Election Candidate profiles: Green-Christy Radbourne

My name is Christy Radbourne and I am the Green Party candidate for Thunder Bay Rainy-River.
I’m currently an elementary school principal with the Lakehead District School Board and have been an educator for 15 years.
I’m originally from the United States, where I worked in federal law enforcement for 10 years, as well as managed two horse-training and riding stables.
I hold a business degree from Georgia State University and a B.Ed and M.Ed from Lakehead University. I’m currently working on my Ph.D with Lakehead, as well.
My partner, Dwayne, and I have two children, Caitlynn, 15, and Lucas, 12, who are active in many sports and activities.
Why are you running to be the MP for Thunder Bay-Rainy River?
I am running now because on Jan. 17, the New York Times printed on the front page that 2014 was the warmest year on record. Because, when it comes to climate change, as Naomi Kline said, “This changes everything.”
Yet there was not a single mention of climate change in the Conservatives’ proposed federal budget. I am running because climate change isn’t an issue, it’s the issue that defines all others.
I joined now because never before has the gap between the haves and the have-nots been wider with the middle class fast disappearing. Today, young people can’t find the funds for skills training, college, or university while our seniors struggle to stretch their retirement dollars to live as they choose and with dignity.
Sadly, this is the first generation of Canadian children that are not expected to meet, much less exceed, their parents’ standard of living.
I am running because every day our communities find it harder to maintain basic services and keep jobs and young people at home.
I entered the race now because we are rapidly selling off our natural resources to the highest foreign bidders—even as we lose valuable manufacturing infrastructure and jobs right here at home.
And, unfortunately, the loudest voices in government now are corporate and belong to the tar sands.
Finally, Canadians are tired of politics “as usual” and do not see themselves represented in Parliament.
What is the single-most important issue to you in this federal election?
The single-most important issue in this election is creating a sustainable Canada with an economy that addresses climate change, creates long-term jobs with livable wages, and closes income gaps.
If elected, how would you help kick-start the economy in the riding?
If elected, I would work to enact the Green Party’s Carbon Fee and Dividend program, which will charge carbon at its source and return the money in a dividend to each and every Canadian.
Next, I would work to increase the municipalities’ share of the gas tax to five cents, and return more money to municipalities for infrastructure improvements and investments.
I would stop lopsided trade agreements, like the TPP, which provides an unfair advantage to foreign companies and sells off our resources to create jobs in other countries.
The Greens and I will invest in ensuring that resources developed in Canada remain here to be manufactured, thus creating jobs and tax bases.
I would work to cut the small business tax rate to nine percent and tie business subsidies to innovative “green” technology and manufacturing practices.
Finally, we would work to support regional food security by supporting local small- to medium-sized farmers with infrastructure grants, support for organic growing practices, protecting local processing abilities, and ensuring shelf space in grocery stores for local products.
All of these represent investments in our community which would revitalize manufacturing, stimulate our growing local agriculture industry, provide support for growing small businesses, and ensure our resources are mined or harvested responsibility and kept in Canada to be manufactured.
Canada currently ranks last among 18 OECD countries in research and development, and 11th in “green” technology investment, with China and the U.S. leading the way.
Climate change represents not only our greatest challenge, but our greatest opportunity, as well. We need to invest in R&D and “green” technology—and Northwestern Ontario has the facilities and manufacturing infrastructure to do just that.
This would kick-start and sustain Northwestern Ontario’s economy.
Should the pensions of retired workers be taxed?
Pensions of retired workers should not be taxed.
The Green Party also proposes expansion of the CPP from 25 percent of earnings to 50 percent of earnings, as well as a Guaranteed Livable Income for each person in Canada to help retirees remain in their homes and stretch their pensions over longer time periods.
Should the government enact a stricter immigration policy?
No, the government does not need a stricter immigration policy.
If you could be any animal, what would it be and why?
If I could be any animal, it would be a horse. As Job 39:19-25 describes it:
Do you give the horse its strength
or clothe its neck with a flowing mane?
Do you make it leap like a locust,
striking terror with its proud snorting?
It paws fiercely, rejoicing in its strength,
and charges into the fray.
It laughs at fear, afraid of nothing;
it does not shy away from the sword.
The quiver rattles against its side,
along with the flashing spear and lance.
In frenzied excitement it eats up the ground;
it cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.
At the blast of the trumpet it snorts, ‘Aha!’
It catches the scent of battle from afar,
the shout of commanders and the battle cry.
If you have any questions or would like to know more about the Green Party, contact me at Christy.radbourne@greenparty.ca