Nelson’s Abra Brynne has been selected as the Green Party’s candidate in Kootenay-Columbia for the 2019 federal election in October.
Holding their party vote on July 14, 2019, Brynne beat Fernie’s Kerri Wall for the candidacy in what the local riding association called a “close vote”.
Living and working across the Kootenay-Columbia since she moved to the region in 1990 with her younger family, Brynne has been a paid and volunteer worker focused on food systems and healthy, sustainable communities.
“There has to be a happy balance between realism and idealism and I think that I bring that quite well,” Brynne told MyEastKootenayNow.com. “I think my pragmatism is going to resonate well with people.”
The longtime leader of the Green Party, Elizabeth May was joined by a second Green MP in the most recent federal election while the Greens are the official opposition in P.E.I. in provincial politics. Brynne believes the growing wave of support for the Green Party is momentous.
“I really hope to be one of the Greens in Ottawa helping have some influence there,” said Brynne. “It’s pretty exciting to see that indeed there’s an increasing interest in Greens across the country at both a provincial and a federal level and that people are paying attention to what the Greens have been saying.”
That specifically being climate change and environmental issues, as the Green Party has a had a longrunning platform that cares for the environment and protecting Canada’s landscape.
Brynne told MyEastKootenayNow.com that she’s excited to win the candidacy but disappointed that Wall won’t be able to run for the seat as well.
“It was a fantastic process, collaboratively going through that contest with her, and not competing with each other but leaving it up to the party membership to use their wisdom and their thoughts to determine which of us they wanted to represent them.”
Despite the two candidates seeking the Green Party nomination, Brynee said Wall is actively supporting her campaign as they now build the team.
“Being in this nomination contest with Abra was an incredible learning experience and wonderful leadership challenge,” said Wall. “I look forward to working with Abra on her campaign and seeing at least 12 Green MPs in the House of Commons after October 21st.”
“I’m very excited to be able to represent the Green Party and to give voters in our riding the choice to vote for a party that will take real action to fight climate change, to improve health care, and to promote local economies,” said Brynne.
The 2019 federal election will be held October 21st as Brynne will look to secure the Kootenay-Columbia riding from incumbent NDP MP Wayne Stetski, Conservative candidate Rob Morrison, and PPC candidate Rick Stewart, while the Liberals have to ye to formalize their nominee in the region.