Jennifer Lash, the Liberal Candiate for North Island-Powell River

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Jennifer Lash has been working at the intersection of the economy, ocean conservation, climate change and reconciliation for the past 27 years. She founded two non-profit organizations in Sointula and more recently was a senior advisor in the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. Now she is running for election in North Island-Powell River. "In the situation we're in right now, with the dire need for strong leadership both at the riding level and nationally. We're not getting that leadership from the NDP and the Conservative Party. Whether you're voting for the leader; whether you're voting for the party; or whether you're voting strategically: I think the best choice this year is Liberal,” she explained. “I have lived in this riding for 27 years. I have voted for the NDP for many years. I voted strategically. There wasn't anything the NDP were advocating for that I was opposed to, but I didn't really love everything that was being done. I wanted to keep the Conservatives out." "In 2021, I voted NDP and I didn't like it. I didn't like the experience. I didn't get the thrill of feeling like I was voting for the vision that I wanted. The NDP had a terrible climate plan, if you call it a climate plan at all, and I just didn't see myself or my kids in their vision." "Fast forward a couple of years,  I started thinking that if I'm not happy voting for the NDP, then I can't just expect somebody else to step up and change the conversation in this riding.  I realized I had to do it myself. So I  submitted my application back in October/November.” “I did it because I felt that there was a conversation for this riding that looked at how do we build our economies and our communities so that they thrive? So that they have the support that they need, We are protecting our oceans and our forests and our climate, but still making sure that people feel a part of the community. So that people don't feel alienated; workers feel supported and resource users feel like they are a part of things.  I really felt like that was something I wanted to help facilitate in this riding. So I threw my hat in the ring. It's just taken a while to get through all  the hoops you have to jump through  to get final approval."