February 2025 Newsletter
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
In This Issue:
- Remembering JC Bourque
- Get Involved
- Become a Member
- Join the Green Roots Growth Club
- Upcoming Events
- MLAs in Action
- Press Releases
Remembering Jean-Claude “JC” Bourque
By Genevieve MacRae
In January, we got the sad news that we had lost one of our own. Jean-Claude Bourque, known to us as JC, passed away on January 11. I knew he had been unwell, but expected that he would recover. The news of his death was difficult news to receive.
JC was a long-time supporter of the New Brunswick Green Party, a member since 2020, president of the Moncton-East RDA, and VP Francophone of Provincial Council until he resigned in early December for health reasons.
For over 50 years JC worked as a simultaneous interpreter in New Brunswick. He was respected as one of the best. For the last few years, JC also tirelessly volunteered his professional services to us as a simultaneous interpreter for numerous meetings and training sessions. The value of that service to our organization cannot be overstated.
But more than that, JC brought humour and joy to those with whom he interacted. I was hearing stories of him within the first few days of starting this job in April of last year. I learned from Claire and Mariana that phone calls with JC were both a regular occurrence and an experience. I grew to love those phone calls and already miss them. There were three regular themes to our phone calls : I was asking him yet another favour, he was struggling with a technical issue of some kind, or we were talking about how I would head over to Moncton once the dust had settled on the election so he could buy me lunch. Through all of those conversations, JC was kind and lovely to chat with and we laughed a lot. I regret not getting to visit him before it was too late.
JC, thank you for everything. You are missed.
Get Involved
Coldest Night of the Year
Support your local Green Team to help people experiencing hurt, hunger, and homelessness. Coldest Night of the Year is a fundraising walk to raise money for local charities. Find out more here, or find your local team below:
Join the Young Greens of New Brunswick
If you are under 30, consider joining the Young Greens of New Brunswick. Join our founding meeting on February 11 (see details below).
Contact [email protected] for more information.
Become a Member
Become involved with the Green Party of New Brunswick in a more meaningful way by joining your local Registered District Association!
Sign up or renew your membership here
If you are not sure about the status of your membership, contact [email protected]
Join the Green Roots Growth Club
Join the Green Roots Growth Club today by becoming a monthly contributor of $20 or more. Together, let’s invest in a brighter, Greener future for New Brunswick.
For $15/month, your annual total donation would be $180 with a tax credit of $135
For $25/month, your annual total donation would be $300 with a tax credit of $200
For $50/month, your annual total donation would be $600 with a tax credit of $341.67
For $100/month, your annual total donation would be $1200 with a tax credit of $500
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, February 11
- Young Greens of New Brunswick - Founding Meeting from 6:30pm to 8:00pm at Sir James Dunn Hall, Saint Thomas University, Room 1
Monday, February 24
- Beausoleil-Grand-Bouctouche-Kent RDA AGM at 7:00pm on Zoom.
Saturday, March 29
- Albert-Riverview RDA AGM at 1:00pm - location to be determined
MLAs in Action
Driving Change: David Coon & Megan Mitton
Though the Legislature wasn't in session, January was busy for David Coon and Megan Mitton with advocacy work, community action, and various events. David launched a campaign to rally support for improved public transportation, drawing attention to the possibilities with better rail infrastructure, more frequent routes, and electric buses. He also pushed for solar power investments to reduce electricity costs and combat climate change, especially amid rising electricity bills.
David also raised concerns about COVID deaths, urging Public Health to promote vaccinations, and took steps to ensure nursing home residents receive care in their language, by writing an open letter to the Chair of the Official Languages Committee, asking they meet to discuss the issue. Additionally, he began hosting Community Gatherings and launched a new weekly blog, Connecting the Dots. You can subscribe to it here: https://substack.com/@davidcfredericton
Megan Mitton, hearing from constituents about high NB Power bills, urged Tammy Scott-Wallace, chair of the Public Accounts Committee, to have the crown corporation appear at February’s meeting. Megan echoed the calls of patients calling for an independent probe into an unknown neurological illness, stating that “it’s time to get answers and prioritize the health and well-being of those impacted. She also joined a Mayor’s Roundtable on Housing in Tantramar and attended a workshop at Mount Allison University on topics like language rights, green energy, and indigenous politics.