Green MLA brings her leadership campaign to Peachland, Kelowna
A candidate for the leadership of the BC Green party will begin a provincewide campaign tour tomorrow in Peachland.
Sonia Furstenau, MLA for Cowichan Valley, says the party needs to build its support in more areas of B.C.
“I’m running a grassroots campaign to build our organizing capacity, recruit outstanding candidates, and develop an evidence-based platform that will appeal widely to
British Columbians,” she said in a release.
Furstenau will host a meet-andgreet at the Gasthaus restaurant on Beach Avenue in Peachland from 4:45 p.m.-6:15 p.m.
She will also be in Kelowna later Thursday, at 7 p.m. at the downtown library. Furstenau will be in Vernon at the People Place, 3402 – 27th Ave., on Sunday at 2 p.m.
On Okanagan issues, Furstenau said in the release she would support more investment in transit and infrastructure, and “clean economy” initiatives.
In the 2017 provincial election, Green Party contenders in the three Kelowna-area ridings all finished third, behind the Liberal and NDP candidates, drawing an average of 13 per cent of the vote.
Furstenau has worked as a high school teacher and came to public prominence as the leader of an ultimately successful campaign against the discharge of soil from a mine site into an area near Shawnigan Lake on Vancouver Island.
Elected as a Green MLA in 2017, Furstenau’s website says her legislative accomplishments since then include advocating for reforms to the child welfare system, environmental and education legislation, and opposing “tax breaks to the fossil fuel industry”.
Kim Darwin, a mortgage consultant, is the only other declared leadership candidate so far. Prospective candidates have until April 15 to submit their application.
The Greens will hold three leadership debates between April 30 and June 15. Voting will take place between June 15 and June 25.
Former Green Leader Andrew Weaver announced in January he was leaving the party to spend more time with a family member who has health concerns.