By Kayla Brent
The BC Greens are on the rise. Tripling their seat count in the last election, the message is clear: our communities want more honest and hardworking politicians in the British Columbia Legislature who will commit to the platform they were elected on.
Our own Sonia Furstenau is a perfect example of this. Her dedication to the Cowichan Valley is something unseen in most constituencies and this passion translates effortlessly into her work at the Legislature.
As members of a strong community, we know what we want and what we stand for. We recognize that our district is in need of a new hospital, a school to replace the aging Cowichan Secondary, comprehensive strategies to deal with both the housing and opioid crisis, and sustainable environmental policies that compliment our province’s inclination to innovate. The BC Greens know this, you know this, and they’re working tirelessly to ensure that these campaign promises translate into meaningful legislation.
I’ve witnessed this first hand. As a high school student with an ever-growing interest in B.C. politics, I reached out to Sonia Furstenau following her election last spring. Since then, I’ve had the chance to accompany her at the Legislature and discuss with her the change that the BC Greens are committed to producing. I leave each of our encounters inspired and hopeful for a better British Columbia. Having seen this shared spirit in all three Green MLAs, I am confident in their integrity and the party’s; never before had I met people so genuine, let alone politicians of this sort. B.C. needs more BC Greens and we’re ready to supply them.
On Feb. 4 at 2 p.m., the inaugural meeting of the Cowichan Valley BC Greens riding association will be held at Cherry Point Winery. Along with an appearance from Furstenau, who will be answering your questions for a portion of the meeting, we will be selecting our executive membership who will lead the riding association to a triumphant election in 2021. With the success from the last election still prominent in our minds, we need to remember that this momentum can only carry us further. We can elect more Green MLAs into the Legislature. We can create the necessary change for our province.
Non-members are welcome and encouraged to attend. BC Green party members who have been registered for two weeks or more may apply for an executive position by contacting me via email at: kaylabcgreens@gmail.com.
A list of positions and their descriptions are available on Sonia’s Facebook page, as well as by request. I urge you to also send me any questions you may have about the riding association.
With the support of Cowichan Valley citizens, we know anything is possible. We can make the BC Greens a more prominent voice in BC politics.
Kayla Brent is a grade 12 student at Frances Kelsey Secondary School where she is a prominent leader in the student parliament and founder of her own youth activism club.