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SGI Greens (Green Party of Canada) News and Events:
Election 2025
We did it!
With the help of over 250 local volunteers (and more across Canada), Elizabeth May was re-elected on April 28, 2025, to a fifth term as our Member of Parliament.
Elections Canada’s preliminary results for Saanich–Gulf Islands show that Elizabeth won by a substantial margin of 5,790 votes (over 7% of votes):
- 39.1% for Elizabeth (the Greens)
- Liberals in second place with 31.8%
- Conservatives in third place with 25.1%
- NDP in fourth place with 4.0%
Voter turnout in Saanich–Gulf Islands was 77.8%, much higher than the national voter turnout of 68.7%. This further underscores the strong local support for Elizabeth during this fiercely contested election.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ELIZABETH!
THANKS TO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS!
So What’s Next?
We Greens can take some well-deserved time to celebrate our success in SGI. And time to “recharge our batteries.”
Then there’s lots more to do! The election may be over, but that doesn’t end the need to reach out and promote positive change that reflects our Green Principles.
More on that below, under the heading “On Being Green,” but first…
Don’t miss “Time to Say Goodbye”
Film and Discussion Panel
May 18, 4:00-6:00 pm at the Star Cinema in Sidney
The Saanich–Gulf Islands Greens and the BC Environmental Film Festival are again co-hosting a special film screening at the Star Cinema in Sidney. Our first film, Flight of the Swans, was well received by a full-house audience on March 2.
We have another great film to show you on May 18: Time to Say Goodbye is a moving true story about a journalist in Canada who saves a polar bear from being shot. But in doing so, he begins to understand a bigger issue—how climate change and hunting affect wildlife. This beautifully made documentary reminds us how one small act can lead to a greater mission to protect the planet.
The director, Michel Abdollahi, is a well-known German-Iranian journalist and filmmaker. He’s known for telling powerful stories about wildlife, climate change, and human rights. His past work includes Planet Without Apes and Im Nazidorf.
This film was officially recognized with an Honorable Mention in BCEFF 2024’s Documentary Category.
After the 45-minute film we will have a discussion panel including Dr. Eddy Carmack.
Tickets are $13 at the door, or buy tickets online ahead of the event. Your ticket also supports our charity work. The BC Environmental Film Festival is a registered charity, so your payment can be considered a donation, and you can receive a tax receipt upon request.
We look forward to welcoming you!
Tickets are available online at:
Dr. Eddy Carmack, a renowned oceanographer and climate scientist from Sidney, BC, has dedicated over 50 years to studying the Arctic’s changing environment. His groundbreaking research has illuminated the profound impacts of climate change on polar regions, particularly through his leadership in projects like “Canada’s Three Oceans,” which examined the interconnectedness of Canada’s surrounding oceans. Dr. Carmack’s work has been instrumental in understanding the retreat of sea ice and its global implications. His commitment to science and education has earned him numerous accolades, including being named an Officer of the Order of Canada. We’re honored to have him join us for this screening, where his insights will deepen our understanding of the film’s themes and the real-world challenges facing our planet.
On Being Green:
After the election
What do you do when you’re all tired out from an election campaign? Reconnect with your own source of energy and inspiration! Whatever got you thinking Green in the first place, is probably a good place to start thinking about what to do next.
Was it social justice? Climate change? Improving our democracy?
Democracy
During the 2025 election, SGI voters shared their views with canvassers. We gained insight into how Canada’s First Past The Post electoral system creates problems in our Canadian democracy:
- Many voters feel disenfranchised and unrepresented (imagine being Green in a “safe” Conservative riding), leading to alienation from politics and low voter turnout.
- Differences between voters are emphasized by parties in order to “win” at all costs.
- Party polarization compels voters to support one of two main parties, based on fear of the other party, moving us to a two-party system similar to that in the U.S.A.
- Fear-based “strategic voting” swayed many SGI voters. Fearing a Conservative win, former Green voters thought they had to vote Liberal this time.
- Minor parties, that stand for minority viewpoints, lose votes due to strategic voting. Even worse, their percentage of seats in Parliament is even lower than their percentage of the popular vote. This brings us back to the first bullet above.
Elizabeth has already promised to make another push for changing the electoral system. This is one of her top topics for discussion when she meets with Mark Carney. All of us can help by talking about it with friends and relatives. For more information about Proportional Representation, have a look at https://www.fairvote.ca/.
Climate Change
The 2025 election also put climate change in a strange new light, or rather, shade. During the Leaders’ Debate, the topic of Energy and Climate quickly led to a discussion of pipelines (energy) and the economy, with little said about tackling the causes of climate change. Climate change has become a no-go zone, a non-topic for political discussions. Which is, of course, exactly where fossil fuel interests want it.
It’s not that the voters don’t want climate change addressed. Globally, surveys show that about three quarters of the people surveyed agree that climate change is a major problem and humans are now the main cause. A large majority of people want their government to do more to address climate change. So who will keep this front and centre for our politicians who are diverting the debate to pipelines? Greens could and should play a significant role in this!
Elizabeth is one of Canada’s strongest voices in support of climate action. And she knows the diversionary tactics of the fossil fuel industry and government better than most. We can all help her feel supported to get this message to our government: We do not want this shuffled to the back burner! We won’t stand for inaction and diversions.
“We can’t keep watching our homes, towns and forests burn to a crisp, and pretend the status quo is working or safe. We can’t adapt our way out of this problem,” the mayors said in their joint appeal to the federal leaders.
– See Chris Hatch’s article in the Canadian National Observer
All of us can help by talking about it with friends and relatives. Discussing scenarios of future climate change impacts on yourself and loved ones is one of the best ways to motivate action. An important observation in the linked article is that telling others how to reduce their carbon footprint is probably not effective.
Social justice
Social justice covers many issues, including inter-generational justice. Young people have a lot at stake – social justice, affordability, climate change – yet they tend to feel alienated by status quo politics. We need to involve more of them in the Green Party. But how? Simple:
DO MORE FUN STUFF!
(We heard this directly from YOUNG people.)
Yes, we could definitely use more fun activities such as:
- Music in the park (and dance for the fun of it)
- Dragon boat races (teamwork can be team fun)
- Kayaking in the Salish Sea (to feed our love of nature)
- What fun things would you like to do?
(send ideas to sgiedanews@gmail.com)
Guess what: All of us can help by talking about it with friends and relatives!
– Tom Niemann, SGI Greens Executive