Monday, October 07, 2019

Andrew Weaver Steps Down


He's been a true stalwart of the Green Party movement in Canada. Our very own climate scientist, U. Vic's Andrew Weaver. Now he's announced that he won't be seeking re-election to the provincial legislature. This is it. He's done.

In 2013, Weaver left his post as Canada Research Chair in climate modelling and analysis at the University of Victoria. He was elected in May 2013 in Oak Bay-Gordon Head as the first provincial Green politician in Canada, and acclaimed as the party’s leader in 2015. 
He ran with a focus of making a difference in the area of climate change, explaining he viewed the B.C. Green Party as the best vehicle to do that work.
I wonder if Dr. Weaver is throwing in the towel, giving up the fight. The latest polling results show the federal Greens going nowhere. We might be back to the Vancouver Island/Gulf Islands bastion when the votes are tallied. A failure of Elizabeth May's Greens to stage a breakthrough will mean that climate change, the climate crisis/breakdown and our national climate emergency will fade once Scheer or Trudeau prevails.

It wouldn't be much of a surprise if Elizabeth May follows Weaver out the door. She has been fighting hard for close to 14 years. Susan Riley named her the "hardest working MP on Parliament Hill."  Like Weaver, she knows that Canada and the world stand at a crossroad and the petro-state isn't likely to change course. Time is not on Canada's side or humanity's. We haven't got another four years to squander on disingenuous half-measures as we have the past four years. But sometimes the clock simply runs out.

6 comments:

Trailblazer said...

Jane Sterk, of the Green party BC, hit the same roadblock.
I heard her speak at a meeting in Nanaimo BC where she offered realistic solutions to an ordinance that thought we could save the world by using chemical toilets and having a potter's wheel in the front window!
So much of the Green revolution is governed by such people.
Perhaps Weaver has hit the same road block?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Sterk

TB

The Mound of Sound said...


I spoke with a friend in Vancouver, a "friend of a friend" of Weaver. Apparently he has developed some sort of condition that affects his balance and may worsen in the months/years ahead.

Trailblazer said...

It's not easy to be Green.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpiIWMWWVco

TB

The Mound of Sound said...


TB, I assume your link is Kermit singing a lament so I'll pass. Do tell me if I'm wrong.

Northern PoV said...

Thanks TB. (In a very boring (low turn-out?) election, it's great to have some fun.

Mound, You don't know what you're missing.

And Kermit is great but here's one of those covers that beat the original

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD6Mk3k1U6w

It's not easy bein' green
Having to spend each day
The color of the leaves
When I think it could be nicer
Bein' red or yellow or gold
Or something much more colorful like that
It's not easy bein' green
It seems you blend in
With so many other ordinary things
And people tend to pass you over
'Cause you're not standing out
Like flashy sparkles on the water
Or stars in the sky
But green's the color of spring
And green can be cool and friendly like
And green can be big like a mountain
Or importan like a river or tall like a tree
When green is all there is to be
It could make you wonder why
But, why wonder, why wonder?
I'm green and it'll do fine
It's beautiful and I think it's what I want to be

The Mound of Sound said...

Okay you two. I watched them both.