The Abbotsford News asked candidates in the federal riding of Mission-Matsqui-Fraser Canyon three questions (each with a 100-word limit). The same questions have been provided to candidates in the Abbotsford riding. These will be published in the Sept. 9th edition and posted at abbynews.com afterwards. For candidates in the Langley-Aldergrove riding (of which Abbotsford is a part), visit langleyadvancetimes.com
1. Why are you running to be a Member of Parliament?
Canada is facing multiple crises that are not being properly addressed by our current government. The climate crisis is the most prominent because it impacts our responses to all the other crises. The Green Party has a plan to improve our health care and attack the high-cost living while ensuring the most vulnerable are not left behind. Our plan is not only to throw band-aid money to relieve the symptoms but to find the root cause of the problems and work at fixing them. Build thriving communities is my goal.
2. What skills and attributes do you have that would make you a good elected representative for your constituents?
I have always been a listener. I don’t talk much but I process the information received and work on a strategy and a plan to achieve our goal. When I commit to something I care about, I have boundless energy and motivation. I started getting involved in my kids’ school and never really stopped advocating for better services for my community. I taught at different levels from community to university at the same time as being a hobby farmer. I’m also trained in non-violent communication which really helps remove partisanship from a discussion.
3. What are the two biggest issues for your constituents in Abbotsford and how will you and/or your party address them?
The biggest two issues for Mission-Matsqui-Fraser Canyon are the rising cost of living and climate change. A lot of seniors, youth, single moms, people with disabilities and people from racial groups can’t afford a place to live, can’t feed their children and feel totally hopeless about the future. Climate change is an issue that can be solved, but time is running out. We know how to do it; we have the technology. We just need a party that can build a consensus and make the hard decisions. Can you imagine the thriving community we can build together?
RELATED: Nicole Bellay running for Green Party in Mission-Matsqui-Fraser Canyon riding
