2019 Young Greens Council Candidate Question Responses

"Young Greens Council is responsible for the governance and strategic oversight of the Young Greens of Canada. What does this mean to you?"

 

Bryanne Lamoureux, candidate for YGC Manitoba Representative

For me, this means that part of YGCs responsibility is to figure out how the Young Greens of Canada can meaningfully contribute to and participate in achieving the Green Party’s overarching goals. However, it is also more than that. It means ensuring that the Young Greens have a voice that is heard and valued. It means ensuring that the Young Greens of Canada have a voice strong enough to participate in determining what are the overarching goals of the Green Party in the first place, rather than to only help achieve them. The Young Greens Council is the bridge between Young Greens of Canada and the rest of the Green Party. It is the body through which youth, a group of people who are not often heard or valued in politics, can have their thoughts, ideas, and concerns represented at the core of the Party. It is the YGC’s responsibility to ensure that these thoughts, ideas, and concerns are then transformed into actions within the Green Party of Canada.

Alexandra Hayward, candidate for YGC Newfoundland & Labrador Representative

As the youth wing of the Green Party of Canada, Young Greens of Canada plays a critical role in empowering party members under the age of 30. There are many unique challenges faced by young people seeking involvement in partisan politics. For instance, many of us must balance education and training with employment and other responsibilities, and this is further complicated by various other intersecting identities that folks have. Therefore, it is important that Young Greens of Canada provides a safe, welcoming space where young people can efficiently contribute and have their voices elevated within the party-and beyond. The Young Greens Council is responsible for facilitating such a space and ensuring that the organization continues to evolve in a positive manner that reflects the priorities of the membership itself.

Clément Badra, candidate for YGC Quebec Representative

Being responsible for the governance and strategic supervision of Canada's Green youth represents an opportunity to have a key role in the functioning of the party. This is a position that offers the opportunity to convey the comments and concerns of Young Greens so that they are taken into account within the party. It means working to transform the information provided to us into recommendations addressed to the Federal Council of the party. This is essential if young people are to have a voice in the implementation and direction of party policies. But this position is also important to the Young Greens community in every province and territory. It allows the energies of each Young Green to be channeled to facilitate the coordination of global efforts and the transmission of information between Young Greens and campus clubs to prevent this energy from dissipating into disorganization. This position is an opportunity to create and strengthen this community of young people concerned about environmental issues and social equity to have a real impact on our society.