A former national Green party candidate in British Columbia who now lives in Halifax has been picked as deputy leader.
Jo-Ann Roberts, a veteran broadcaster with the CBC, was announced as Elizabeth May’s deputy on Monday in Halifax.
“Jo-Ann is brilliant, she’s tenacious, she knows her stuff,” May said at a news conference at the Lord Nelson Hotel. “She knows about issues because someone who’s been a journalist for 20 years really does know the issues, does listen to communities and she shares all the values that are the core Green values that separate the Green party from any other party.”
Roberts was a host with Information Morning in Moncton and spent another 10 years as host of the CBC afternoon show in Victoria, B.C. She covered the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and received a national award for being part of the team covering the Stanley Cup Riots.
As the Green party candidate in Victoria in 2015, she came in a close second with 33 per cent of the vote behind incumbent Murray Rankin of the NDP.
Roberts, who grew up in Halifax, moved back in November with her husband Ken Kelly, an urban planner, and their four children.
“I’m based here because we really feel there’s growth potential here that we should be working on, so having me here helps but it’s also to support the leader,” Roberts said in an interview after the announcement.
“As the only member of Parliament for the Green party, Elizabeth carries a very heavy load, both as party leader and the only elected MP. . . . So I’ll help co-chair shadow cabinet, I will be available to make statements either on her behalf or on behalf of the party, so again that helps Elizabeth concentrate on parliamentary issues and constituent issues.”
Roberts will also run as a candidate in the next federal election. She said the party will be working to get a candidate in all 11 Nova Scotia ridings as it did in the last federal election.
The Greens’ best result in Nova Scotia in 2015 was 4.3 per cent of the popular vote.
Roberts said she’d like to see that support go to 10 per cent in the next election.
As for issues specific to Nova Scotia, Roberts singled out the Northern Pulp/Boat Harbour pollution controversy. “At the very least, there should be a level 2 (environmental) assessment there.”
She also mentioned the First Nations’ concerns about the Alton Gas project and the effect of offshore oil drilling on the fishing industry.
Roberts takes over the deputy leader post from Bruce Hyer, who is stepping down to focus his efforts on the Green Party of Ontario campaign in the upcoming provincial election.
Montreal environmentalist Daniel Green will continue to serve as the Greens’ other deputy leader.
