1. What will decide this election: protection of the environment, leadership, need for change, fiscal management?
John Kwasnica: Since 1986 in Boundary Similkameen The Green Party has held onto the hope that critical environmental concerns will be decisive – care of air, water and soil. Most voters will cast for those they see as best able to foster new jobs, hold together essential government services (e.g. highways, hospitals, schools), manage taxation fairly and avoid heavy debt. Heavy or light voter turnout will decide the actual quality of the outcome.
2. Policy of your party you promote the most when speaking in public?
John Kwasnica: The Green Party advances policies to create green jobs in soft energy development and in a value-added resource industry, to empower local communities to manage health and education to suit their particular needs, to develop public transit including better rural inter-urban bus service, to support young farmers, to tax fairly and to avoid heavy debt.
3. The quality of your leader that you talk about the most?
John Kwasnica: The Greens are less focused on a ‘cult of personality’ around the leader than are other parties. Our party members respect Jane Sterk. Her contribution to The Green Party of BC has been invaluable. Jane Sterk and The Green Party call for free votes in the legislature that would make MLA’s less the hand puppets of a Party Leader and his or her back room cronies and more the real servant of their constituents.
4. A brief statement on what you think the electorate is looking for in 2013?
John Kwasnica: The people want responsible and caring government that does not make itself hostage to special interest groups at the expense of the majority, especially the disadvantaged.
5. A brief statement on what you will advocate for, if elected?
John Kwasnica: As Green MLA for Boundary Similkameen, I will be a voice for legislation that makes care of the air, water and soil a priority. I would help frame legislation to advance alternatives to fossil fuels such as geothermal, to open opportunities to young farmers and to promote clean industry on our waterways.
6. What are the issues that people bring to you when door knocking in the riding?
John Kwasnica: One recurrent theme is“can we really trust any of you people” – politicians, that is. This speaks to a real and serious disconnect between the people and both arms of the political establishment who have taken turns at the helm in BC for the past 40 years. Again, the people want responsible and caring government that does not make itself hostage to special interest groups at the expense of the majority, especially the disadvantaged.