January 2021 Newsletter

Happy New Year! Hopes and predictions for 2021

January: An early federal election is avoided

February: The Green Party’s rent control bill passes second reading

March: All members love the Green Party of New Brunswick AGM

April: David Coon wins an award for his rendition of “It’s not easy being Green”

May: The vaccines quash COVID-19 and New Brunswickers come out of winter more resilient than ever

June: More hugs and smiles than the previous 18 months combined

July: Kevin Arseneau’s crops have have a bumper year

August: Megan Mitton is celebrated as a climate action leader

September: Kids returning to school see the smiles of their schoolmates.

October: Halloween is back to being only “fun” scary.

November: Thousands more people are working in new green economy jobs

December: "Zoom" will just mean moving quickly

Local self-reliance

The Green Party of New Brunswick has six founding principles that we believe form the basis of a just, equitable and sustainable future for our children and our province. The principle of local self-reliance is particularly appropriate to consider at this point in our history, as we think collectively about our future.

Principle of local self reliance: New Brunswick communities must be in charge of their own destiny to the greatest extent possible. Resilient, sustainable communities require economies that meet local needs and are locally controlled, minimizing dependency on external forces. Self-reliance and resilience is built on public assets placed in the hands of and dedicated to the service of local communities. Local self-reliance is integral to the shift to a society which respects the ecological and social limits of human production.

News from Green MLAs

The Legislative Assembly was recessed on December 18 and will return on February 8, a delayed start due to extensive renovations in the Department building. Hansard and translation services (as well as the press gallery and the Green caucus office) are moving out of the building during the renovations and won't be fully operational in time for a January start as planned.

In December, our Green MLAs continued to make public statements on issues of concern in the province. Click on the headline below to read the statements:

Greens Hoping Third Time Will be the Charm for Local Food Security Bill

Green Caucus urges Premier to make investments to curb child poverty

Youth Losing Hope in Government Commitments to Climate Action

Green Party leader calls for Higgs government to commit to an ambitious renewable energy target

Green Party leader calls for better supports for small businesses during pandemic’s second wave

David Coon wants Premier to ensure Atlantic Premiers present a common front at First Ministers meeting

In addition to their work in the Legislative Assembly, Green MLAs continue to serve the needs of their constituents. Here is the link to the hours and contact details for the constituency offices of David, Megan and Kevin: https://greencaucusvert.ca/fr/contact-us/

Consider putting your name forward to the Green Party Provincial Council

On Saturday, March 20, the Green Party will hold online its 2021 AGM. The agenda will include elections for the Provincial Council, the Party’s governing body. We encourage members interested to take a more active role in the Party to put their name forward.

The positions open in 2021 are:

  • President
  • VP Francophone
  • Secretary
  • 4 Members-at-large

What are we expecting? We are looking for your active participation in monthly virtual meetings and in at least one committee of your choosing. There are one or two physical gatherings of the Council each year.

The role and purpose of the Provincial Council is described in our Party’s Constitution, available here. To learn about the positions available and how you can be nominated, contact Nomination Committee members (Nicholas Jelic, Sarah Colwell, and John Sabine ) at [email protected] or Tom McLean at [email protected].

COVID-19 information

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