By Roy L Hales

Human rights lawyer and climate activist Jessica Wegg will be the Green Party candidate for North Island-Powell River during the next federal election.

Jessica Wegg at BC's provincial legislature. Wegg was recently chosen as the Green Party candidate in North Island-Powell River. Photo submitted by Jessica Wegg.

A late summer or fall election?

According to Philippe J Fournier, of Macleans Magazine and the website 338Canada, the rumours swirling around Ottawa suggest the election will be in late summer or early fall.

“Crunching the numbers over the weekend, the only question that kept popping in my head is: Why?” he wrote.

The Green Party is expecting an election this year.

“We can’t keep having 40 degree summers in Comox, or wildfires destroying towns. There were tornadoes in Washington DC yesterday. It is so obvious, so apparent and completely unsustainable. And I need to know that I did everything in my power to make it better,” she said.

Recent polls suggest that if the election were held now, there would be another Liberal minority government.

Support for Greens on Vancouver Island

The most recent 338Canada’s projection was made a week ago, at which point the Greens were leading in two Vancouver Island ridings: Saanich-Gulf Islands (a safe seat) and Nanaimo-Ladysmith (where they allegedly lead by a mere 1 per cent).

During the weeks leading up to the last Federal election, 338Canada’s projects often showed the Greens leading in four of the seven island ridings. North Island-Powell River wasn’t one of them, but in late August they were shown within five per cent of the leading NDP. This groundswell of support disappeared in the week prior to the election and two Green MPs went to Ottawa.

338Canada’s projections showed the Greens at their strongest in late August 2019, when they were in striking distance of taking 4-7 seats. In September, there was a Conservative surge (blue) but the NDP came back taking 5 of 7 seats. The most recent 338Canada projection shows support for the Greens currently down. Chart by Roy L Hales.

“I know that the Green Party made a strong showing in the last election and that was with people from the NDP telling them that they were going to split the vote, and it was a wasted vote. Making people think they would have to vote orange, otherwise the Liberals or Conservatives were going to win,” said Wegg.

“People can’t be afraid anymore and I think they are seeing that. We have to focus on what is in our hearts and what we know," she added. "I think people are ready to do that.”

She pointed to the number of young families that moved to the island because of the pandemic. Many are no longer tied to big offices; they are working from home.

“Parents know what their kids need and their kids need a safe habitable planet, at a very basic level. I do think the Green Party’s prospects are quite good because we have more young, engaged, voters,” said Wegg.