCOTIA or THOMAS : 
telephone  902 414 3960

Communications Chair position on GPNS Executive

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Executive Position – Communications Chair

Hello Green people!

First – a quick note of appreciation to all the tremendous folks keeping us as safe and healthy as possible just now. Top of the list – janitors. …But really, so many people who understand that their jobs are no longer as safe as they used to be, but who keep doing them simply because society desperately needs them to: grocery store staff, bus drivers, personal care assistants, lab techs, nurses, doctors, and the list goes on.

However, the primary purpose of this email is to invite you, or someone you know, to apply for the newly-created position of Communications Chair. The position is a non-voting Executive position. It is a volunteer position, like nearly all Executive positions.

You must be a member to apply, but you can sign up for membership right now, if you wish – follow the link on the main front page of our website www.greenpartyns.ca.

The job description is here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12Ogf90ieDNbza2pSrqQJljHJcNppg9hO8awJ-lW9gzs/edit?usp=sharing

TO APPLY, SEND US:

  • A 250-word statement / cover letter expressing why you think you would be great for the job.
  • A recent resume / CV
  • (optional) some examples (or links to examples) of your work
Submit your application to: communications.chair@greenpartyns.ca
Deadline for submission: Tuesday 7 April – 5:00pm ADT

The selection process is yet to be completely determined, and will depend upon the number of submissions we receive. However, it will, at a minimum, include:

  • a verbal (video-chat) interview of at least 15 minutes.
  • an approval vote by the Executive of the Party

If there are several qualified candidates, a more in-depth selection process may be designed.

Adrianna MacKinnon is the GPNS candidate in Cape Breton Centre!

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The Green Party of Nova Scotia is proud to announce that Adrianna MacKinnon is the GPNS candidate in the by-election in Cape Breton Centre. Election Day will be Tuesday, March 10th.

Here is a statement from Adrianna about her candidacy:

“My name is Adrianna MacKinnon and I have been a resident of Cape Breton Island for more than 50 years. I am an educator and community volunteer, dedicated to supporting others to live their best life. Meeting the ever-changing needs of of my family, while simultaneously achieving my professional and educational goals, has been my proudest accomplishment.

My core values align with the guiding principles of the Green Party. Participation of community members, at the grassroots level, ensures progressive policy development with programs that serve and benefit the interests of citizens and the environment.

I am committed to bringing diverse voices to the table as an elected MLA. The expression of a wider range of perspectives can only strengthen democracy and expand  identification of possible solutions to the challenges of today and in the future.”

Adrianna can be contacted at adrianna.mackinnon@greenpartyns.ca

 

Green Party Leadership: Enforcing Boat Harbour Act Respects First Nation and Environment

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December 20, 2019

The Green Party of Nova Scotia congratulates Premier McNeil on making this historical move after 50+ years of ineffective measures and wishful thinking on the part of past governments. “The government is now following their own law”, says Thomas Trappenberg.

Green Party Leader Thomas Trappenberg points out that, “The real failure of this issue was the lack of vision for a change to a modern industry. This is why we need a more visionary government. While changes in the forestry industry will likely create hardships in the short term, I am confident that the forestry industry will emerge even stronger in the long run.”

Premier Stephen McNeil’s recent announcement, of not extending the deadline for the Northern Pulp mill effluent in Pictou and that $50 million will be put towards the transition fund to help forestry sector workers affected by the mill closure, is met with great relief by the Green Party of Nova Scotia.

“Closing the mill is the right thing to do and the only course of action that leads to justice for the Pictou Landing First Nation.” says Deputy Leader Jessica Alexander, “Nova Scotia forests should be purposed for higher-value products than kraft pulp. Taxpayer money is better spent investing in local human capital than on subsidizing international companies.”

“It is very important that we kept our word to Pictou Landing First Nation”, leader Thomas Trappenberg explained, “They have suffered for so many years.” He adds, “Nobody wants people to lose their jobs and we recognize that there are challenges for workers and the forestry industry. Help for their transition is therefore also the right thing to do.”

The Green Party is looking forward to seeing more details of what the transition will look like and hopes that protecting the mill workers’ pensions is part of the plan.

– 30 –

Media Contact:  Dr. Thomas Trappenberg

Leader, Green Party of Nova Scotia

leader@greenpartyns.ca

902-414-3960

 

Jessica Alexander

Leader, Green Party of Nova Scotia

deputy.leader@greenpartyns.ca

902-225-9130

Climate Strike – by Keith Towse

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The Green Party of Nova Scotia marches with the young people on the streets of Halifax and communities across Nova Scotia today.  Climate change is a threat to Nova Scotians – its impacts will include sea level rise and increasing coastal erosion, more frequent extreme weather events, and altered weather and rainfall patterns. We applaud the Ecology Action Centre for publishing two reports recently showing that Nova Scotians can take action and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 60% from 2005 levels. We can do this through changing how we generate our electricity and heat our homes, increasing the energy efficiency of all the buildings we live and work in and using more electric vehicles.  But, as our leader, Thomas Trappenberg, and deputy leader, Jessica Alexander, agree, “We must make sure that introducing these changes protects those Nova Scotian’s who can’t afford to heat their homes now. More than 20% of Nova Scotians experience energy poverty, and we must ensure that the benefits of clean renewable energy are shared by everyone”,

The Green Party calls for all political parties to cooperate to make sure that the changes which are needed are implemented now – we can’t wait for more studies or debates. We must listen to the young people who march and whose futures are most at risk from climate change. We can take action now.

Changes we can make right now include:

  • Pass legislation setting targets for increasing the percentage of our electricity which comes from renewables to 60% in 2023, 80% in 2026 and 95% in 2030. This should not increase the price of electricity significantly – the cheapest form of new power generation now is onshore wind, which will soon be cheaper than existing coal or gas fired generation:
  • Scrap the ineffective Cap and Trade regulations introduced by the Liberal Government and introduce a Carbon Tax of $50 per tonne CO2e (increasing at $10 per tonne CO2e per year), requiring that proceeds from the Carbon Tax are returned to Nova Scotians who are most impacted by the additional costs, in the form of quarterly cash distributions and subsidized energy efficiency programs. “Implementing this Carbon Tax will be less expensive than dealing with the climate crisis that results if we miss the IPCC target”, says Thomas Trappenberg.
  • Requiring that all new housing meets stringent energy efficiency standards and introducing programs to retrofit existing housing to the same energy efficiency standards.

The Ecology Action Centre report indicates the financial savings from reduced fuel use in buildings and personal vehicles, and reduced fossil fuel purchases for power generation could largely pay for the annualized investments in deep energy retrofits, electric vehicles, and renewable electricity generation.

We can afford it; the future of our Province requires it and our young people demand it.