In the summer of 2021, I stood in my fields at 7 a.m., watching my crops literally cook at 29°C. It was the first time I—and most other farmers in the Comox Valley—had experienced a heat dome.

The heat dome lasted from June 25 to July 1, claiming over 600 lives in British Columbia. The federal government called it “the deadliest weather event in Canada to date.” Additionally, billions of molluscs and other marine creatures perished.

For many of us, the heat dome was a wake-up call. We were not prepared. It became clear to me that issues of extreme heat, emergency preparedness, watershed conservation, and other climate-related challenges are not being adequately addressed by the provincial NDP government.

As a farmer, parent, and small business owner, I want to be the voice for our community in the provincial legislature. The NDP government has set ambitious climate goals but has failed to take meaningful action on most of them. As a BC Green MLA, I will push the government to deliver on its green promises.

We must develop programs that help British Columbians prepare for—and survive—more extreme weather events. We need to become wiser with our resources and more resilient in the face of drought, fire, and heat. We must leave a livable planet for our children and grandchildren. Our personal health is deeply tied to the health of our environment and community. When we unite and speak up together to hold the government accountable, we can effect real change. This is why I am running for the BC Greens.