Cowichan Valley. Why I’m Running.
I used to believe that government governed for people first. That government served us, the people, and not just vested interests. I believed that government looked out for all citizens – for our collective health, our well-being, our environment, our economy, our education and for our communities.
The four-year fight to protect the water at Shawnigan Lake that I was so actively involved in – the one where our provincial government approved a 50-year, 5 million tonne permit to dump contaminated soil above a drinking water source for 12,000 people – showed me that our government no longer serves its citizens. And that must change.
To that end, I am driven to continue the work I have started. I am pleased our Shawnigan Lake community efforts have resulted in the government revoking the permit; but I am concerned that there is so much more of this kind of work that needs to be done. I have heard from communities all across BC with similar concerns that their water is not being protected.
People in BC are struggling to make ends meet. Everything has become more expensive in this province – MSP premiums, hydro rates, ferry fees, housing – while wages have not kept up. There is a growing sense of uncertainty as we see rising rates of poverty, homelessness, and job insecurity. This government has put too much focus on the fading extraction economy, to the detriment of innovation and leading the way forward.
I believe we are at a crossroads. We live in the best province in Canada, but we are not delivering the best results and the best governance for our people. We can, and must, do better.
I am very excited to be running for the BC Greens, which is the only party in BC that aligns with my values and vision for BC’s future. The BC Greens have fresh new ideas for a 21st-century economy – an economy that does not sacrifice our environment or the well-being of future generations. The BC Greens have a vision for compassionate, ethical, and evidence-based decision making that will truly serve the people of BC. We have the will, the desire, the capacity, and the integrity to start making that happen.
It’s time for change in BC, and it’s time for leadership that will create the way forward to a sustainable, progressive 21st-century economy that creates opportunity for all. It’s time for new ideas. It’s time for a new way of doing things.
It’s time for a vision for BC’s future that will make our province a better place for everyone – starting now.
Sonia Furstenau, MLA candidate for the Green Party, Cowichan Valley.
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