The Martlet

When it comes to the Green Party, Elizabeth May’s recent campaign to win the Saanich-Gulf Islands federal seat has dominated media attention. But what about other local candidates? Who is running to represent Victoria’s Green party in the next federal election?

The answer is Jared Giesbrecht. The 29—year-old UVic Law alumnus is looking forward to challenging current MP Denise Savoie, of the NDP, for Victoria’s seat in Parliament. He would also take on a role as the Green shadow cabinet Justice Minister to Ottawa.

Giesbrecht, a current Doctoral of Law candidate, says his campaign will focus on three main issues that tie in with the Greens philosophy and issues facing Victoria itself: job creation and the economy, issues facing the justice system and the crime rate and poverty and homelessness in Canada.

Creating green jobs and building a sustainable economy based on new methods and new technologies are priorities for the Green Party.

“We’ve missed an opportunity for innovation with the recent energy crisis and we need to get moving to get out of the 20th-century mindset to avoid the next energy crisis,” Giebrecht said.

Giesbrecht wants to face the issues in the justice system and the crime rate by emphasizing restorative justice and rehabilitating inmates and ex-cons. These plans stand in contrast to the Conservative Government’s “tough on crime” policies of mandatory minimums, and the provincial Liberal Government closing of facilities and prisons.

“There have been lots of studies showing that [rehabilitation] works better than punishment,” he said. “Rehabilitation is the greatest weapon against re-offence.”

Giesbrecht also mentioned that Howard Saper, ombudsman for Correctional Services Canada, agrees with Green thoughts on rehabilitative justice.

“Instead of these mandatory minimum [sentences], the Canadian government really should focus on the huge problems of white-collar corporate crime in this country,” Giebrecht said. “I could just go on and on about the problems there.”

The third plank in Giesbrecht’s platform is working on the issues of poverty and homelessness in Canada. He also expressed concerns about “the criminalization of poverty in Canada,” which he thinks is linked to the Conservative government’s policies.

Giesbrecht is personally trying to encourage more youth to enter politics, either by joining a party or by exercising their right to vote.

“I was attracted to the Green Party after going to a Party event and hearing Elizabeth May saying that the Green Party was for standing for party principles, rather than just the partisan bickering of the other federal parties,” he explained.

“We are for discussion and debate, but over things that matter, rather then just arguing to make wedge issues.”

Does Giesbrecht consider rallying against the Conservative’s “tough on crime” policies a wedge issue?

“I didn’t pick these things because they are wedge issues,” he said. “They became wedge issues because the other parties aren’t doing anything about them.”