As you may be aware, 2020 is an election year for the Green Party of Manitoba. This year, there is a contest for the positon of Leader. The two contestants are James Beddome and Andrea Shalay.
Per the GPM Constitution and By-Laws, each candidate was asked to provide a photo and brief bio to share with the members. We have posted them here for your reading.
In order to be eligible to vote in the Leadership Contest, you must join the party or renew your membership by Wednesday, the 28th of October 2020. If you are unsure about the status of your membership, please contact vote@greenparty.mb.ca as soon as possible.
So, without further adieu, the Leadership Contestants:
Andrea Shalay
We are ready for change.
I have a vision for the Green Party of Manitoba where we gather as a community around shared goals, each of us empowered to be a part of the changes we want to see.
I got active in the Green Party of Manitoba because I demand better from our government. I realised that if things are to get better, then I have a role to play, and that it must be with the party that aligns with my values and that dares to do politics differently.
I’ve been on council for 5 years, taking on roles including deputy leader, democracy advocate, chair of communications and governance. I ran active campaigns in both federal and provincial 2019 elections, accepting every opportunity to participate in debates and to engage the media.
As Leader of the Green Party of Manitoba, I would bring different strengths to the table. I have extensive experience in community building, with training in reconciliation and in participant driven processes. My Masters in Political Science delved into inclusivity and belonging. I have worked in many sectors including non-profit, small business and entrepreneur. My skills, knowledge and experience would bring fresh energy, insight and opportunity for the party.
I have also helped with winning campaigns in three different provinces. We have an opportunity to build on the success and hard work achieved by Greens across this country.
As Leader of the Green Party of Manitoba, I aim to:
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Foster leadership through our regional representatives, so we can be a party for all Manitobans.
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Support the building of constituency associations, so we have visible and active teams in our neighbourhoods.
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Utilize technology to find new ways to engage members and the public.
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Address policy gaps so we can model inclusivity.
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Demonstrate to media that we are electable thought innovators.
Facebook: @AndreaShalayforLeadership
Instagram: @andrea.shalay.gpm.leadership
Twitter: @AndreaShalay
James Beddome
Should I be re-elected as leader my fundamental promise to you is that I will continue to work as hard as I can for the party as I have for the past 12 years.
I have led the Green Party of Manitoba since 2008, and I have ran five times provincially and once federally.
I was raised on a farm near Rapid City Manitoba, and I am a lawyer whose work has been focussed on working with First Nations, residential school survivors, and more recently low-income individuals through Legal Aid Manitoba.
I have always felt that we must offer every Manitoban the option to vote Green. In 2019 we ran 43 candidates, or about 75% of Manitoba ridings. My hope is that with your help we can run a full slate in 2023.
Of course I am but one member of an overall team, but I do believe that my contributions as spokesperson for the party have helped to build our profile. The results speak for themselves: 22,000 votes, and 6.43% of the popular vote (which would have been around 9% had we run a full slate) in 2019. This is impressive when compared to the Green Party nationally, and Greens in neighboring provinces that have run full slates.
Of course there is more work to be done. Ontario has achieved the important objective of electing its leader. That is one feat that I would like to achieve.
If re-elected as leader I will aim to grow our membership beyond 1,000 members. We need five or more active members in each riding to form constituency associations to support a full slate of candidates.
This is not something that I as leader expect to achieve alone. This is something that will be done with the assistance of the Executive Council and other party volunteers, but I believe we can be a force to be reckoned with that will completely catch Manitobans and the other parties by surprise in the next election. I hope you will join me in accomplishing this.
Facebook: @GreenJamesBeddome
Instagram: @jamesbeddome
Twitter: @JamesBeddome
Email: jrbeddome@gmail.com