Getting youth involved in the upcoming provincial election is a big reason 26-year-old Kris Rivard has become the Green Party candidate in Nipissing.
The Canadore College student is completing a Post Graduate Certificate in Environmental Management. He was officially nominated and acclaimed Friday.
"I've always believed that my values align pretty well with the values of the Green Party," he told BayToday this afternoon. "One big factor is youth involvement. I'd like to emphasize that the youth in Ontario should get involved and engaged in politics and have their voices heard and vote."
Rivard says the Party also is a supporter of small business and privatization of marijuana.
"The government shouldn't be in charge of the marijuana industry. We'd rather see small business with their own marijuana shops."
Rivard was doing the rounds of media outlets in the city with Green Party leader Mike Schreiner.
He's presently on a 2,500 km, 20 cities in nine days, tour.
"What people are telling me is that they are tired of the establishment parties that have been governing Ontario. They've lost confidence.
"The Green Party is offering a new way of doing politics, about putting people first, ahead of the political insiders at Queen's Park, ahead of the wealthy donors, ahead of the well-connected lobbyists and being honest with the challenges we face and delivering solutions."
Schreiner also says his party has always strongly opposed cutbacks to Ontario Northland.
"We've been strongly in support of reinstating it (passenger rail). To me, that's a classic example of how doing something that benefits the climate also benefits the local economy. We have to expand rail service to all parts of the province, not just in Toronto."
The party expects to run candidates in every riding.
"We're on target to meet our full slate of candidates. At least 50 per cent of our candidates will be women and we're targeting at least 10 per cent of our candidates be young like Kris because we want to make sure we have a diverse range of candidates and voices because we want that to reflect the diversity of Ontario."
Rivard was born in North Bay and currently resides in his parent's house in Sturgeon Falls.
