Canadians trek to the polls on Monday, October 21, 2019 to elect a new government that will guide the electorate for the next four years.

In the Kootenay Columbia riding, four candidates — Rick Stewart of the People’s Party of Canada, Rob Morrison of the Conservative Party, Abra Brynne of the Green Party and Robin Goldsbury of the Liberal Party — are challenging current MP Wayne Stetski of the NDP for a seat in the House of Commons.

The Nelson Daily is giving candidates a chance to speak to Kootenay Columbia voters prior to the October vote.

Today, The Nelson Daily readers hear from Abra Brynne of the Green Party.

Nearly three decades of grassroots community action and development characterize Green Party candidate Abra Brynne. It’s a proven track record that will serve this constituency well: Abra’s success in policy and program management and community engagement has a lot to do with building partnerships across sectors, from business to environmental.

For Abra, food as the fabric of sustainability began in the carrot patch; she was helping with the family garden on their Okanagan farm from a very early age. That Abra became the community-builder that she is now makes sense: growing up in a family of eleven kids is sure to teach you a thing or two about collaboration and compromise, from sharing the work to sharing the bounty.

A career dedicated to policy that promotes sustainability for small business and resilience for communities is a plus for this riding. Abra has worked with the Regional District of Central Kootenay, Interior Health, and the Columbia Basin Trust to see projects that have real impact in Kootenay-Columbia come to fruition. Abra’s proven ability to listen respectfully and consider all perspectives will serve her — and this riding — well through active community-building at all levels.

Abra’s resume speaks to a clear vision for resilient communities, a healthy society, and a strong future. As a nationally-recognized expert on food systems, Abra has worked tirelessly to promote biodiverse land management, low-carbon regional economies, and the sustainable food production. A founding member of the BC Food Systems Network, Food Secure Canada, the Canadian Association of Food Law and Policy, and the Chair of USC Canada, Abra knows how the big picture affects our daily lives.

“For me, the Green Party was the natural fit when I decided to jump from being an activist to being a politician. The values of the Party align readily with mine, and I know that I can be a strong voice and representative for our riding.”

Three key issues for Kootenay-Columbia:

Climate emergency:

We can’t overstate this: global warming and its effects on our lives and our economy is becoming clearer every day. We can take important steps through policy to mitigate the environmental crisis and reach our targets for GHG reduction while creating new, green jobs and supporting our local economies. We must recognize the health of our planet relates directly to the health of individuals and a future for our children and grandchildren.

Affordable Housing:

The issue faced by communities throughout the riding is one of both affordability and availability. Our need for core housing in our riding—meaning a fixed address with costs not exceeding 30% of income—is greater than the provincial average. We can build it: Greens will generate a National Housing Strategy and new thinking beyond the status quo. Construction of affordable core housing will ease our labour shortage and build social equity.

Resilient economies:

Growth at any cost is not the answer, but there are many ways to turn sustainable growth into a strong economic future. Investment in small business—the backbone of the Canadian economy—and support for local entrepreneurs will help our communities to thrive. The Green Party has workable solutions to the challenges faced by small business, including a Green Venture Capital Fund to support viable local business.