By Olivia Thorington

Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner

Meet the Candidate – Shannon Hawthorne (Green Party of Canada)

Sep 18, 2019 | 3:51 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Shannon Hawthorne says she started thinking about running for office for the first time over a year ago.

Hawthorne, who is originally from Medicine Hat, but currently lives in Calgary, is running for the Green Party of Canada in Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner.

“I was chatting with some of my professors at the University (of Calgary) about putting my name out there, and how important it is for women to get involved in politics,” she said. “This was a great opportunity for me.

Hawthorne is the Volunteer Coordinator for the Brenda Strafford Centre for the Prevention of Domestic Violence in Calgary. She says the Green Party appealed to her because the party sticks to their values.

“They’re very strong in the values they hold, whether that is with the climate emergency, responding to climate change and focusing on renewable energy and actions there,” she said. “But also their values with social inequalities, and how they want to mitigate those.”

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Hawthorne says social inequality issues, such as poverty, are intertwined with climate change around the world.

“One of our platforms with the Green Party is creating a refugee category for climate change refugees, so people who are experiencing these negative consequences of climate change need to be relocated and come to a new country,” she said. “I think, social inequality and vulnerability, they go hand-in-hand.”

Hawthorne says the biggest issue she has been hearing at the door from voters have been the economy, pipelines, jobs and health care.

The Green Party held three seats when the election was called, and had been gaining momentum in the polls throughout the year, momentum Hawthorne is hoping will translate to more seats for the party on October 21.

“I think ultimately, what it will mean with this momentum across Canada is that the Greens will get more attention, potentially more seats in Parliament, and then be able to push whoever is leading government -whether it’s the Liberals or Conservatives or New Democrats – to push for stronger climate action and work more closely with the government in power. I think those will have long-lasting positive impacts as we move forward.”

Hawthorne says she is campaigning in Medicine Hat over the weekends, and will be in the city more closer to the election.

More information on her campaign can be found here.