2023 Candidates
President - Trevor Pinsonneault
Biography
I have been actively involved with the Green Party, Provincially and Federally, since 2019. I identified with the values that the local candidates stood for and was drawn to their vision for the future. In the last 4 years I have volunteered as a door canvasser, phone canvasser, and scrutineer for various campaigns including Laura Reinsborough (NB Federal - Beausejour), Megan Mitton (NB Provincial - Memramcook-Tantramar), Mike Morrice (ON Federal - Kitchener Centre) and Matt Richter (ON Provincial - Parry Sound-Muskoka). Outside of election cycles, I have been involved with the provincial council for the last 2 years as a councilor at large. In this capacity I have been involved with the Engagement Committee and lead the HR Committee. I am also involved locally with the Sackville Foodbank as a board member with a focus on its Food Delivery program. Outside of volunteering, I work in human resources focussing on recruitment, onboarding, engagement and employee relations. I reside in Sackville, part of the Memramcook-Tantramar riding, with my wife and son. I enjoy keeping active and am lucky enough to be able to run to views of the Bay of Fundy and back from my home.
Why I am running
While on council over the past two years, I appreciated being able to play a part in democracy and meeting New Brunswickers with common Green values. What I've enjoyed the most is working together with like-minded individuals to steer our party forward to more seats and an eventual Green government! I am running for president to continue and develop the great work that has been set in place by our outgoing president, Nicolas Jelic, as we quickly move towards the next provincial election in 2024.
Being president and being on council in general is not about making all the decisions. Being on council is about knowing each of our individual strengths and strengths as a team and using them to engage with members as a whole. Council will work best the more it is connected with our membership. There are many opportunities for Green members and voters to contribute to and be part of key conversations on, Justice.Equity.Diversity.Inclusion (J.E.D.I ), Youth participation, Fundraising, Policy and Governance. The functions of the council depend on ongoing and enhanced engagement with diverse Green members, both veteran and new, in order to reach our goals. The next 2 years will be busy with election prep, election time and post election. As president I would work closely with council, caucus, our executive director, staff and volunteers as a whole to ensure strengthened engagement at all levels.
Vice President Francophone - Jean Claude Bourque
Biography
I was born in Memramcook, NB and attended school in Memramcook then St. Joseph University and Universite de Moncton where I graduated in 1967 with a BA in languages and psychology. I have been an international language interpreter for 41 years
I was a member of the provincial council in the past and president of Shediac Beaubassin Cape Pele riding.
I lived in Memramcook, Moncton, Caraquet, Fredericton, Saint John, Quispamsis and Bathurst. I know NB very well.
I think that I can help the party to grow
Why I am running:
I want to work with the NB green party because of what it represents: the social justice, individual and global democracy. I believe in equality among people and fairness between French and English;
I am impressed by the MLAs and the leadership of David Coon. I want to help a winning team.
Secretary - Burt Folkins
Biography:
My name is Burt Folkins. I am a life long New Brunswicker. I lived most of my early life in a rural community outside of Sussex, New Brunswick on an 8th generation mixed farm. I currently live in the rural community of Hanwell for the better part of 20 years. I am married, have four grown who are all fortunate enough to live in the Fredericton area along with my 5 grandchildren. Since leaving University, I am been mostly self employed, either in the financial services industry or in sales. In the 1990's, myself and a partner formed a real estate company to develop residential and commercial properties. We were awarded the Regional Economic Development prize for building the most homes in the greater Fredericton area in one year.
In 2006, I joined the Green Party of Canada and we formed the first EDA in New Brunswick and were successful in running our candidate. Mary Lou Babineau, who finished with 10% plus of the popular vote and one of the top 20 ridings in the country in the general election. The following year, with the encouragement of Chris Alders, we set about the establishment of. the NB :Brunswick Green Party. In the past dozen or so years, the party has been successful in electing MLA's and the Federal Greens electing an MP
Why I am running:
During the past years, I have worked for the party as the official representative, vice president Anglophone, member at large, Provincial candidate and served on a number of committees. There is always a need on Council for people with experience and people with new fresh ideas. I would like to think that I offer both Politics in New Brunswick, not unlike the rest of Canada, maintains an unfair and undemocratic form of government handed to us by our forefathers. The traditional Red and Blue, do nothing but switch back and forth and accomplish very little except for the status quo. They respond to a problem but offer very little in the way of solutions. We as New Brunswickers are always paying catch up. From my perspective, the mission of the Green Party has not changed in the years since we started and it only becomes clearer as we move forward and that the traditional established political parties of New Brunswick are not working for us. The Green Party offers an opportunity for change in all facets, offering New Brunswickers a chance to reform how we do business. My concern and focus from the start, has been and continues to be democratic election and legislative reform, without which we will see little forward movement. We as New Brunswickers should not be told who to vote for or when to vote but be given the opportunity to make informed conscious choice based on the best representative in the legislature. The New Brunswick Green Party has made a beginning to do this but much work needs to be done to reach the point where New Brunswickers can be comfortable voting for a knowledgeable and concerned political organization. As a council representative, I will strive to bring your vision and the vision of all Greens to the table and make your voice heard.
Capital Region - Kaely Scott
Biography
I grew up in the beautiful town of Hampton New Brunswick and have many fond memories of
being outside exploring the woods and the Kennebecasis River. After graduating from St.
Thomas University in Fredericton, I spent over a decade living overseas, but I have never
considered anywhere but New Brunswick home. Since returning in 2018, I have worked with
various community organizations including the Fredericton Homeless Shelters, Third Age Centre and Nature NB before working for the Green Party as an Administrative Assistant. I recently completed a Masters in Adult Education and I am passionate about lifelong learning and empowering people through education. I can often be found in various parts of our lovely
province cycling, hiking or camping, either on my own or with my husband.
Why I am running:
I am a big believer in being involved in the community where I live. Running for the Provincial
Council is a great opportunity to enable change in Fredericton and our province. I fully support
the values of the NB Green Party and believe they are the only party to help solve the crises we
are currently facing, whether it be healthcare, housing or the climate. I believe my volunteer
and work experience will both be beneficial in my role as a Regional Councillor, and I look
forward to being further involved.
Capital Region - Thomas Ross
Biography
As a seasoned campaigner, I’ve helped multiple candidates become elected officials, including the first Green Party of Canada Member of Parliament in New Brunswick. I believe that the Green Party of New Brunswick should operate with election victory in mind, and the development of systems and data-informed tools is crucial to this end.
As a Provincial Council member for Fredericton, I will support the Executive Director in the development of systems, including RDA development, candidate acquisition, fundraising, and focused election spending. These systems will help us spend our time and resources effectively.
Why I am running
By any measure, the Green Party has made a notable contribution to New Brunswick politics, and I would be honoured to serve as your Provincial Council member for Fredericton.
Northern Region - Eric Allain
Biography
My name is Eric Allain, I am originally from Neguac in the Acadian peninsula and currently live in Dieppe. I am a new father of two and work as a scientist at Georges-Dumont University Hospital and adjunct professor at UMoncton. I've been implicated in student government throughout University and participating in provincial politics seemed like a natural transition afterwards. I consider myself an advocate for progressing environmental and healthcare issues, thus motivating my interest in council.
Why I am running
I want to renew my mandate at council to continue the work we've been doing over the past 2 years. I believe in the last few years the party has gained good momentum, and I want to continue contributing to the great work being done. I've enjoyed working on committees and on council. I believe that as a father, teacher and scientist I bring a unique perspective to the discussions within the party and I've greatly appreciated the various points of view from other council members. As with most party members, I am mainly motivated by my desire to see more action on climate change, however I also want to set an example of civic engagement with my children. I've helped organize several fundraising activities, including the past two trivia nights.
I think I still have much to offer at council and I hope to be elected again to help get us more elected representatives.
Northern Region - Camille Arsenault
Biography
My name is Camille Arsenault.
I was born in the beautiful town of Bathurst New Brunswick which is in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral unceded and unsurrendered territory of the Mi’kmaq People.
I attended the Université de Moncton and obtained Bachelor degrees in Psychology and Philosophy. During my studies, I co-founded an ecological group at the university and worked alongside many groups in the area with common ecological goals. Later, I worked for Greenpeace as well as the Petitcodiac River Keeper. I continued, in my personal life, to stay informed about and involved in ecological issues. My career path went from the mental health field to the office cubicle atmosphere. I worked for the federal government for over 15 years. The Universe leads the way because personal reasons led us back to Bathurst after being away from my home town all my adult life. I am very grateful because finally, in May 2021, I launched my Naturopath practice. In September of 2021, I opened a small esoteric gift boutique. Today, I conduct in person and online group meditations, I host wellness events in the community, I guide full moon walks at a beautiful Nature Reserve. I have recently been certified as a Reiki Master Teacher and I am holding my first Level one class next week. My vision as a Naturopath is to help people see their true light, to recognize how powerful they are and to seize this amazing strength! I have a growing list of loyal clients who want to be well and who are doing the work
Why I am running
I have a deep desire to get more involved in ecological issues that affect us. In my opinion, relations with the country’s first nations are damaged and must be prioritized immediately. Health is very important to me as a Naturopath and the system as we know it today is in distress. In my opinion, the Green Party of New Brunswick is the only political party in our province that truly cares about citizens and the environment. I would like to be able to contribute my passion, enthusiasm and desire for action to the provincial council. Thank you for your support.
Policy Working Group Chair - Brent Harris
Biography
Brent Harris is currently a councilor at Large for the city of Saint John, the executive director of the Saint John Tool Library, a father of 3 kids, and a husband to Cassie Harris. He was raised in Blacks Harbour, NB and finished his undergraduate degree at Mount Allison in 2011. Brent started his journey with the Green Party in 2018 where he supported Wayne Dryer during that year’s election. He then went on to get involved as a member of the policy working group with the Greens in 2018/2019 and ran in SJ Harbour for the Green Party in 2020 where he finished in 2nd place. Beyond that he got very involved in advocacy work around housing reform, climate action, and developing the sharing economy in Saint John which eventually led to him gaining his seat on common council in 2021.
Why I am running:
I am interested in joining the provincial policy working group as chair and believe that my background in governance and the party will allow me to lead the policy working group in an effective manner as we endeavour to produce sound policy that is rooted in solving the problems we face in our province. As chair I would strive to establish a coherent policy book that aligns with the values of the Green Party and speak to the needs of New Brunswicker's. I would also seek to build and recruit a team of diverse individuals for the working group using the network I have built locally in Saint John as well as the network I’ve built through municipal politics around the province.
Policy Working Group Chair - Mael
Biography
Since my university years, during which I studied business administration and sustainable development, my environmental and social commitment has gradually intensified. Born in France, I started to be involved in various organizations and collectives when I arrived in Montreal in 2013. First mobilized for sustainable finance and corporate social responsibility, I then turned to the citizen reappropriation of public spaces, and more generally, to the socio-ecological transition. I believe today that a profound rethinking of our economic system and our democratic institutions is necessary for us to imagine a livable future.
I have worked in compliance, responsible investment and IT. After seven years in Montreal, and some time in Nova Scotia (where my wife is from) and France, I moved to Moncton last fall.
Why I am running
I've been passionate about politics for a long time, and after having worked in associations and "committed" jobs, I now want to put my energy into a party that corresponds to my values. I am even more eager to get involved because I see a great potential for the Green Party in my adopted province. I find it particularly interesting and exciting to contribute to the policy development of this party. I always look at the platforms of the parties, both Canadian (federal and provincial where I live) and French, at each election, and all the issues, whether environmental, social or economic, interest me equally. I think that the definition of a precise, coherent and unifying program is really important to ensure the success of a party, as much at election time as in the daily action of the MLA.