March 2024 SGI Greens Newsletter

Greetings

We hope to give all readers, old and new, something informative and perhaps even inspiring. We want this newsletter to be read – and be a catalyst for action! We hope you will participate in discussions and more. With this in mind, we are trying out some new sections in this newsletter. If you haven’t already responded to the February newsletter’s request, please complete this short survey (just 8 questions) or email us at info@sgigreenparty.ca.

 

Notes from Elizabeth, our Member of Parliament

Elizabeth is extremely busy on a Leader Tour. We hope to have notes from her in the April newsletter.

 

Feature

An Interview with John Kidder 

John Kidder has led an interesting life. He agreed to be interviewed in the Sidney apartment that he shares with Elizabeth May.

EARLY LIFE

John describes his parents as adventurers. After serving in WWII, they met at Queen’s University but quickly decided university didn’t meet their needs. John’s father had prospected in the north before the war, so they moved to Yellowknife, a remote village of approximately 2,000 people. John was born there in 1947.

Mining families are wanderers.  John considers himself to be blessed to have lived in most areas of Canada, principally B.C., Quebec, Labrador and the North. John had four siblings, and was closest to his younger sister Margot Kidder, who later became an actress as well as an anti-war and anti-nuclear activist. John and Margot were always the ‘new kids’ when enrolled in the 14 schools they attended. They supported each other and remained good friends until Margot’s sad death.

CAREERS

John left home at age 16 and worked across Canada. Working with people from all walks of life has enabled him to see problems from many points of view. As a young man, he did manual labour and was a miner, logger, farm labourer, fish camp and warehouse worker, and a cowboy. John credits his experience as a cowboy as being one of the most formative influences in his life.

In the 1970s, John enrolled in university to study agricultural economics and then transferred to environmental economics. Following this he was involved in the first survey of rangelands in B.C. The project involved satellite imagery, which led John to computers. From there he worked for governments, as a consultant, and founded and built companies.

INVOLVEMENT IN THE GREEN PARTY

John has deep roots in the Green Party. Along with a handful of others he formed the BC Green Party, the first in North America, in 1983. He had intended to be part of a broadly-based centrist and environmentalist party, but became frustrated when the leadership of the Party became fixated on trees as the only issue.

He then joined five other like-minded people who took over the then-moribund B.C. Liberal Party. After recruiting Gordon Wilson, they were astonished in 1991 to elect 17 MLAs and become the official opposition. After Gordon Campbell and Social Credit took over the party in 1993, John left the B.C. Liberal Party, and diverted his energy to the Federal Liberal Party, ran as a Federal Liberal but resigned over disagreement with their pipeline policy.

John returned to the Green Party fold and ran as a candidate. He remains involved with the Green Party of Canada.

MARRIAGE

During his cowboy days John married and had a daughter. It ended in a divorce.

His second marriage, in 1980, was to Siri Heiberg, a Norwegian, a happy marriage that resulted in two children. His son lives in Norway and his daughter in Vancouver. John was devastated when Siri died from cancer in 2009. He returned to the family property in Ashcroft and started to farm.

Over the years John crossed paths with Elizabeth May at political events. Their first meeting was in 2013, when John was a BC Green Party candidate and invited Elizabeth to a campaign event in Merritt, B.C. Just before Elizabeth arrived at the campaign office, a very old Indigenous woman entered the room supported by a walker. John was incredibly moved when he recognized her as Madeleine Tom, who had provided emotional support when he was a young, lost cowboy. And then Elizabeth came into the room with a huge smile that lit up the space.

At the end of the day, Elizabeth admits to driving home with a voice in her head that said, “I’m supposed to be with that man.” John was still grieving for Siri, and nothing happened until 2018 when Sylvia Olsen brought the two together at a BC Green Party convention. Many will remember the lovely wedding in Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria, on Earth Day, 2019.

John and Elizabeth both feel incredibly fortunate to have a loving marriage with a partner of like mind and intellect.

HOBBIES AND RELAXATION

John is a prodigious reader. He also loves singing jazz and playing guitar.

WHY JOHN IS GREEN

I will let John explain this in his own words: “Being Green comes from having spent a substantial portion of my life outside, growing up in the bush, and working outside. I spent years as a cowboy, passing whole days sitting on a saddle horse in all weathers, mostly alone. It gave me a sense of the Indigenous Buddhist truths that we are all connected, all one, and all part of the same thing. All things really are all our relations. Once this truth becomes apparent in the body, there is really little choice about feeling Green. So then the question of voting Green becomes a tactical choice. What’s the best way to have a political expression of this feeling and try to turn secular events towards a more humane and interconnected way to deal with the planet?”

John believes that for Greens to be successful in this highly polarized world, it is time to get radical. He is a realist who sees the world in great peril, a world that is unfair to most people, where we are at risk of losing democracy, and vastly unprepared for the way the world will be in 20 years’ time. John says the Green Party needs to present a clearly defined platform for radical change. He lists the following three overarching categories to symbolize the broad fronts on which the campaign could be waged:

  1. Fairness for everyone in the world
  2. A new economy not dependent on fossil fuels
  3. Renewal of democracy

Climate is interwoven in all three of the above.

IN CONCLUSION

John has led a full and varied life. Influenced by the Buddhist principles of love and compassion, he strives to live a kindly life, much of it in service to others. The Green Party is indeed fortunate to have members like John.

Interviewed by Shelagh Butterworth Levey

 

Of Interest:

Book Nook

PROTEST KITCHEN: Fight Injustice, Save the Planet, and Fuel Your Resistance One Meal at a Time by Carol J.Adams and Virginia Messina

We are living in frightening times and it’s not surprising that we often feel helpless. However, as consumers we have power to bring about change and have done so many times in the past. This book shows us how to align our kitchens with our political beliefs.  It explores the cruelty and pollution of the industrial model of animal farming, examining its harmful effects through the lenses of environmental racism, misogyny, justice, democracy, national security, human rights, and child labour. It also shows the way to heal ourselves and the planet.

I understand that plant-based diets can sometimes be an emotional subject, but we need to recognize that meat production accounts for 57 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions of the entire food production industry. It also causes deforestation, loss of diversity, soil and water pollution, as well as noxious gases for low income people living near slaughterhouses. Just reducing meat consumption can have an enormous impact in so many areas.

Not only do the authors provide delicious recipes, but they explain how we can rise against repression and create a happier, healthier, more equitable and compassionate world. Fight climate change and injustice with diet change!

Reviewed by Shelagh Butterworth Levey

 

Good News Snippets

In his inaugural address, the new president of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, announced that he is phasing out fossil fuel subsidies of $500 million per month and redirecting the funds into public infrastructure, health care, jobs, and education. (In Canada, fossil fuel subsidies to producers amount to $3.3 billion per year. Maybe letters to the government are called for.)

The Angry Green Energy Guy podcast’s final episode of 2023 (45 minutes long) covers 10 good news stories about climate change that will inform and probably surprise you. It’s a great re-energizer for climate activists. Assaad Wajdi Razzouk, a Lebanese-British clean-energy entrepreneur and author is the commentator.

 

Climate Solutions

“Can we make people feel? Can we make people care?” As he did with the amazing piece of large scale theatre known as The Journey of Little Amal, which drew international attention to the refugee experience, playwright Amir Nizar Zuabi will be focusing the world’s attention on the climate crisis. His newest project, The Herds, will involve a ‘vast theatrical production of animal puppets that will migrate from West Africa to Norway in 2025.’ This Ted talk outlines his ambitious plans to make us all feel the impact of climate change on all of earth’s creatures. His vision is inspirational and definitely worth the 10 minute viewing time.

In this article in The Tyee, Andrew Nikiforuk distills salient points about Canada’s path to a net-zero carbon future, taken from Canadian energy analyst David Hughes’ recent report for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Even as a summary, Nikiforuk’s excellent distillation is still quite long, but is one that gives a clearer picture of what all the numbers really mean, especially in terms of government policy.

Economist_cartoon.png

 

On Being Green:

How Our Readers are Reducing Their Carbon Footprints

Maureen writes, “I use cold water for laundry 99% of the time, and dry most laundry on a rack.”

Gill writes, “Knowing that fashion is responsible for 10% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, more than all maritime shipping and international flights combined, I choose to buy my clothes at thrift stores.”

Ken writes, “I try to combine errands into one trip.”

  • Please share your ideas with others, and send your actions, however big or small, to karibu123@gmail.com

 

Is this greenwashing? 

The fossil fuel industry uses geopolitical conflicts and an appeal to wellbeing as reasons to increase North American production of fossil fuels, including LNG.

You’ve probably seen the LNG billboards along the Pat Bay Highway:

Don’t be fooled. Touting LNG as a way to reduce global warming is an old claim that is simply wrong because much has changed:

1) methane leaks are a bigger problem than previously thought,

2) wind and solar energy are cleaner and now cheaper than LNG, and

3) the record temperatures and wildfires of 2023 are a clear sign that we need less, not more, fossil fuels.

LNG infrastructure expansion under construction (not to mention huge proposed expansions) will cause a glut of LNG supply. Pollute more, spend more than you need to, and boost climate disruption – that’s their “plan” for us. They spend millions on ads to convince us that this makes sense.

 

How are Greens different from other political parties?

  • The Green movement is global in scope, unlike conventional political parties that are only national or sub-national in scope.
  • Green political parties are active in over 90 nations, and elected to the national government in 30 nations.
  • They all share common values – a commitment to six fundamental principles.

 

Saanich-Gulf Islands Greens Electoral District Association

Our thanks to the readers that completed the short survey about our SGI Greens newsletter – we value your input! If you haven’t yet, please click here to complete the survey now.

We are busy planning a big Green presence in our community for Earth Day, Victoria Day, Cordova Bay Days, Canada Day, the Victoria Pride Parade, and the Saanich Fall Fair.

We will be re-connecting with past volunteers, and looking for new volunteers. Want to help out? Volunteer here.

SGI members are looking forward to the SGI Summer Picnic. Not a member yet? Sign up here.

 

BC Greens News and Events

2024 is a provincial election year. The legislated date is October 19th, but there is the possibility of a snap election in late spring. The BC Greens are getting ready with many events.

March 9 at 2 pm, Meet and Greet with Adam Olsen and other local candidates in Central Saanich. Adam will share his thoughts about the upcoming election year, and this will be a great opportunity to meet Ned Taylor (Saanich South), Christina Winter (Victoria-Swan Lake), Camille Currie (Esquimalt-Colwood). Leader Sonia Furstenau is also likely to attend.

March 14 at 7 pm, Voices of Saanich and the Islands will host Jim Shortreed and Briony Penn from the Herring Conservation and Restoration Society. During this online presentation, they will review the state of herring in the Salish Sea, and what can be done to preserve and enhance this precious resource. Registration is here.

Please volunteer for your local campaign!  Candidates and contact details can be found here, with gratitude.

 

Regional information:

Southern Gulf Islands

If you could be our regular contributor from the islands, please contact karibu123@gmail.com.

 

Saanich Peninsula

March 7 at 2 pm, Saanich Inlet Protection Society (SIPS): 2024 Saanich Inlet Round Table

Participate on Thursday, 2-4 pm, at the Central Saanich Seniors Centre, 1229 Clarke Road, Brentwood Bay. SIPS is fighting the good fight over the Bamberton Quarry.

Gary and Nancy Searing founded the Peninsula Food Growers Co-Op and now produce a monthly newsletter for that group.  Anyone interested can contact Gary at gfs@airportwildlife.ca

 

Saanich

The winter edition of Our Backyard is out and it’s loaded with information to warm the Green heart. One example is the new Swan Lake Volunteer Native Plant Growers Program on page 3. If you have space in your garden to nurture native plants toward their eventual return to their natural habitat, contact Tara Todesco at volunteer@swanlake.bc.ca

If you live in Saanich and are interested in reducing your ecological and carbon footprint, consuming more local food year round, and eliminating food waste, consider joining CHUFF Cedar Hill (Quadra) Urban Food Farmers. Meetings occur one Sunday morning a month in a member’s garden.

 

Victoria

March 19 at 9:30 am, UVic Continuing Studies, Want to Save the Planet? Eat Better Food 
The work of UVic’s Ecogastronomy Research Group (ERG) makes the case that the most robust path to environmental health and a sustainable food future depends on producing higher-quality food. In this course, you will learn that sustainability is not achieved by living with less; it is achieved by living better. Online only. $25 + tax.

March 20 at 7:00 pm, Guy Dauncey: The Economics of Kindness

Guy Dauncey is an ecotopian futurist who works to develop a positive vision of a sustainable future, and to translate that vision into action. He is the author of ten books and co-chair of the West Coast Climate Action Network. His new book, The Economics of Kindness: Moving from a Selfish Economy to a Cooperative Economy will be published by Palgrave Macmillan this summer. Doors close at 7:05pm – so don’t be late!!  Not on Zoom – in person only. Free but you need to register.

March 30 at 1:00 pm, UVic Continuing Studies, Mason Bees: An Incredible Pollinator to Host in your Garden
Learn about mason bees and how you can host them through the year while benefitting from their incredible pollinating skills. Face to face on campus. $28 + tax.

 

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  • Your feedback on this newsletter
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SGI Greens publish two newsletters:

  • The monthly SGI Greens Newsletter
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Our archive of past editions is at sgi.edagreens.ca/news-events.