Thomas Trappenberg with Interim Green Party Leader Jessica Alexander. Photo: NS Green Party.
Representing the Green Party in the riding of Lunenburg is Dalhousie Physics Professor Thomas Trappenberg.
Trappenberg says he’s been studying climate change throughout his career and as a result of that, he decided to run for the Greens due to their progressive environmental policies.
“The climate emergency is top of my mind and while many people might not think about it all the time the data I’ve seen is shocking and is clear in showing action needs to be taken,” Trappenberg said.
He says the recent report released by the UN shows that the need to make drastic changes is even more pressing than initially thought, “The report shows that we are running out of time before we are locked into irrevocable changes to our climate that will have disastrous consequences,”.
While the climate is a top priority for Trappenberg and the Greens he doesn’t want people to forget about their plans on issues like healthcare and housing.
“We have thought about these things for many years and often we look at how they are connected, so one thing we are focusing on is encouraging more healthy lifestyles, in addition to adding more doctors around the province,”.
The Green Party is also heavily in favour of employing more doctors assistants that will help offload the burden currently placed on physicians and nurses.
On the housing front, the Greens support rent control but they also want to increase the supply. Trappenberg says a big part of that is empowering municipalities.
“Municipalities need more power to help make housing opportunities available and we also would like to see policies that ensure when developers want to build they have to commit to providing some affordable housing,” Trappenberg said.
Running in the riding of Lunenburg Trappenberg is being challenged by Liberal Candidate Suzanne Lohnes-Croft, PC Susan Corkum-Greek, NDP Alison Smith and Atlantica candidate John Giannakos.
