Happy Canada Day!

Best holiday wishes to all our members, from the Green Party of New Brunswick Provincial Council, our leader, MLAs, staff and volunteers.

Highlights from our first online AGM

Due to COVID-19, this was our first attempt at hosting our AGM online, and many were curious about what it would look like. The post-AGM survey found that most members attending were satisfied with the online compromise and its delivery, with 95% reporting it was worthwhile to attend. We heard very clearly from members that the chosen online format did not support discussion well. We have taken note of your comments and suggestions to ensure we do better in future online meetings.

The survey revealed that our Leader's report was the AGM highlight for many. Another highlight was the adoption of this emergency resolution by the assembly: In response to the killing of Chantel Moore and the death of Brady Francis, the Annual General Meeting of the Green Party of New Brunswick supports the call by the chiefs of the Wolastoqey First Nation for the Government of New Brunswick to initiate an inquiry into the treatment of indigenous people by the province's justice system. You can read the press release that we sent to the media.

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In future the Green Party will form the government when it wins enough seats in a provincial election. Have you ever wondered what kind of policies a Green government would implement in New Brunswick?

All Green policies must align with the Party's founding Charter of Principles: non-violence, self-determination and citizenship, social justice and equality, participatory democracy, local self-reliance, and living within our ecological means.

A Green government will be guided by the key principles of grassroots democracy: putting the well-being of people, their communities, and the environment that nourishes us all at the center of decision-making. Green MLAs will work to develop policies that meet the needs of New Brunswickers as expressed through their constituencies. 

Every year since the Party was formed in 2008, Party members have been working hard to develop policies to serve the common good in New Brunswick. These policies have also helped shape our election platforms. Most of these policy discussions happen within the Policy Working Group (PWG) that is open for participation by all Party members.  

The Green Party Policy Manual, available for download at this link, contains hundreds of policy ideas that have been introduced, debated and approved by Party members. The Policy Manual has 10 chapters, from Relationship with First Nations and Indigenous Peoples (chapter 1) to Green Energy (chapter 10).

In 2020, the Policy Working Group is reviewing four chapters: Green Economy (Chapter 4); Social Justice, Human Rights, and Environmental Rights (Chapter 6); Labour (Chapter 7); and Healthcare (Chapter 8). Rather than developing new policies, this year we are refining existing policies to ensure they are clear, relevant, and have stood the test of time. We are also identifying where synergies exist between policy areas and where new policies will need to be developed in future.

On June 7, for the first time our AGM will be online. Also for the first time, policy resolutions will not be discussed at the AGM but will be deferred to a special meeting for policy at a later date. All members interested in Green Party policy should stay tuned for more information later in the year.

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May Day: Honouring workers

May 1 is May Day, a day to honour all workers. During this time of COVID, we appreciate in particular the many workers keeping our communities, families and loved ones safe.

Knowing our health workers were working for us during this crisis time gave us all a sense of security and safety.

We thank the New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity for their work advocating for justice for the many workers, particularly women in the private caregiving sector, who have been working tirelessly and mostly behind the scenes during the crisis. They are paid much less than they deserve.

Many essential workers in all sectors are also under-paid and many are not yet collectively organized.

May Day is also a time to reflect on the value of labour unions that advocate not only for their members but also for workers everywhere. We celebrate the labour unions that introduced many of the benefits that most New Brunswickers enjoy today.

Of course we must thank the public sector unions. Two unions - the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) stand out for their tireless work to improve public services for everyone. The Green Party supports CUPW’s Delivering Community Power initiative that holds great promise for rural communities in particular.

A special shout-out to the 4,100 nursing home workers represented by CUPE NB who for decades have advocated collectively for improved care for seniors across the province and are now working tirelessly during the pandemic to keep our seniors safe and secure. Thank you!

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We've experienced unprecedented events in recent weeks. Demonstrating foresight and leadership on the provincial budget, our Leader David Coon has chosen the well-being of all people above partisanship. Thank you David.

Since March 12, David has been a member of the all-party cabinet committee on COVID-19 set up to deal with the pandemic. Extraordinary measures are being implemented and David is working hard to ensure that no one is forgotten. "I'm here to represent the interests of all, especially those in need," he confirmed in a meeting this week.

COVID-19 and government action

For the most up-to-date and accurate information on COVID-19 and government action, consult the Government of Canada and Government of New Brunswick's COVID-19 pages.

2020 Convention and AGM

Although the party’s Annual General Meeting was postponed, webinars proved to be a good alternative to the Convention. Webinars matching the workshops originally planned were conducted the same weekend and recordings of the sessions will be made available to candidates, campaign teams and Registered District Associations. The new date of the AGM will be announced when the public health situation becomes clearer.

Elections

The passing of the provincial budget in an extraordinary session on March 13 meant that the provincial election is unlikely to happen soon. We now have an opportunity to continue our development. In particular, following our founding principle to work towards a Legislature that reflects the diversity of political viewpoints of all citizens in NB, we must intensify our efforts to encourage more women to enter politics. In order for women's perspectives to have an impact, it is estimated that they must represent at least one-third of a group. Diversity of voices is a core value of our party and we must contribute to this necessary evolution - or rather adjustment - of our political representation in New Brunswick.

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To read the Fall 2015 e-newsletter click HERE

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To read the Summer 2015 e-newsletter click HERE