Jonathon Liedtke – ourWindsor.ca -Monday, July 22, 2013
With an upcoming by-election for Windsor/Tecumseh looming on the horizon, ourWindsor.ca is continuing its coverage of the candidates and today brings you our exclusive interview with Green Party candidate Adam Wright.
Wright, who has his BA in Communication, Media and Film, is currently pursuing a degree in Environmental Studies at the University of Windsor, while also volunteering his time at numerous community gardens throughout the city.
“There was the opportunity to stand up for things that I believe in,” said Wright explaining his motivation in deciding whether or not to run in the by-election. “I’m not a career politician but I think it’s important for citizens and residents to be involved in the democratic process, especially at the local municipal level.”
Wright has observed over the past few years that “people have been talking about the importance of protecting the environment” and in his opinion are beginning to realize that there isn’t necessarily a fight between “jobs [and] environment” and that “the Green Party has a lot of policies that would benefit both environmental protection and create jobs for our skilled workforce.”
Hoping that voters take the time to learn about all of the political parties fielding candidates in the by-election, Wright noted that voters need to realize that it’s not a three-way race.
“There are going to be five names on the ballot [and] it’s not just a three party race,” said Wright. “People need to explore the other parties and know what the alternatives are and hear the platforms and the messages [of the other parties].”
Wright took aim at other parties who solely focused their campaigns on jobs and the economy while neglecting to focus equally on the environment.
“The dialogue has been about jobs, and that’s something that we’re seeing all over the province. I don’t think that we have three issues, aka jobs, jobs, jobs,” said Wright. “I think jobs have to be an issue that we look at in a greater context, the context of creating healthier sustainable communities in the 21st century.”
Without a formal campaign team, Wright has relied on friends and family members who are helping his political campaign and has equally been “blown away from people coming out of the woodwork.”
“We haven’t really put together a formal team … but I’ve been approached by people who have supported other parties in the past and they’re starting to look at the Green Party platform [and deciding] that it makes a lot of sense,” he said.
Being aware of his electoral chances, Wright noted that while “the goal of an election is to win” that it would “be a victory to just be able to raise awareness for the Green Party and to introduce people to the platform if they’ve never heard it before.”
Wright believes that the August 1st by-election date will contribute to a lower voter turnout, but he hopes that “people [do] take time to get to the polls, because their future is at stake.”
Windsor-Tecumseh Green Party candidate fields local environmental activist
Jonathon Liedtke is the Features & Opinion Editor for the University of Windsor Lance Campus/Community Newspaper and a reporter for ourWindsor.ca. As a founding member and current Co-Chair of the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee, he is committed to representing, connecting, engaging with and advocating for local youth. He is also a member of Windsor’s “Punk with Horns” band The Nefidovs, and as such, is committed to enhancing and sustaining the arts community.
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