Silvaine Zimmermann, the Green Party candidate in the 2006
election has been re-endorsed as the candidate for the West
Vancouver–Sunshine Coast–Sea to Sky Country riding.
On March 15
th
Green Party members chose Zimmermann
over Michael Maser, an award-winning educator and renewable energy specialist.
The nomination contest was held at the West Vancouver Seniors Centre.
“Most voters realize that the parties occupying seats in the House
of Commons to date have been less than committed to environmental stewardship,”
said Zimmermann. “Few are fooled by the sudden jump onto the environmental
bandwagon. The only way to make Ottawa change is to keep up the pressure, and
to elect truly committed Green MPs.”
Zimmermann, the Green Party candidate in West
Vancouver–Sunshine Coast–Sea to Sky Country in the January 2006
election, finished a distant fourth. Liberal Blair Wilson received 23,867 votes
while Conservative John Weston finished second with 22,881. The NDP’s Judith
Wilson garnered 12,766 votes while Zimmermann received 3,996 votes.
“I think of the impending election as the
real
green Olympics, with our Green team ready to take
off the moment the writ is dropped!” Zimmermann said. “Thanks to Al Gore,
Elizabeth May and 20 years of effort by Greens around the globe; the global
climate crisis and the wish to do something meaningful about it has become the
number one issue for Canadians. We will do everything humanly possible to
translate this into Green votes.”
Zimmermann has been an executive assistant at a tutoring
company and the owner and operator of a bed and breakfast on Bowen Island. She
has two children, speaks four languages, and has a Bachelor of Science in
Ecology and a Masters in Science in Oceanography. She was born in Germany, grew
up in Quebec, and has lived in Europe, Latin America, and the high Arctic.
"Our popularity was
strong in certain parts of the riding where we won almost 20 per cent of the
votes in 2006," said electoral district CEO Shawn Precious. "With
a new team in place in West Vancouver, specifically, we expect much stronger
results during the next election."
Green Party leader Elizabeth May has been hosting policy forums across the country as the party refines its membership-defined policies in anticipation of the next federal election.
