A few days following one of the most divisive election campaigns in Canadian history, I caught up with Emily Davis. She’s one of the many students at the University of New Brunswick who will soon be represented by the first Green Party MP outside of British Columbia. In our conversation, she emphasized youth activism as the backbone behind MP for Fredericton, Jenica Atwin’s transformative win.
“She is a politician for the community. It was inspiring to see the community come back and support her in return,” Davis noted, pointing out that Atwin’s rallies were dominated by kids so young they could still be in elementary school.
Thirty-two-year-old Atwin’s surprise victory in Fredericton came early on in the night and represents an enormous shift in the Green Party’s trajectory.
This election was objectively the most sophisticated campaign the party has ever run. The Green Party announced a full slate of candidates earlier than some larger parties, like the NDP. For a long time, the Greens have worked to increase their elected representation across the country.
Green Party leader Elizabeth May was elected the first Green in North American history all the way back in 2011. Despite accusations of having too much influence over her party, May is often the only leader to answer questions directly in debates and takes a unique approach to politics that helps her attract a wide range of voter support.
Her hard work has paid off. Former B.C. Green Party leader Andrew Weaver’s victory in 2013 shifted mainstream criticism towards the lack of representation outside of the West Coast. This perspective now lacks merit, as it was disproven by provincial gains in Ontario, New Brunswick, and P.E.I. (the latter province now has a green official opposition).
Re-electing MPs May and Paul Manly on Oct. 21 was an important step in proving the party can retain its seats over consecutive elections. But, the party’s biggest victory of the night had to be Atwin, particularly given her dedication to Indigenous rights and reconciliation.
The Green campaign targeted Vancouver Island for gains, but it was in many ways natural for the Greens to win in Fredericton. Their base of support was widespread and drawn from the popularity of New Brunswick Green leader David Coon, who represents the riding provincially.
For the Green Party to best position itself for the next election, which may come much sooner than in four years given the election result, it must embrace the lessons of Atwin’s victory.
Core values like participatory democracy, sustainability, and social justice came out in full force with the surge of student activism behind Atwin’s victory. It’s easy for Canadians to see green politics as being restricted to Vancouver Island, but I’m asking you to read into the wide-spanning nature of the global green movement.
When I lived in Sweden earlier this year, I met Amanda Lind and Gustav Fridolin, two Green federal cabinet ministers. It reminded me that every green victory, like electing Atwin, gets us closer to having a truly national Green Party in Canada with MPs from coast-to-coast and everywhere in between.
Sadly, our broken electoral system will live another day. At the moment, it seems likely that the Liberal minority will get support to govern without a pledge for electoral reform. However, Atwin represents a new era for green politics in Canada. New youth leadership is emerging all across the country at a time that May has signalled a desire to draw back her role as leader.
Although the green wave has yet to fully crest, the seeds of a greener future just sprouted in Fredericton.
File photo.
