OTTAWA - Leader of the Green Party of Canada, Elizabeth May (MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands) invites you to join her and the Victoria Greens in Victoria, B.C., to celebrate the exciting 2019 campaign launch of Community Engagement Specialist, Racelle Kooy.

“Racelle Kooy is a remarkable woman and we’re absolutely thrilled that she has accepted the nomination to run for Green Party of Canada in the 2019 election,” said Ms May. “There’s a green wave sweeping Canada from coast to coast and I invite everyone to come out and celebrate with us in Victoria.”

Of Secwepmec, St’atl’imc and Dutch ancestry, Ms Kooy is a member of Samahquam First Nation with strong family ties to Stswecem’c Xgat’tem. Growing up in British Columbia’s renowned natural beauty, she has a deep love for the salmon, the Pacific Ocean and the mighty cedar forests. With 20 years of expertise in communications, government and media relations, Ms Kooy’s strong analytical skills, broad experience of counselling in leadership, and expertise as a community engagement specialist, place her in an optimal position to tackle both the opportunities and the challenges facing the Indigenous people of Canada and the citizens of Victoria.

Racelle Kooy has respectfully represented First Nations people and cultures to the world in English, French and Spanish at regional, national and global platforms such as the Cannes International Film Festival and the inaugural live broadcast launch of the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN). She enjoys working directly with communities as as well as collaborating with national organizations such as the Assembly of First Nations and the Inspire Foundation. Ms Kooy embraces the challenge of representing the all the constituents of Victoria, B.C.

Last election the Victoria Greens were represented by former CBC host Jo-Ann Roberts who received the most Green votes in Canada outside of party leader, Elizabeth May. Roberts is running in Halifax and also serves as Deputy-Leader of the GPC. In the 2015 election Roberts finished second with just under one third of the votes and in the 2012 by election that brought the NDP’s Murray Rankin to parliament, Green candidate, Donald Galloway, also came second and lost by less than a thousand votes."

When: February 24, 2pm - 4pm

Where: Ambrosia Conference and Event Centre, 638 Fisgard St., Victoria

Hosted by: Victoria Greens EDA

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For more information or to arrange an interview contact:

Rosie Emery

Press Secretary

613-562-4916x206

rosie.emery@greenparty.ca