I am an indigenous two-spirit man. I joined the Saskatchewan Green Party because I believe in social justice and equal rights for all people. I am currently working full-time as a youth support worker at Prairie Harm Reduction.

I grew up in the three prairie provinces of Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba; I research steadily to keep track of a special concern, homelessness. I read about the homelessness initiatives governments have tried and I really like the Housing First initiative, treating people as people, which is advocated by the Greens’ leader, Naomi Hunter, to apply in Saskatchewan’s cities.

 I was made a ward of the government at 12 years old in Winnipeg and I know “the system” inside and out. Through my own hard times, and now through my work life, I have come to understand the range of people’s deep needs and how crucial it is to support the human rights and civic rights of people. I have always worked with people. My studies brought me an Early Childhood Education diploma with an emphasis on speech and behaviours. I have worked with children in their homes, in centres and in schools, along with running parenting groups and supporting disadvantaged adults and families at group homes, centres and drop-in centres. 

An MLA should be a lifelong learner, and as your Green candidate, I am proud to ask you to vote for that quality in me. My education, demanding life experience and work life have fused to make me ready to serve and face the future challenges awaiting us Saskatchewan people.

I want to see our province able to end poverty as we know it and to see the government working in collaboration with the First Peoples of this land. I want to see the houseless have homes. Our children’s education should cover the struggle for social justice and equal rights. I believe in a Guaranteed Basic Income for all which is higher than our anaemic SIS program (and without all the strings attached!). I also believe that we need to be making a livable wage, a wage that can house people and feed people. I agree with the minimum wage in Saskatchewan going up to $25 per hour. 

It grieves me that the Saskparty violated the rights of our children with their new trans policy and is once again violating children’s rights in its fight against the teachers’ union. It is the teachers who are fighting for the rights of intellectually challenged children and neurodiverse children. Why the suppression and the prejudice? Why are our children not a top priority in this province? I want to see our children become at least important enough to have their basic human rights upheld! These include the right to safety and security wherever they are.

I work with many children, at Michael’s Place, through Prairie Harm Reduction. This group home is for male-identifying youth who have a variety of complex needs and are actively using substances. I have chosen to work for Prairie Harm Reduction because I believe in their cause and I believe in the way they do things. In this company, we meet people where they are and go from there, on a harm reduction model. I also love the atmosphere and all the staff. We need more safe consumption sites, and for the government to quit regulating them in such a way that supplies are cut off! Of course, PHR now supplies the essentials, but they are paid for out of pocket through donations.

Saskatchewan is faced with the need for safe, environmentally sustainable power and energy. We need to drastically lower our carbon footprint in these coming years. Our youth need to become more involved in the political process. My non-binary child is the SGP Northern Youth Representative this year with the approval of my family because we know the young people need to be involved. Our family also supports the Saskatchewan Green Party because of its commitment to the UN and non-violence. The Greens believe in full transparency, which is why you can find our policies right on our website, www.saskgreen.ca. 

The Greens also believe in the rights of all minority groups and sexually and gender diverse people, and that everyone has the right to their own language and culture without discrimination. Everyone needs to be seen as an equal person having an equal vote. Recently the SGP has had six members working collaboratively for 500-plus hours to change the wording of our policy manual and to make sure that the elders could agree so as to make an alliance between the First Peoples of our land and the Saskatchewan Green Party. It has been finished and passed at our AGM which was held on June 1, 2024. 

There are also a few petitions that we have up on our site, www.saskgreen.ca.  Feel free to read and sign. If anyone would like to join the Saskatchewan Green Party you can do so through the website or you can contact us directly. 

If you would like to help on Phoenix Neault’s campaign please reach out at [email protected] to get involved!