Robert Johnston/Green candidate
For Robert Johnston and the Green Party, providing a sustainable economy and environment is the top priority.
Johnston, who was born in St. Mary’s, Ontario spent a small part of his young adulthood in Ontario but moved to B.C. in 1983 to attend university for natural sciences. In 1985, he then moved to Banff and worked at a national park and attended arts school.
This is his first time running for parliament, after starting with the Green Party as an office manager for a riding in Calgary.
“The Green party, if you could boil it down to one word, it’s about sustainability,” said Johnston.
Johnston explains that the Green Party is looking to create a balanced, sustainable and safe environment for our economy, culture and environment.
“It’s not about stopping anything,” said Johnston.
“What we need to do is develop the green economy that can replace this,” he added.
Johnston cites concern with the rate that the resources are being used in Alberta particularly as being a concern.
“We’re blessed with this mass of natural resources in this country and it’s not going to last that much longer,” said Johnston. “The generation that we’re living in right now is going to be the generation that sees the end of it.”
Johnston is strongly against nuclear energy, insisting that other forms of renewable energy must be used.
“There is no rational way to support nuclear power once you really look into it,” he said. “The other opens are the way to go.”
The Green Party’s plans for sustainable energy in the area is to take advantage of the area’s wind and solar power.
Johnston says that instead of large windmills, which are rumoured to cause dizziness, headaches and sleep disturbance to those who live near them, Albertans need to be investing in single-home generators.
And the Green Party can help you out with that.
“If we give homeowners some good tax breaks on bringing in solar and wind generation to their properties, rather than the wind farms, we can save people a lot of money and save the environment as well,” said Johnston.
Another plan for Alberta is the extension and maximizing the use of rail lines between Edmonton and Calgary. And possibly extending it between Alberta and Saskatchewan.
“It’s so much better. It’s fast, efficient and C02 production is cut way down. It can be used for people and shipping materials,” said Johnston.
The economy is also very important to the Green Party.
They plan on working hard to ensure pensions and senior care in the province as well.
With the native community in the area, Native rights have become a significant issue in the Wetaskiwin riding.
According to Johnston, the First Nations community across Canada has the same political beliefs as the Green Party in terms of environment and native rights.
Another issue that Johnston and the Green Party stresses is a transparent and open government – something that the conservatives failed to do, says Johnston.
“If we’re going to have pensions, take care of the seniors, have good transportation and infrastructure, we have to make Ottawa accountable,” said Johnston.