Sharon Labchuk is a three-time candidate, regional organizer, shadow cabinet critic under two leaders, campaign manager for Elizabeth May and national Director for Organizing for 5 years. She also founded the Green Party of PEI in 2005 and led it for 7 years.

“I’m endorsing Dimitri Lascaris and he’ll be my top pick on the ballot.

I cancelled my party membership in 2012 after 8 years of intense involvement as a three-time candidate, regional organizer, shadow cabinet critic under two leaders, campaign manager for Elizabeth May and national Director of Organizing for 5 years. All while founding the Green Party of PEI in 2005 and leading it for 7 years. I rejoined the GPC this month for just one reason - to vote for party rejuvenation, renewed relevance and eco-socialist values by helping elect Dimitri Lascaris.

In 2004 when the GPC ran a full slate of candidates for the first time and emerged as a nationally engaged party, there was a real sense of hope and energy that drew people to the GPC, including me. As an environmental activist critical of politicians and parties, I unexpectedly found myself running as a federal candidate. For a while, the energy continued and a group of us who identified as left biocentrists were excited when our proposal to include a shadow cabinet member for deep ecology was readily accepted by leader Jim Harris.

Over time, dysfunction and backroom drama ruled. The party drifted further to the centre and seemed to become more irrelevant in a political scene already occupied by centrist parties.

Now, with some leadership candidates like Dimitri Lascaris proudly identifying as eco-socialists, I’m regaining some of that hopeful excitement and promise from the early days of 2004.

I don’t know Dimitri personally but I like what I see - an accomplished lawyer, activist and journalist with a strong record of standing up and speaking out on issues that matter to me - human rights, animal rights and planetary destruction. But policy positions are just the starting point. Dimitri’s campaign has shown us a candidate with passion, ethics, solid competence, and leadership skills gained through experience in real life struggles.

The GPC needs a leader who brings new energy, the hope of cleaning house, and a fresh eco-socialist perspective. Wallowing in the centre (pandering to the well oiled and massively funded dairy industry lobby in the last election and criticizing Canada’s new plant-based food guide, for example) ensures irrelevance and the dissatisfaction of progressive left-leaning people. Looking forward to voting for Dimitri Lascaris tomorrow.”