Island flavour for Greens

The Green Party of Canada will continue to have a strong Vancouver Island flavour with the appointment of Jo-Ann Roberts as the party’s deputy leader. Elizabeth May, party leader and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands, made the announcement Monday in Halifax, which is now home for Roberts.

But before moving back to the Maritimes last fall, the veteran broadcaster spent 11 years in Victoria as host of All Points West, the CBC afternoon radio show for Vancouver Island.

During her Victoria years, Roberts was heavily involved in the community, sitting on the boards of the Victoria Foundation and other non-profits. Her husband, Ken Kelly, spent more than a decade running the Downtown Victoria Business Association.

While Vancouver Island is by no means politically homogenous, there is a strong philosophy of environmentalism and social justice here that meshes well with the Green Party’s platform.

And Islanders are not afraid to be mavericks, another trait shared by the Greens.

Although May is Canada’s only Green MP, she punches above her weight in Parliament and is respected for her ability to work across party lines. We’d like to think that’s partly due to the Island’s mellowing influence that we hope will continue as Roberts shares leadership duties.

A further Island connection to the Green Party of Canada — it was founded in 1983 by Dr. Trevor Hancock, a professor and senior scholar at the school of public health and social policy at the University of Victoria. He also contributes a weekly column to the Times Colonist.