Skip to content

New Westminster trustee seeks Green Party nomination

Jonina Campbell is going green and taking a shot at being New Westminster’s next MLA. Campbell, a two-term school trustee and current chair of the New Westminster School Board, is seeking the B.C.
Jonina Campbell
New Westminster school trustee Jonina Campbell will be seeking the B.C. Green Party nomination in New Westminster for next spring's provincial election.

Jonina Campbell is going green and taking a shot at being New Westminster’s next MLA.

Campbell, a two-term school trustee and current chair of the New Westminster School Board, is seeking the B.C. Green Party nomination as the New West candidate in the May 2017 provincial election. Nominations for Green Party candidates in New West close on Oct. 19.

“An opportunity presented itself where someone said, ‘Why don't you run with the Greens?’ It wasn't something I had been considering at the time. The more I looked at it, the more I realized that the Green party has the best plan for B.C.,” Campbell told the Record. “You look at the Green party plan, it's evolved out of its environmental start to be a comprehensive, compassionate, sustainable plan. It looks at all the things we care about as British Columbians - our jobs, our health care system, our education and the environment. It's the one party that is unequivocally consistent on the environment, where it stands. But I also think it’s that lens of sustainability across all platforms that is extremely important to B.C.”

Campbell said she ran for school board to make a difference for New West kids. While she’s proud to have been part of a team that’s balanced the books for three years in a row, put financial systems in place to make sure the district stays on a good track financially, opened two new schools and a new board office and secured funding for a new high school, she believes a change in government is needed to make real change in the public education system.

“We do the best we can. We advocate as much as we can for change. But we have a government that has not responded to those calls for increased funding,” she said. “There comes a time, when you know what? You have to be the change. You have to get involved,” she said. “I am prepared to step up and put education front and centre in this election.”

Earlier this year, Campbell’s brother Josh died after battling alcoholism and associated mental health issues like depression. She feels an urgency to act now to elect a government that’s makes necessary changes in British Columbia’s health-care system.

"When he died, I knew that I needed to do something because there are other families out there going through the same thing, whether it is just mental health or addictions, whatever it is we need to support people,” she said. “I know that I can do something about that. I have a responsibility to do something about that. I couldn’t help my brother, but I can help others.”

Campbell believes B.C. Greens leader Andrew Weaver’s message will resonate with British Columbians during the election campaign.

“There is someone who got involved out of principled decisions and I am doing the same.”

Campbell said her decision is not a criticism of the work done by NDP MLA Judy Darcy, who she considers to be an exceptionally hardworking MLA and tremendous supporter of the school district.

"My decision to put my name forth as a candidate for the Green Party is about the party. This is a political decision about what I think is the best policy for New West and for B.C.,” she said. “Is this an easy road? No. I have not chosen the easy path, but it's the right path. It's the right path for me, it's the right path for New West. I really feel very strongly that just because we have done the same thing over and over and over in New West, that doesn’t mean it's not time for change.” 

Campbell said the Green platform emphasizes education, health and the environment.

“I look at my kids. I think about their future and their kids' futures, and I look at the environment and I think we need a party and leadership that are going to be very courageous on the environment,” she said. “It might not be easy to make tough decisions on the environment because it's a matter of talking to people about how we are going to transition away from a carbon economy, a resource, to a new economy.”

If she wins the Green party nomination, Campbell said she will stay on as a trustee and “work just as hard as I always have for New West” until the election, but would resign as board chair. Although New Westminster has a long tradition of voting NDP, Campbell is optimistic she can get elected as a Green in New West and the party could form government.

"I think when you ask people to place their trust in you and vote for you, you’re doing it because you have absolute confidence in your ability to get elected and the ability of your team to form government,” she said. “I think the time is now. I think people are ready for a change. I think people are really going to be excited about the Greens' message and the Green's plan. I think you are going to see a very different team come out that is going to resonate with people.”

Campbell played basketball in high school, but didn’t try out for teams in college or university because she was afraid of being cut during tryouts.

"I tell kids, the only regret you'll ever have is not trying,” she said. “I swore to myself after that that I would never not try out of fear of not making the team. I was too worried I was not good enough. I tell kids, you miss all the shots you don’t take.”