Green MP Wants To Address Several Priorities

The new MP-elect for Fredericton says she is excited to get to work in the House of Commons.

Green Party candidate Jenica Atwin won the riding with 32.8 per cent of the votes.

The Conservatives received 31.1 per cent of votes while Liberal incumbent Matt DeCourcey finished third with 27.3 per cent.

Atwin said Tuesday she thinks a few factors worked in her favour, including climate change.

“We talk about the flooding here on the ground in Fredericton and how that was influencing people’s voting,” said Atwin. “They finally now see that this can’t be ignored, that climate change is something that’s going to be affecting us here.”

Atwin also credits the work of local MLA and provincial Green Party leader David Coon for helping her get elected.

There are several priorities Atwin wants to address as MP, including the province’s health care system, which she said is at a “crisis level”.

“There are tens of thousands of New Brunswickers without a primary health care provider, our mental health issues are at much higher rates than the national average as far as hospitalizations for things like anxiety and depression,” she said.

Atwin wants to negotiate fairer health transfer payments for New Brunswick and place a focus on prevention and wellness.

She would also like to help municipalities address some of the impacts of climate change we are seeing.

“That means having some real in-depth conversations about mitigation and adaptation and what we can do to help protect people from future flooding,” Atwin said.

Atwin said one of the key aspects in her election campaign was advocating for Indigenous rights and recognition.

“There needs to be some movement on some of the key steps forward for the reconciliation plan for Canada,” she said. “I’m going to be a loud voice on that subject, as well.”

Atwin said she does not think being a Green member in a Liberal minority will make it challenging for her to get things done.

“I’m really ready to work in a very collaborative approach and to be as loud as I need to be to have us heard,” she said.

“I’m really great at working with people from diverse backgrounds and moving toward a common goal, so I’m ready to get there and build those relationships.”