Kim Charlesworth says she has learned from recent elections around the world and from speaking to Nelson-Creston constituents that change is in the air.
“There are all kinds of indications that people are really frustrated with their governments—they’re fed up,” the former Nelson city councillor said last week. “We’re seeing it everywhere.”
That bodes well for the Green Party of British Columbia’s chances in the May 9th provincial election, especially after having had party leader Andrew Weaver sitting in the BC legislature as BC Greens first MLA for the current term, she said.
“It is heartening that Andrew is getting attention from mainstream press,” she said. “We are posed for a breakthrough.”
Charlesworth was born and raised in Winnipeg, and earned a law degree at Dalhousie after marrying Greg Brewer, now retired from the Canadian Navy. She practiced law before taking time to raise a family. The Charlesworths’ two children now live in Toronto.
Her first foray into politics lead to a one-term stint on Nelson City Council from 2008-2011. During that period, she took the lead on sustainability issues, helping to create the Community Energy and Emissions Plan that now forms the city’s framework of policy and procedure. Nelson now exceeds targets for greenhouse gas emissions.
She describes herself as a collaborator, which is also a characteristic of a BC political movement that works across party lines.
“Andrew Weaver is a good leader who is a very well-prepared. He has worked really hard for four years, had a private member’s bill pass and introduced other legislation that was eventually tweaked and taken up by the Liberal government,” she said.
“Personally, I have learned that everybody brings something to the table—that’s what collaboration is all about,” she said. “My strength is in listening to people and bringing them together.”
Charlesworth said she was “decidedly non-partisan” in politics until hearing then-Green Party leader Jane Sterk speak at the 2009 Association of Kootenay-Boundary Local Governments speak.
“She talked about fiscal responsibility, social justice and environmental issues—everything she was speaking to fit my values,” she said. “I went from being completely non-partisan to a Green Party member.”
BC’s history of having two major parties, now the Liberals and New Democrats, “does not serve us well,” she said. “This government does not listen to communities’ needs.”
Locally, Charlesworth is committed to working to build resilient local economies, and a placing a strong focus on agriculture and food production.
In 2013, Charlesworth joined the Nelson Food Cupboard, and she has helped it transition beyond providing emergency food bank services, including development of a 4,000-square-foot garden that provides fresh food. It also creates opportunities for people living in poverty to learn new and important skills in both the garden and kitchen, she said.
“I have been named the BC Greens agriculture and food system spokesperson, to my great pleasure,” she said. “The Liberals have no interest in agriculture, as we have seen with the Site C dam project, which is set to destroy prime agricultural land (her party advocates stopping the project), and the changes made to the ALR in order to allow development on farm land.”
As reflected in elections federally and provincially, as well as globally, changes are needed in the way governments operate, she said.
“Many of the systems we have in place actually prevent what we need to have happen. Our food systems deter local food production. Our welfare systems prevent people from getting out of poverty. When you get rid of poverty in a community everyone benefits, including the wealthy. We need to change playing fields, not tweak current systems.”
Charlesworth said her campaign will include a strong presence in the Creston Valley. On February 6, she will host BC Greens leader and climate scientist Andrew Weaver in the Community Complex Kootenay Room from 1-3 pm and the public is invited. She is also working toward bringing in federal Greens leader Elizabeth May at a later date.