Next month, we will be holding our 2023 Annual General Meeting on April 29 in Saint John. We hope this year’s AGM will be a moment for Greens across the province to come together (either in person or online) to reconnect and rekindle our vision for a brighter, healthier future for New Brunswick. 

You are invited to get involved by renewing your membership, joining your local RDA (Registered District Association), volunteering in one of the upcoming by-elections, or nominating yourself or someone you know to serve a term on Provincial Council in one of the vacant positions. Joining Provincial Council is a great way to get to know how the party works, meet and work with like-minded Green members, and apply your skills and experience 

We hope this year’s AGM will inspire and motivate you as we work to lift one another up, grow our organization and our membership, and fight for the changes we know are so badly needed in this province. 

 

Enjoy the newsletter,

Ryan Spencer

GPNB Provincial Council - Treasurer

 

In This Issue:

• Staff Appreciation Spotlight: Marie Christine Allard
• Upcoming Events
  • So you want to elect a Green MLA? (with Megan Mitton!) on March 8
  • AGM on April 29
• Get Involved
  • Seeking candidates for Upcoming By-elections
  • Provincial Council Nominations - Last Call!
  • Seeking a Youth Rep
  • Renew your membership to join your local RDA
• MLAs in Action
  • Update on David’s Sick Days Bill
  • Megan Mitton’s Climate Change Committee Work 
  • David Coon’s State of the Province Series

 

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Hello New Brunswick Greens! I am so very excited to start in this role of Executive Director – to support our Green MLAs in the Legislature, the hard-working volunteers and RDAs we have across the province, and to invite even more New Brunswickers to get involved with the Green Party!

For those of you who do not know me, I am a bilingual immigration consultant, environmental activist, feminist, determined optimist, and two-time Green Party candidate. I have lived and worked across Canada and abroad, but I have spent most of my life in this beautiful province and consider myself a proud maritimer and New Brunswicker. 

While immigration and international education have been the primary focus of my career path, after the IPCC report was released in October 2018, stating that we had 12 years (now 7) to limit global warming and prevent catastrophe, I decided to get involved in Canadian politics. I began by serving as the RDA President of Fredericton South, and then ran as the Green candidate in my hometown of Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe in the 2019 federal election. Together, our team managed to quadruple the Green vote, putting us in a strong 3rd place. 

Determined to keep the momentum going, I helped form a historic slate of women candidates for the Green Party in the Moncton region for the 2020 provincial election, landing two in 2nd place. After the election, I co-founded Femmocracy Now to encourage more women to get involved in politics, and was extremely proud when Melyssa Boudreau (a Green volunteer in 2019 and provincial candidate in 2020) won her seat in Dieppe as a City Councillor. I hope to use the political skills, experience and enthusiasm I have gained these past 5 years to accelerate the Green momentum we’ve built together and elect more Greens to enact meaningful change.

I have been so impressed with the work that David, Megan, and Kevin have been doing in the Legislature, and I look forward to supporting all of the caucus priorities of our hardworking MLAs. I am particularly passionate about addressing the urgent healthcare crisis, the current debate about language equality in our education system, affordable housing, and ensuring a just energy transition to fight climate change while protecting workers’ rights. 

I look forward to working with you to help build our grassroots momentum by strengthening RDAs, empowering local communities and volunteers, and of course, highlighting the voices of women and minorities and advancing Indigenous reconciliation. 

Now is the time to get involved. Join me as we gear up and get organized over these crucial next months to choose candidates, inspire voters, and run successful and competitive campaigns in the upcoming 2024 election. Change is coming to New Brunswick and I am calling on you to be a part of it. If you have any questions, concerns, or ideas to share, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Claire Kelly-Orozco

Executive director

 

In this issue:

• Volunteer Spotlight: Eric Allain
• Upcoming Events
  • So You Want To Elect A Green MLA? Zoom Workshop February 6
  • Snowshoeing near Fredericton February 11
  • Quarterly Leader’s Update February 22
  • AGM April 29
• Get Involved
  • Provincial Council Nominations
  • Submit a policy resolution
  • Renew your membership to join your local RDA
• MLAs In Action
  • Update on the Sick Days Bill
  • French Immersion Public Consultations

 

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Happy New Year and welcome to our first newsletter of the year! We look forward to bringing you all the news and events as we dive into 2023.

First and foremost, we are delighted to announce the arrival of our new Executive Director, who will be officially introduced on January 23. We are confident that she will bring new momentum and fresh ideas to our team. 

We are also pleased to welcome our new administrative assistant, Betania Bertone, from Brazil. Please feel free to call her in the afternoon to welcome her or send her an email ([email protected]). We would like to thank Kaely Scott for all her hard work over the past few years.

In April, we will be holding our AGM, where we will be renewing part of our Provincial Council. This event will be an opportunity to meet in person (and/or virtually), to discuss our plans for 2023 and for the upcoming provincial election.

At the end of winter, we will also have by-elections in the ridings of Dieppe, Restigouche West, Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore. We are counting on your support and involvement for these crucial elections.

Finally, you will read that our MLAs are working tirelessly in the Fredericton Legislature to defend the values of our party and the common good of our citizens. 

Together, let's make 2023 a year of progress for the Green Party of New Brunswick and for our community!

Enjoy the newsletter!

 

Nicolas Jelic

President, Green Party of New Brunswick

 

In this issue:

• Fundraising update
• Provincial Council Corner
• Get Involved
  • Join Provincial Council!
  • Events: 
    • So you want to elect a Green MLA (3rd session) - January 26
    • Zoom Trivia Night! - January 31
    • Leader's Quarterly Update - February 22
• Green MLAs in Action - Paid Sick Days Bill

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There’s a lot going on in New Brunswick.

Like many of you, we teeter between moments of overwhelm and moments of fire-in-the-belly deep desire to fight for a better province.

Does this feeling resonate?

But as we witness the needs getting greater in NB - whether in health care or housing to name a few - we also feel a greater responsibility to step up with strong Green solutions and send more Green MLAs to the Legislature.

We have launched our year-end fundraiser with the goal of having $500,000 in the bank by 2024.

We have the solutions, we have momentum, and we have a strong team. Now, we need even more people power and more funds to make it happen!

Will you make a one-time or monthly donation? 

Would you be willing to start organizing locally to elect a Green MLA in 2024?

What are you able to contribute to our movement?

Let's build hope together as we work for a better New Brunswick.

See you soon.

Amanda  Wildeman Fundraising Coordinator, GPNB

Marie-Christine Allard Communications Coordinator, GPNB

 

In this issue:

• Provincial Council Corner
• Volunteer Spotlight: Simon Chiasson-St-Coeur
• Get involved!
• Green MLAs in action
• GPNB Press Releases

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October has been an exciting month for the Green Party of New Brunswick.

David Coon's 10-year leader's tour and celebration has given our members all over the province an injection of energy to plan and fund-raise, looking ahead to the election in two years.

My own RDA, Carleton 45, has held three events  since the end of August: a canoe trip down the Wolastoq/St. John; a corn boil, and a book reading event. We have some plans in the works for the winter. The idea is to work together to boost the visibility of the riding. We won't find a strong candidate if we don't have a strong team of Greens to back them, will we? 

Now is the time to start thinking about the election.

Now is the time to pull together as a riding association.

Now is the time to plan and fundraise, so that when election time comes, our communities will know us as the party with the answers.

Many hands make light work.

What skill can we bring to our RDA?

Together we can generate the spark we need to draw in new members and invigorate those who have been labouring quietly for a green New Brunswick.

Rebecca Blaevoet

VP English, Green Party of New Brunswick

Official Representative, Carleton, Riding 45

In this issue:

• Provincial Council Corner
• Volunteer Spotlight: Leslie Chandler
• Get Involved:
  • Leader’s Quarterly Update (Online) - November 9
  • Focus on RDAs - Zoom event (Online) - November 23
  • Help us find our new Executive Director
  • Volunteer for GPNB
  • Working group on Tax reform and Green New Deal
• Green MLAs in action

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Last month I toured the province to reconnect with Greens across the province, as we emerge from the pandemic. It was wonderful to see so many people face to face again. Meeting through screens is no substitute.

We launched the tour in Fredericton with the theme of 10 years strong and getting stronger. We met outside a farmers market, inside an agricultural museum, at a farm that provides training and skills development for adults with intellectual disabilities and mental health challenges, in an arts and culture centre, and at cafés on both the Bay of Fundy and the Baie des Chaleurs. Additional stops are planned for this fall.

Thanks to all who organized the events, and to those who hosted us at their beautiful venues.

My message was that New Brunswick cannot afford another majority government, and we are the only party that can prevent this.

We are distinctly different from the other parties. Our approach is deeply rooted in community and serving the common good. Our approach is based on respect for all people, and for nature’s balance. Our approach is built around a passionate defense of the commons: the land, sea and sky, the public spaces we cherish, and the public services we need. That’s who we are – the Greens.

Election planning starts now, locally and provincially. We’ve got work to do, so let’s get at it.

 

David Coon

Leader, Green Party of New Brunswick

 

In this issue:

• Spotlight: Marco Morency 
• Get Involved:
  • Events
    • Solar Open House - October 15
    • “Letters from the Future” - October 19
    • Elect a Green MLA! (Online) - October 26
    • Leader’s Quarterly Update (Online) - November 9 
  • Petition - Electoral Reform
  • Committees & Volunteering
    • Policy Working Group
    • Volunteer for GPNB!
• Green MLAs in action - Committee Update
• GPNB Press Releases

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Today, August 1, is the inaugural Emancipation Day here in New Brunswick. This is a day to remember the sacrifices of slaves, to examine our history and the legacy of the slave-master relationship, and to celebrate the resilience and accomplishments of Afro-Canadians.

The recognition of this very important day was a strong message for people of African descent. We felt that within the Assembly, elected officials recognize our difficulties in diversifying our communities.

Today, the honour of celebrating or recognizing Emancipation Day represents the culmination of the International Decade for People of African Descent. Now, what about New Brunswick?

At the provincial level, I believe that we have failed to achieve the goals of the UN General Assembly Resolution 68/237. This resolution calls on countries to implement policies and programs that combat racism and strengthen the economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights of people of African descent so that they can participate fully and equally in all aspects of society. The central themes of the resolution are recognition, justice and development.

Let us not forget that slavery took place right here in Canada for nearly three centuries. Before we can speak of fraternity and reconciliation between fellow citizens, there must be recognition and reparation.

By the end of the Decade, we call on the provincial government to take a leadership role and act decisively to provide concrete measures to restore the dignity of people of African descent.

Phylomène Zangio

Green Party of NB candidate, 2020 provincial election
More about Phylomène here.

 

In this issue:

• 10 Years Strong: A Celebration of David Coon’s Leadership
• Get Involved!
  • 10 Years Strong: A Celebration of David Coon’s Leadership
  • Events:
    • GPNB Multicultural BBQ
    • Pride in your Community
    • Catch David on the Road

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As a Canadian for almost 4 years, July 1st is for many of us a day to gather with friends and family to celebrate a common good - our belonging to a society that promotes freedom, equality, multiculturalism, peace, openness to others and happiness for all.

Like many Canadians (whether by birth or naturalized), everyday we renew this pact with Canada to be exemplary and to respect and defend these values. 

This is why it is difficult for many to celebrate this day fully because of the dark chapter in our history - notably the residential schools. This history of cultural eradication of Indigenous societies is contrary to the foundations of our society. 

Let us also not forget that every July 28 we commemorate the Expulsion of the Acadians - another difficult page in our history that reverberates to this day.

We must face our history and we must act today and in the future to prevent it from repeating itself.

I invite all of you to reflect not only on this July 1st and July 28 but throughout the year on what each of us can do to make our community (and ourselves) more conscientious and therefore stronger together. 

For example, we can:

• develop our civic education through online courses, or
• ask your provincial and federal representatives about the status of the action plan resulting from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, or
• (re)discover the Acadian culture and the richness of the French language in Acadie, or
• defend and promote bilingualism in Canada and New Brunswick.

Let's celebrate this July 1st with open eyes, aware of our past but always ready to adjust our behaviours so that we are fully a free, equal, multicultural and respectful society.

With kind regards,

Nicolas Jelic

President, Green Party of New Brunswick

PS: Being also French, I wish a happy July 14th to my fellow French citizens who will read this monthly newsletter.

 

In this issue:

• Provincial Council Corner
  • Fundraising update
  • AGM Update
• Get Involved:
  • By-elections - thank you!
  • Policy working group
  • 10 years of leadership
• MLAs in Action
• MLA Quote of the Month
• GPNB Press releases for June 2022

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Is it just me or is springtime in Miramichi Greener than usual?

That’s right, it’s by-election time. Chad Duplessie and Julie Guillemet-Ackerman are running to represent their communities as Green MLAs.  This is a chance to provide the people of Miramichi Bay-Neguac and Southwest Miramichi-Bay du Vin with hardworking dedicated representation in the Legislative Assembly.  And this is our chance to expand the Green caucus.

Spending time with Chad and Julie has only strengthened my belief in their vast potential as MLAs. Their integrity and dedication are resonating in Miramichi, especially in a time when many feel left out of government decision-making.

New Brunswickers are feeling the heat of high gas prices, while Irving continues to receive tax breaks in the face of record-breaking profits.

Isn’t it time we stop this madness?

We need Chad and Julie’s voices to hold the Conservatives’ feet to the fire. We need strong political will to enact climate-friendly and people-centered solutions. And we need people-power to make it happen.

On this month of June, with World Environment Day on the 5th and Indigenous Peoples Day on the 21st, let's use these days as reminders of the better world we can create...and then let's take action together.

I hope to see you soon, perhaps canvassing or at the next Green wave along a roadside near you, making history again.

David Coon

Leader, Green Party of New Brunswick 

In this issue:

• Provincial Council Corner 
• Get Involved:
  • By-elections
  • Policy working group update
• Volunteer Spotlight : Dorothy Diamond
• MLAs in Action

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