The Green Party of New Brunswick made history last month, as David Coon successfully called for the first emergency debate in the Legislative Assembly in 40 years to discuss the unjustified and costly tariffs proposed by the Trump administration. Our Green MLAs, representing over 50,000 voters in the last provincial election, continue to bring not only bold ideas, but action, accountability, and meaningful change to New Brunswickers.

On March 25, David tabled the long-anticipated Act Respecting the Right to a Healthy Environment in the Legislature for its first reading. The new law, if enacted, would combine human rights and environmental laws to empower citizens to defend their right to clean air, water, and safe food. This is especially important to protecting the health and safety of children who are more vulnerable to pollutants. The bill aims to improve access to the courts and establish an environmental rights commissioner who will advocate for the health and well-being of all New Brunswickers. 

Below is a photo of some of the advocacy groups who came to the Legislature in support of the bill, including members from the NB Environmental Rights Caucus, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, CUPE NB, East Coast Environmental Law, and NB Lung. 

We need your help to get our bill through the Legislature and passed into law. You can help by signing our petition and sharing it with your friends, family, and coworkers. 

Thank you all for your continued support,

 

Sincerely,

your Green Team

 

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In This Issue:

• Appreciating our Employees
• The Holt Liberal Cuts Result in Staff Layoffs for Green Caucus Staff
• A Note About Membership and Donations
• Upcoming Events
• MLAs in Action
• Press Releases
• Petitions

 

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Last month, David Coon wrote about the power of citizenship and the promise of community. Citizenship and community are principles that have been taken for granted recently, and we need them now more than ever.

Threats to our sovereignty and economic security from the Trump administration are forcing us to rethink who we are and what we stand for. Canada is a nation of nations - a community of communities. We are defined by our common citizenship, and a common set of values - taking care of our neighbours when they are in need. That is who we are. 

The coming months and years are going to test those values in ways we have not seen in some time - certainly in my lifetime. We will need competent and experienced leadership, yes, but we will also need to depend on each other, make sacrifices, and support those in our communities who need our help.

As David wrote,

“We have a choice. We can come together to keep everyone safe, or we can succumb to the fear and yell ‘everyone for themselves’. We haven’t actually lost our power as citizens; it’s just been misplaced. We remain firmly embedded as caring and compassionate people in community. Knowing New Brunswickers and Canadians, as I do, we will make the right choice.”

And that choice requires us to exercise our power as citizens.

When we tune out and turn away from politics, we give away our power of citizenship and sacrifice the promise of our communities. Politics should be a friendly competition of ideas to improve peoples lives, and when citizens are engaged in politics, it can be. 

I ask you to join us in our endeavour to reject divisive politics, speak truth to power, and champion ideas and policies that create meaningful change in peoples lives.

 

Enjoy the newsletter, and consider donating to my 30th birthday fundraiser!

 

Addison Fach

Regional Mobilizer and Communications Assistant

Green Party of New Brunswick

 

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In This Issue:

• Addison and Genevieve's March Birthday Fundraiser
• Young Greens of New Brunswick Update
• Tax Receipts
• Upcoming Events
• Become a Member
• 2025 AGM Notice
• MLAs in Action
• Press Releases
• Petitions

 

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Last month, devastating wildfires raged in southern California while a turbulent polar vortex brought record-breaking snowfall to Florida and other southern states. Meanwhile, the incoming Trump administration has pulled America, the world’s largest economy, out of the Paris Climate Agreement - the international treaty to limit global warming. 

It is clear that climate change is here to stay "for several decades to come" and we must prepare for it. In New Brunswick, we can expect more violent storms, unpredictable precipitation and drought, rising sea levels and coastal erosion, flooding, and storm surges. As Green Party Leader, David Coon, outlines in a recent blog post, it is incumbent upon us to respond to these realities by securing our homes and infrastructure from rising seas and flooding, by strengthening our emergency response systems, and by becoming more self-sufficient in food and energy production. 

A rapidly changing climate presents a lot of risk and uncertainty - but there are things we can and must do now to make our communities more resilient. Things like protecting the province’s 2,250 km of coastline, making sure everyone has access to affordable housing and healthcare, and bolstering our local food security with a plan to support family farms. 

During the 2024 Provincial election, The Green Party of New Brunswick proposed an ambitious plan to invest in climate adaptation and protect New Brunswickers from climate impacts. Our MLAs continue to bring forward the kind of made-in-New Brunswick solutions to the complex and overlapping challenges of our time. We need your support to help us advance these solutions and 

If you can afford to donate, please consider making a monthly donation (see tax credit info below). 

If you can volunteer your time, consider becoming a member of your local RDA (Registered District Association) to help grow the grassroots of our party. 

Now is not the time to tune out and turn away from politics. Now is the time to get organized and to do the work of making our corner of the world a safer and healthier place for everyone. 

 

Thank you for your continued support.

The Green Team

 

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In This Issue:

• Remembering JC Bourque
• Get Involved
• Become a Member
• Join the Green Roots Growth Club
• Upcoming Events
• MLAs in Action
• Press Releases

 

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Happy New Year from all of us at the Green Party of New Brunswick!

We have so much to be grateful for over the last year, and so much to look forward to in the year ahead. Our staff have taken some much needed time off over the holidays to rest and recharge, but we will be back next week ready to hit the ground running! 

In case you missed it, read David Coon's post-election message from last month's newsletter.

 

Wishing you all the best for 2025!

Sincerely,

Your Green Team

 

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In This Issue:

• Green Roots Growth Club
• Become a Member
• Upcoming Events
• MLAs in Action
• Press Releases

 

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First, a huge thank you to all the candidates, volunteers, donors, and campaign staff who worked so incredibly hard over these last several months. Together, we ran a phenomenal election campaign and earned the respect of New Brunswickers. I would especially like to thank Jo-Ann Roberts for her guidance and leadership in her role as campaign manager, and our Official Agent, David Wagner, and Provincial Council President, Ryan Spencer for their financial guidance. And of course, to the tens of thousands of voters who placed their trust in their local  Green candidates - Thank you for your support!

Our 2024 provincial campaign was our best planned and organized campaign to date. We have solidified ourselves as the third major party in New Brunswick - the only third party to elect multiple MLAs for more than two terms.  The stampede of voters to defeat Blaine Higgs was to the benefit of the Liberals, so we did not increase our number of seats as many New Brunswickers expected we would.  That will have to wait until the next election.  

I was honoured to win the support of the voters in the new riding of Fredericton-Lincoln, and pleased that Megan Mitton won re-election in the new Tantramar riding. Sadly, Kevin lost his seat in the red wave. Megan and I miss him terribly.  He not only served the people of Kent North tirelessly for the past 6 years, he was a hugely effective parliamentarian.  The new standing committee on Official Languages that will be established in the Legislature this fall is just one of his many accomplishments. 

Green candidates earned at least 20 percent of the vote in 9 ridings across the province, with our candidates in Shediac-Cap Acadie and Tracadie breaking through to earn 30% and 41% of the vote respectively. In total, we earned 14% of the popular vote province-wide, with over 50,000 voters placing their trust in us. It is also worth noting that the Green Party of New Brunswick was the only major party to have a gender-balanced caucus in this year’s election!

The next 4 years will go by very fast.  Our local riding associations will be very active in preparing for the next provincial election, as will our provincial office, and our governing council.  We had a successful post-election de-brief with our candidates, and some are already planning for a run in 2028.  

In the Legislative Assembly, Megan and I will be working hard to hold the new government accountable while championing key commitments from our election platform.  

I am so proud of our entire team’s efforts in what amounted to a year-long campaign, triggered by the threat of a snap election last year.   

Megan and I look forward to working with all of you as we chart a course forward to grow our party, strengthen its grassroots capacity, and bring our vision for a Green province to New Brunswickers. 

 

David Coon, 

Leader of the Green Party of New Brunswick

 

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In This Issue:

• Thank You Kevin Arseneau
• Green Roots Growth Club
• Year End Fundraising re: Postal Strike
• Become a Member
• Upcoming Events
• MLAs in Action

 

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The provincial election is scheduled for October 21 and the Green Party of New Brunswick is ready and eager to run.

Our team of dedicated leaders, candidates, staff, and volunteers has been working hard over the past year to recruit a full slate of incredible candidates in the October election. Many of our candidates and their wonderful teams have already knocked on thousands of doors and made countless phone calls to hear voters’ concerns. The message is clear - voters want change, and Green is the colour of change. 

Leadership matters, and New Brunswickers deserve better from their government. Whether we form government or hold the balance of power in a minority government, we will act to fix our most pressing problems.  We will protect and assert the rights of all New Brunswickers, including the right to access healthcare, the right to a healthy environment, the right to housing, and the fundamental human right to identify freely and live and love as you choose.

New Brunswick is a diverse province of many different communities living together. Our principles work for all New Brunswickers and they guide the work that David Coon, Megan Mitton, and Kevin Arseneau do every day for their constituents. Now, we must elect even more Green MLAs to put our principles into action. 

Every New Brunswicker deserves access to a primary healthcare provider, affordable and renewable energy, a rent cap to protect tenants, safer roads and highways and more public transit options like passenger rail, and above all, a fairer tax system to pay for it.

We are excited to roll out our 2024 election platform over the coming weeks. Join us as we lay out our vision for a better, more forward-looking province where we will get things done for New Brunswickers.

 

Donate to our election fund today!

 

Jo-Ann Roberts

Campaign Manager

 

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In This Issue:

• Be The Change - Watch Our New Campaign Video
• Get Involved
• #HumanRightsNotHate - A statement from the Green Party
• Upcoming Events
• Follow Our Candidates on Facebook
• Join the Green Roots Growth Club

 

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We are hearing it all over the province: the Higgs government isn’t listening to New Brunswickers. It’s time we demanded better from our elected representatives. It’s time for change.

Green MLAs, David Coon, Megan Mitton, and Kevin Arseneau, have been raising the bar for what kind of leadership we should expect from our elected officials. Their work in the legislature is informed by what they hear from constituents in their communities. 

Renters demanded a rent cap, and so David, Megan, and Kevin pushed for it in the Legislature and continue to do so. People demanded better access to local healthcare, so Greens held public consultations, heard from healthcare workers, and championed their made-in-New Brunswick solutions. When the Higgs government decided to make unnecessary changes to Policy 713, students and teachers spoke out, and our Green MLAs listened, and spoke up.

During the COVD pandemic, we all saw how parties worked together in a minority government for the good of all New Brunswickers. Since Higgs won a majority government, however, he has stopped listening to those who disagree with him - even those within his own party.

This election, we have the opportunity to elect a government in which Greens hold the balance of power. A minority government is better for democracy because it brings different voices and ideas to the decision-making process. In short, a minority government listens to people. Both the Liberals and Conservatives will tell you they need absolute power, majority government, don’t believe them, history proves it’s just not true. Greens have spent a lifetime making New Brunswick better, our record proves it. 

You can help us elect more Green MLAs by donating to our incredible candidates, or volunteering on their campaigns. 

This election is about change, and Green is the Colour of Change!

 

Jo-Ann Roberts

Campaign Manager

 

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In This Issue:

• David Coon - A Lifetime of Leadership
• Staff Appreciation Spotlight: Mariana Mora
• Welcome our new Admin: Maria Ortiz
• The Case for a Minority Government
• Upcoming Events
• Provincial Council Corner
• MLAs in Action

 

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Happy Canada Day!

The last month has been packed full of exciting events as our candidates and their campaigns gear up across the province for the fall election. I launch my summer tour this week and look forward to connecting with New Brunswickers, alongside our candidates, as I travel the province. Both deputy leaders, Megan Mitton and Kevin Arseneau, will be visiting local communities far and wide.

Elizabeth May, the first elected Green in Canada and co-leader of the federal Green Party, joined us at events in Riverview, Hampton, Saint John and Fredericton last week. She inspired all those in attendance with a message of hope and determination.

The polls are finding a huge uptick in the number of undecided voters, going from 19% in March to 30% in June. Our candidates are working hard to earn their trust as they meet people at their doors and in their communities. As I go door-to-door, I can tell you the welcome is a warm one.

I know New Brunswickers are discouraged with the high cost of everything, the difficulty in accessing health care, and the inattention to making New Brunswick climate ready – to keep us safe from its consequences and to do our part to shrink our carbon footprint. The solutions are there. What we need is action, and as Greens we will act.

That’s how Megan, Kevin and I serve our constituents, and that is how we work as parliamentarians. Tenants need to be protected against unaffordable rent increases. We brought forward legislation to create a rent cap, twice. All working New Brunswickers need paid sick leave. We introduced legislation to guarantee paid sick days. With high cancer rates, and an increase in neurological conditions, we tabled legislation to give New Brunswickers a right to a healthy environment.

We cannot afford another majority government in New Brunswick where one party and one premier holds all the decision-making power. Election day is expected to be October 21st, with advance polls open for voting on October 12 and 15.  

To change the way our province is governed means voting for your Green candidate, so we can better serve you. Change is on the horizon. I invite you to be a part of it.

 

David Coon

Leader of the Green Party of New Brunswick

 

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In This Issue:

• Welcome our new staff member, Dani McLean-Godbout
• Volunteer Spotlight - Amanda Wildeman
• Photos from our recent events
• Upcoming Events
• Provincial Council Corner
• MLAs in Action
• Join Us

 

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The wind is in our sails! With a provincial election just months away, the Green Party of New Brunswick has never been stronger or more organized. 

In the last provincial election in 2020, Greens finished second in 12 ridings, in addition to the 3 Green MLAs who were re-elected, Megan Mitton, Kevin Arseneau, and our Leader, David Coon. This election, we expect to turn those seats into Green ones, replacing Tories and Liberals.

We can proudly say that we are the only party that has grown our voter support in both English and French New Brunswick. That is because our principles resonate with all New Brunswickers, regardless of language, age, race, sexuality, gender, or otherwise. Every election, we grow our voter support. This year’s election we expect to have our best turnout ever as more voters realize that Green is the colour of change for the better.

We cannot afford another majority government with one party holding all the power - that results in short-sighted decisions that do not reflect what the majority of people actually want. What New Brunswick needs now is a minority government where all parties have to work together. After all, that is how democracy should work. And, if enough people change their vote in this election - we may very well lead that minority government with David Coon as our next Premier.

If ever there was a time to support the Green Party of New Brunswick - it is now. Consider becoming a monthly donor - every dollar adds up and helps us compete with the deep pockets of Liberals and Conservatives. If you are not able to donate, consider volunteering, or reaching out to one of our amazing candidates. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram or X (Twitter) and share our message with your friends, family, and co-workers.

 

Our team is growing, how will you be part of it?

 

Genevieve MacRae

Interim Executive Director of the Green Party of New Brunswick

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