Candidate Questions: Jodie Capling

1. Why are you running for office?

I’m stepping forward as a candidate for the Green Party, because I believe that all Canadians should have a choice to vote for a party that represents their values and their vision for Canada.

2. How does your party plan to address the issue of U.S. tariffs?

The Green Party proposes a multi-faceted approach to address US tariffs, focusing on building economic sovereignty, fostering international alliances, and taking retaliatory measures when necessary.
The Green Party supports building long-term solutions that make Canada’s economy more resilient to foreign tariffs, trade disputes, and changing economic situations. This includes creating better trading relationships between our provinces and diversifying our international trading partners.
In the short-term, strong financial support for Canadian-owned small and medium businesses that may be impacted by U.S. tariffs may be required.

3. How would you address the challenges facing some Aboriginal communities across our region?

I do not assume to know how Indigenous communities in our region would like to address the challenges they face. I think the first step in this process would be to connect with the different communities, meet with people and find out what challenges they face and how they would like to address them. Asking these fundamental questions is key in building relationships based in trust and setting a foundation for moving forward together.

4. What’s your stance on the development of pipelines?

Green Party of Canada’s policy on pipelines is to oppose the construction of most major new fossil fuel infrastructure, including pipelines. We need to invest in a vibrant renewable energy economy in Canada.

5. How high a priority is affordable childcare for your party? What’s your party’s pitch?

The Green Party is committed to creating universal early learning and child care that every family can afford. The plan to achieve this includes: supporting more child care centres with trained early childhood educators, and supporting policies which enable parents to care for their own young children as an alternate to child care centres.

6. In light of Canada/USA relations, does Canada need to diversify its economy? If yes, in what way?

Yes, Canada does need to diversify its economy. We need to shift away from exporting unprocessed natural resources and move towards producing value-added products that create jobs for Canadians. We also need to create better trading relationships between our provinces and diversify our international trading partners.

7. What would you do to help seniors?

The Green Party has many policies aimed at helping seniors, including:
– advocating for increasing the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) by 25%,
– policies focused on pension protection,
– universal long-term care with national standards,
– expanding the health care to cover the medications seniors need,
– compressive plan for affordable housing.

8. How would you address the opioid crisis?

The Green Party supports treating substance use as a social justice and public health issue; expanding culturally safe and evidence based treatment, recovery, and harm reduction services, supporting affected families and communities, and removing criminal penalties for the personal possession and use of all drugs. We also need better mental health care. If people reach out for help, we need to have the services in place to help them.

9. Where in the riding do you live? Why? What are your favourite places to spend time in?

I live in the Williams Lake area. My partner and I both grew up in the Cariboo-Chilcotin and we moved back here to raise our kids close to our families. I like to spend time swimming and fishing in our beautiful lakes.

10. Who’s your favourite singer/band?

It would probably be Michael Franti & Spearhead