In an effort to inform the Courtenay-Alberni riding constituents, candidates have been given the opportunity to introduce themselves to the riding.
SUSANNE LAWSON, GREEN PARTY OF CANADA
After a long stressful winter of disease, pipeline and logging protests, climate extremes, fires, floods and global challenges, I wondered how I could respond to these and bring about some positive change in our society. I feel that running for the Green Party is a step toward addressing the serious problems plaguing humanity but it is much more than that. A green movement around the globe is the necessary change to help us get out of the spiral of deteriorating life forces taking place. We need to be regenerating, renewing, repairing and restoring the natural world in order to make a better place for our children and life on Earth. This will be an underlying theme in making the right choices to rebalance a world in need of real values.
Issues like climate extremes, health, imbalance of wealth, taxation, fisheries and ocean life, forests, energy, employment and food security are just some of the challenges facing us all. There is a need for a new paradigm that looks at long term results rather than short-term profit and decisions must be made with that in mind. The health of humanity depends upon the well being of the world around us. Fresh water, oxygen, productive soils and oceans, green forests, wildlife and healthy food are key to our survival. If we care about our children and other life forms that share this planet with us, we must act to ensure their future.
READ MORE: Full election coverage can be found here
I have spent many years working on behalf of the environment… trying to stop trophy hunting of bears, helping to stop the logging of Clayoquot Sound, helping to prevent further mining in Strathcona Park, working alongside my late partner, Steve Lawson, on First Nations issues across Canada, being co-chair of the Canadian Environmental Network out of Ottawa and more.
I studied arts and languages at McGill University and graphic design at a French University in Montreal where I worked as a graphic designer before moving permanently to the West Coast. I owned and operated two galleries in Gastown and later in Tofino. I am an accomplished artist having had art shows in Vancouver, on Vancouver Island and in New York.
My respect and appreciation for the natural world guides me to help to create a better world.
My children all have First Nations status and the ancient teachings I have learned are reflected in my lifestyle and choices.
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