We flew into Port Alberni today in a float plane with the only carbon neutral airline. On the only private airplane that will be used during the Greens’ election campaign, we docked in Port Alberni to greet candidate, John Fryer, and Green supporters. From there we drove in a 1968 Morris-Oxford once owned by John Fryer’s mother to the Hupacasath First Nation House of Gathering. I was greeted there by volunteers carrying May poles made from green streamers. Inside, Ed Tatuch of the First Nations peoples sang the blues with his band.
The reception was phenomenal. Chief Judith Sayer gave a beautiful introductory speech, addressing the alignment with First Nations values and caring for ecological security and health. By the time I got up to speak, the hall was packed. There were at least 200 people there to talk about Green policy and John Fryer’s candidacy.
Many people mentioned that they are former NDPers, some of them lifelong. A great deal of their reason for joining the Green Party, if not all their reason, is John Fryer’s background and stature. He is a man of absolute integrity and continual dedication to public service. He currently teaches in the School of Public Administration at the University of Victoria. He has been an Assistant Deputy Minister in the government of British Columbia. John founded the BC Government Employees Union and earned the Order of Canada for it. He has spent his life advocating fair labour standards and consulting on labour union policies. He has been recognized with high honours both in England, where he was born, and in Canada, where he has lived and worked for over forty years. With a strong history in labour law, union representation and government advising, John Fryer would be a competent, capable and effective Member of Parliament.
The reason I flew to Port Alberni today is that I know we can elect John Fryer in Nanaimo-Alberni. He is garnering support from a core base of NDP supporters in that riding. But, like Green candidates across the country, the Green policies of fiscal responsibility will win him support from Progressive Conservatives as well. I look forward to the day when John and I can sit next to each other in the House of Commons. With just a few Greens sitting in the house, we can influence the other parties to really clean up their acts. We can change the climate in parliament.
This Wednesday, John will be doing a live interview at 10:30 am with CBC Newsworld to be broadcast nationally on CBC television. I am confident that Canadians across the country will be impressed with John’s achievements and his policy knowledge. I feel that candidates like John will boost our profile nationally and show Canadians in all ridings that the Green Party is a serious contender in this election.