NB Green Party throws hat in Rothesay ring

Green Party fields candidate in Rothesay by-election

Sharon Murphy will carry the Green Party banner in the Rothesay by-election, according party president Janice Harvey.

“Sharon was our Rothesay candidate in the 2010 general election and we are very pleased that she is excited about representing our party and our vision for a sustainable New Brunswick in this by-election,” said Harvey.

Murphy grew up in Saint John and Rothesay, and moved back to Rothesay from Toronto 10 years ago to raise her 2 children.  She runs her family business, Atlantic Label, with her brother; sits on the board of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, on the steering committee of the Sustainability Education Alliance and the Children’s Environmental Health Collaborative and chairs the Saint John Fundy chapter of CCNB Action. She serves as Early Childhood and Education advocate for the NB Greens.  In her spare time she enjoys volunteering as an organiser for Saint John freeschool, teaches her children singing and organises awareness for local music festivals. Currently, she is working on bringing the Ludmila Knezkova-Hussey International Piano Competition to Saint John in 2014. 
 

“I am honoured to be the voice of sustainability in this by-election. Folks in Rothesay love their quality of life but it is threatened. We live in the shadow of a very dangerous nuclear power plant, are allowing blasting and mountain top removal in our watershed and if fracking ever materializes, our drinking water could be destroyed for generations.” said Sharon. “On top of these serious big picture issues, although we in Rothesay pay big taxes, we get very little in return.  Rothesay has no youth center, senior center or recreation trails.  We do however have youth, seniors and a huge green space in the center of town that is being subdivided and sold to developers. Why do we have rails still running along our river? Our quality of life could be so much better.” 

The Green Party was formed in 2008 by New Brunswickers who were concerned that the critical issues of sustainability, social justice and democracy were missing from the political landscape. 

“We are at a critical point in history,” Harvey said.  “This week the United Nations Environmental Programme released a report that demonstrates that we are nearing a tipping point in global climate and ecological systems.  Our economic and political systems have to change if disaster is going to be averted.”

Harvey concluded, “Green parties worldwide represent the changes that can and must be made both globally and locally.  It is critical that this voice be heard in every riding in the province.  That is what Sharon will do for us in Rothesay.”