Who is Jessica?
“Jessica is a fierce advocate for human and civil rights and, as a lawyer, she defends those rights against corporate greed and government overreach and violence,” her profile says. “She also has her master’s degree in clinical psychology and has studied French, German, and Italian.
“She comes from a long line of men and women on both sides of her family who have stood up for Canada and their communities. Jessica is a devoted mother, wife, and friend. This is Jessica’s second time running with the Green Party in the North Island-Powell River – she is passionate about doing everything she can to leave the world a better, safer, cleaner place for children today and future generations. She loves to sing and work out. She is a terrible gardener. She lives in Comox with her family and their two huskies.”
What are you hearing at the door?
” We are encountering a lot of fear and frustration,” she says. “Voters are nervous about what is happening in the US and how it will affect them, their families, their communities, and our country. There is also a lot of frustration with our first-past-the-post system and how it makes voters feel limited and constrained.
“On top of these issues, people in our communities are concerned about the cost of living, housing, and healthcare.”
The Issues: Tariffs, Housing and Inter-Provincial Trade
Tariffs:
“We now see that the tariffs Trump imposed on Canadian and Mexican goods were only the beginning. He is wreaking economic havoc across the globe,” she says. “We need to stand up to the United States and show that Canadians will not be bullied.
“Reciprocal tariffs are one tool we have to do this, but not the only one. Greens propose creating strategic reserves of key raw resources to safeguard jobs, retain our critical industrial capacity, and increase our economic leverage. We also need to guarantee strong financial support for Canadian-owned small and medium businesses that may be impacted by the tariffs. Our full “Protecting Canada” plan is online.”
Housing:
“Housing is a human right. We need to treat it as such. Big investors and hedge funds should not be allowed to buy up homes like stocks, driving up prices and making ownership and rents unattainable,” she says. “We would eliminate unfair tax advantages for Real Estate Investment Trusts and stop corporations from buying up single family homes. But that’s only part of the problem – we need to build more homes, and we need to make sure they’re affordable.
“The Green Party would launch the biggest public housing construction program since the 1970s, creating good local jobs and using Canadian resources. Covenants attached to the housing would ensure they are actually affordable, which means rent and mortgages would be no more than 30% of an individual or family’s income. Greens also support a Guaranteed Livable Income – fairness, dignity, and security for everyone living in Canada is possible.”
Riding Issues:
“I think affordability is the most important issue for the North Island – Powell River, because it is really impacting all areas of our lives,” she says. “Individuals and families are working just as hard as they ever have been, but their dollar just isn’t going very far.
“The affordability crisis is causing people to be housing and food insecure. It is making people choose between medications and rent or hydro. It is causing anxiety and fear and keeping us from living the safe, fulfilling lives we all deserve. The Greens have real solutions to this crisis.”
Voters will head to the polls on April 28.
