Despite all its challenges, 2021 has flown by and it is now already December. As an organization that relies on volunteers and members, December is an important month for us. Over the coming weeks, you will receive updates from your three Green MLAs asking for your final financial contribution for the year. I hope you will be as inspired by their work as I have been. Please consider making a year-end contribution so we can continue to grow.  

This month, in addition to keeping you up to date, we are also launching a few new sections in our newsletter - a volunteer spotlight and opportunities to get involved - please let us know what you think.

Thanks for all your support,

Nicolas Jelic - President, Green Party of NB

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**Important**

Starting in January the Newsletter will now be sent out in your language of preference. 

To ensure you get the right language - please update your preference HERE.

Headlines this month:

• Volunteer Spotlight: Remembering Brian Beaton
• Green MLAs in Action
• Get Involved:
  • Getting ready for the 2022 AGM - Available Provincial Council Positions
  • Invite - Policy Working Group 
  • Trivia Night Zoom Event
  • Call for Volunteer Translators
  • Contribute to the Newsletter
• GPNB Press releases for November 2021

Read more

Our Green MLA’s, David, Megan, and Kevin had a busy month leading up to what will be the Second Session of the Sixtieth Legislature reconvening on November 2.

Top Headlines:

• Greens reject order to stop land acknowledgments
• Greens call on Higgs to invest in public sector workers
• David Coon Calls for urgent action to wind down fossil fuel use
• Atlantic Collaboration
• Megan Mitton calls for investigation into nursing home COVID outbreak
• Kevin Arseneau calls for a moratorium on the development of the old military camp

GPNB News:

• Strategic planning update
• Event – Climate March, November 5^th

 

Greens reject order to stop land acknowledgments

“The attorney general’s memo is ordering public employees to be complicit in this government’s sophistry. It is repugnant” - David Coon

“The level of disrespect is appalling. Not that anyone needed another hint, but the Higgs government is making it clear that they aren't interested in truth or in reconciliation.” - Megan Mitton

"For me, I strongly encourage civil disobedience here. We need to keep telling the truth." - Kevin Arseneau

Read more HERE

 

Read more

Can you believe it’s already fall, Time is flying by as Greens are keeping busy

The caucus was on fire grilling the Higgs government on:

• JD Irving’s reliance on glyphosate

• COVID-19

• First Nation issues

 

What’s new within the GPNB:

• Strategic Planning

• Introducing Kaely Scott

 

JD IRVING’S RELIANCE ON GLYPHOSATE

The Climate Change and Environmental Stewardship Committee review of glyphosate and other herbicides in New Brunswick resumed in September.

Unsurprisingly, JD Irving was added to the agenda last minute in an attempt to have the last word. David was on it and challenged Jim Irving with tough questions.

Hear the conversation between JDI and David along with David’s interview with CBC HERE

 

"You've done very well in New Brunswick. When you say suspending the use of glyphosate would be catastrophic for the company... it doesn't quite stand up for me, given how well you've done." 

– David Coon

Read the CBC article HERE (English article only)

Read the Acadie Nouvelle article HERE (French article only) 

 

COVID-19

In August and September, David continued to pressure the Higgs government to curb rising COVID-19 cases:

“The fourth wave is underway and for some reason, the premier is behaving as if New Brunswick is an island unto itself. Which, just because he said mission accomplished, will be untouched by the fourth wave and that’s not responsible.”

 – David Coon

 Read the CTV News article HERE (English only)

The pressure finally worked as the government announced new measures in late September to limit the spread of COVID-19 and boost vaccination rates.

Read the CTV News article HERE (English only)

Read the Acadie Nouvelle article HERE (French only) 

Despite all David’s efforts and rising cases, Premier Higgs publicly stated on September 20th that he did not regret his decision to lift the state of emergency. However, 5 days later Higgs ended up reinstating it due to rising hospitalizations.

Read the reinstatement measures HERE

 

 

 

Read more

Headlines this month:

• Labour Day
• National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
• Leader’s Summer Tour
• Megan Mitton is Hiring
• The Green Caucus is Hiring
• Federal Election 2021
• COVID-19

Happy Labour Day!

On Monday, September 6th the Green Party recognizes and proudly stands in solidarity with the workers of New Brunswick.

We Support CUPE:

Premier Higgs was given until Labour day to fix recruitment and retention issues and bring fair wages to front-line workers of New Brunswick. On the 6th of September, if nothing has changed CUPE members will have to take province-wide coordinated action. Read more HERE

This summer, David Coon called on the Higgs government to negotiate in good faith and think about the consequences of the current strategy. Nothing has changed since.

Read more HERE (French article only)

On August 28th, David and Megan joined the walk to appreciate and celebrate the importance of frontline workers - organized by CUPE:

New – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

September 30th

 “The road to reconciliation is long, but it begins with small steps.” – Chief Allan Polchies, Saint Mary’s First Nation

Orange Shirt Day on September 30th is now also a statutory holiday in Canada for Federally regulated workplaces. This new National statutory holiday is in response to the 80th call to action in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada:

“We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, to establish, as a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.”

The Green Party of New Brunswick will continue to support and push for reconciliation.

In the News:

• David supports Chief Polchies in restoring the St. John River name to Wolastoq:

Read More HERE (English article only)

• David questions how much engagement is taking place with Indigenous leaders in the absence of the working group on reconciliation in New Brunswick:

Read More HERE (English article only)

 

Read more

This month’s headlines:

• New Brunswick Day 
• Leader's Summer Tour
• News from our Green MLAs
• We’re Hiring!
• What’s Next?
• Strategic Planning Initiative

 

Happy New Brunswick Day!

New Brunswick is now in the GREEN phase of the COVID recovery, just in time to celebrate New Brunswick Day with your loved ones.  

We certainly hope that this enthusiasm for going "GREEN" will stay with all New Brunswickers going forward!

Leader’s Summer Tour

David Coon began a tour of the province in mid-July and will be making his way around New Brunswick throughout August and September.  David is meeting with mayors and municipal councilors along the way, and reconnecting with Green members. Follow and like us on Facebook for updates.

News from Green MLAs

Below are some July highlights from our engaged Green MLAs:

MLA Megan Mitton introduced baby Henry, born at the end of June. Sending best wishes to Megan and the family!

N.B. advocacy group calls for improved workers' rights after COVID-19

The New Brunswick Common Front for Social Justice is calling on the province to improve rights and protections for low-wage and non-unionized workers in the province. MLA for Kent-North, Kevin Arseneau has been a tireless supporter and the Green Caucus is working on a bill to bring to the Legislature later this year to modernize this legislation.

Green Leader calls for 80% Renewable Power by 2030

A total of $30 million across two different governments has been given to Saint John based companies ARC Nuclear and Moltex for the development of nuclear technology. Green Party leader David Coon says “new nuclear…is going to drive rates up.” The province would be better off focusing on renewables like solar and wind, along with storage technology to keep the grid functioning efficiently.

Recent hospital ER hour reductions a reminder of failed health-care reforms

Health officials were forced to close some emergency rooms after hours because of staff shortages.  This was an integral part of the failed health care reforms of February 2020.  Premier Blaine Higgs personally promised the Green caucus that no such closures would occur, but nothing has been done to address the critical shortage of nurses.  The Green caucus continues to press for better salaries and working conditions for nurses and other health care workers.

Read more

This month’s headlines:

• Canada Day and our Treaty relationships
• Our strategic planning initiative
• Our Green MLAs in action
• Committee review of glyphosate
• July 11 - World Population Day
• Fredericton MP
• COVID-19 information

Canada Day and our Treaty relationship

This year Canada Day is a time for reflection on our country’s history, in particular the relationship between Indigenous peoples and long-term and recent settlers.

Following the discovery of the remains of hundreds of children buried next to residential schools in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Indigenous leaders are calling on the New Brunswick government to conduct an investigation at the site of the former Sussex Indian School that operated until 1826. Many Indigenous people from New Brunswick are survivors of the Shubenacadie Indian Residential School in Nova Scotia that operated until 1967. Sipekne'katik (Shubenacadie) First Nation is currently conducting a search using ground-penetrating radar.

In New Brunswick, we have an ongoing treaty relationship with the First Nations and all Indigenous peoples. As the first peoples in this territory, the Passamaquoddy, the Wolastoqiyik, and the Mi’kmaq nations signed Peace and Friendship Treaties with the colonial European nations. The treaties established the legal basis for the relationship between the Province of New Brunswick and First Nations peoples.

The governments of Canada and New Brunswick have never respected the historic treaties. Our Party policy states that when the Greens form the government in New Brunswick, we will recognize, respect and implement the treaties signed with First Nations as the legal basis for the relationship between the Province of New Brunswick and First Nations peoples.

The Greens would also fully implement the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), including #45, to repudiate the doctrines of “discovery” and “terra nullius” that were used to legitimize the colonization of Indigenous peoples in different regions of the world including New Brunswick.

For more information about Green Party NB policy on the relationship with First Nations and Indigenous peoples, consult our policy manual, HERE.

Our Strategic Planning Initiative

The Provincial Council recently approved the launch of a strategic planning initiative to identify key initiatives and strategies we will need to implement in the months and years ahead to achieve success.

Our sister PEI Green Party conducted a similar exercise in 2015. Their strategy aimed to make their Party the Official Opposition in their Legislative Assembly in Charlottetown by 2020. As you know, they achieved that goal.

The Provincial Council set up a working group with party representatives to lead this initiative. We intend to finalize the work by the end of September 2021. In the coming weeks, the working group will contact members, supporters, Registered Districts Associations and other groups to discuss and exchange ideas. Stay tuned.

Our Green MLAs in action

The Green’s Bill to Amend the Residential Tenancies Act reached Second Reading in June.  It was designed to empower the government to prevent unreasonable rent increases, and restrict increases to once per year. The Green caucus secured the support of the Official Opposition, but the government members used their majority to vote it down.

June 11 was the final day of the Legislative Assembly before the summer recess. The Legislative Assembly will resume in November.

Before the recess, our Green MLAs raised many issues of concern to New Brunswickers, including renewing relations with First Nations. David Coon asked the premier if he supports a special sitting of the Legislature to hear from First Nation leaders. He also called out the premier for his lack of compassion for family members of Chantel Moore. Watch David’s intervention, HERE.

Megan Mitton spoke out about the laws and policies that actively contribute to poverty in New Brunswick. For example, the household income policy forces many people in poverty to not live with their loved ones. Watch Megan’s intervention, HERE.

Kevin Arseneau supported CUPE Local 1840, stating that the 70 stenographers, mostly women, have been without a contract since 2016 and have reached an impasse in their negotiations. He asked why the premier was continuing to impose austerity measures on public sector workers and stated that workers in New Brunswick deserve respect and fairness. Watch his intervention, HERE.

Other issues raised by our Green MLAs during the final days of the Legislature were electoral reform, the government’s rental review and the overnight closure of the Sackville Memorial Hospital emergency room on weekends this summer. You can watch videos of all the Green MLA interventions on the Green Caucus YouTube channel, HERE.

Read more

This month’s headlines:

• Our Green MLAs in action
• UN World Environment Days in June
• Volunteer opportunities
• Green Party news from around the world
• COVID-19 information

Our Green MLAs in action

May was another busy month for David, Megan and Kevin. Housing is a concern across New Brunswick, with our Green MLAs supporting constituents facing difficulties securing affordable, safe and secure housing for their families.

After the Legislative Assembly resumed sitting on May 11, all Green MLAs continued to advocate for changes in housing legislation. The Greens want rent control in New Brunswick. On May 20, David brought his bill 18 to Amend the Residential Tenancies Act for debate (second reading). 

When introducing bill 18, David noted that New Brunswick renters have fewer legal protections than renters in other provinces. He said the Residential Tenancies Act requires a comprehensive overview, a major project beyond the means of the Greens that should properly be a government responsibility. David’s bill 18 is meant to address the most critical problems by providing legal authority to the government to limit rent increases in New Brunswick. Further debate on bill 18, and a vote, will happen on June 3.

Green Caucus media releases in May

Green Party Bill to Protect Tenants Reaches Second Reading Debate

Rental review shows it is imperative for government to modernize Residential Tenancies Act

Arseneau says reversal of regulations on stamped lumber is great news for New Brunswickers

Green interventions in the Legislature

Did you know that most of the speeches by Green MLAs in the Legislative Assembly are archived on the Green Caucus YouTube channel? You can view them all HERE. Here’s a selection from May:

David - Paid sick leave
David- Tenants rights

Kevin - Tax Havens (FR)
Kevin- Forestry (FR)

Megan - Neurological disease
Megan - Nursing shortage

Read more

This month’s headlines:

• May Day!
• Special Meeting of Members May 11
• Survey: We would like to hear from you and others about the Green Party
• The Policy Working Group resumes
• News from Green MLAs
• Volunteer opportunities
• Green Party news from around the world
• COVID-19 information

May Day!

It’s May Day today, a day to honour the struggles of workers and labour movements. This past year has been a particular struggle for workers in the public sector. Recently the leaders of nine public sector unions in New Brunswick issued a joint statement calling on the government to invest in public services.

“The pandemic has reminded New Brunswickers of the importance of our public services and exposed the cracks and gaps in our public sector, but they come as no surprise to those working in the system. For many years, workers have been calling attention to these weaknesses and vulnerabilities. These same people have demonstrated a willingness to work with the government to help make the necessary improvements,” the union leaders stated.

On April 28, the National Day of Mourning, a day to remember the workers who have died, were injured, or became ill from their job, Green Party Leader David Coon issued a statement urging the government to recognize them by ensuring all workers have access to paid sick days.

Special Meeting of Members - May 11

The Provincial Council invites you to join your fellow members at our Special Meeting of Members (SMM) on Tuesday, May 11 from 7pm to 9:30pm (and May 18 if needed). The purpose to complete the unfinished business of this past AGM: the bylaw and constitution amendments provided to all members on February 17, 2021.

There is no fee to attend the SMM, but we invite you to contribute and renew your membership. (Membership fees are not tax deductible.) Deadline for registration is May 10 at 5pm.

The SMM will be held online, with a phone in option. Simultaneous French/English translation will be provided.

To register for the SMM, you must complete this Zoom registration form. You can also register by calling us at 506-447-8499 and leaving a message with your name and phone number. We will get back to you to complete your registration.

To ensure all interested members can participate efficiently in our meeting, a “practice” session will be offered 30 minutes prior to the meeting to provide guidance in using Zoom features; simply login with your registration link.

Survey: We would like to hear from you and others about the Green Party

Active citizenship is one of the six principles of the Green Party. We often host community meetings to generate dialogue and inform on our values, policies and platform. Today we are reaching out to you as an individual too. We want to know what is important to you and how this impacts your decisions.

We would like to hear from everyone - including keen Green supporters, those unsure of their political stance, those doubtful of the Greens, and others. Please share this link widely so that this survey reaches a wide range of New Brunswickers. Responses to this survey are anonymous. Thank you for your participation!

Click here to start the survey.

Policy Working Group resumes

You may remember that Party members voted on two multi-part resolutions at the 2021 AGM. The first, comprising three elements:

• Green forestry
• Just transition to a green economy
• and Public schools

… was sent back for more study before it could be presented again to members to vote for inclusion in the Green Party of New Brunswick policy manual. The time has come! We are convening a Zoom meeting on Thursday, June 10 at 7:30pm to begin working on these elements.

Please join us if the issues above are ones that you would like to see reflected in Green policy in future. We have a goal to re-examine other issues of concern that did not come to the table at the AGM but which the Policy Working Group has drafted in the past. Please RSVP to: [email protected] with any questions or if you wish to participate. We will be in touch with more details as the date approaches.

 

Read more

Provincial Council 2021

 

Read more