EDEN HAYTHORNTHWAITE
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Political party: How long have you been a member?
No party – Independent Socialist and have been one my whole adult life
Do you live in the riding, and if so, for how long? If not, what is your connection to the riding?
I am running in Cowichan Valley and I have lived here with my family for over 40 years
What is your occupation, and for how long?
I am old, a mum, a Baba, a friend and full-time antiwar campaigner – I hate the term ‘retired’ but I guess that is formally what I am.
What do you believe is the biggest issue facing your community and why?
Poverty and inequality combined with lack of political and economic rights due to the greed and ill will of the rich and the powerful
What actions or efforts have you taken to learn the concerns of your constituents?
I have been a 3-term school trustee and was elected on a platform demanding full funding for our schools and better working and learning conditions for our community. By my 3rd term I was part of a dedicated team on the board and I was the chair. We attempted to put $3.7 million back into the 2012 budget and were fired by the Ministry of Education for this crime. I have been involved in antiwar and international solidarity work. I have with only a couple of exceptions marched and rallied every Saturday for a year for a Free Palestine.
What do you want to see improved in British Columbia in four, eight and 20 years?
We must demand back our wealth from those who have captured and hoarded it so we can have the housing, healthcare, education and transportation services we need and deserve – I would like to see our community use the resources we can expect from public ownership and taxing the wealthy to address our many concerns that currently are not being cared for.
How would you go about addressing contentious issues within your riding?
People need to approach this with more courage – we actually have sitting local governments functioning on Zoom rather than holding in person public meetings because there is no stomach for standing up to people who are bullies and tyrants. If we don’t establish our rights to assemble because of these people we will lose what little democracy we have left.
Would you vote against your party and leader if it were best for your constituents?
I will speak and vote according to community need and socialist principles
Why do you think you are qualified to do this job?
I have been an elected person three times and have a reputation for being responsive and hardworking – I am well spoken, dedicated and pretty pissed off.
I am not fearless but I do have courage. I believe in the principle of “From each according to their ability, to each according to their need”
Why are you running – what’s your motivation?
If I don’t run, I will have no one to vote for.
ABOUT COWICHAN VALLEY
Cowichan Valley has a new shape thanks to a riding redistribution, but the name remains the same.
There was a relatively close race in 2020, with Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau capturing 44 per cent of votes and the NDP candidate taking about 40 per cent. Furstenau had about 37 per cent in 2017, with the NDP taking 32 per cent and the Liberal 27 per cent.
Furstenau is not running in Cowichan Valley this election. Taking up the Green mantle is Cammy Lockwood. Debra Toporowski is running for the NDP, while John Koury is running for the Conservatives.
Eden Haythornthwaite is running as an Independent Socialist, while Jon Coleman is unaffiliated. He had been set to represent BC United in the race before the party ended its campaign.
THE CANDIDATES IN COWICHAN VALLEY
The candidates this election are:
- Unaffiliated candidate Jon Coleman
- Independent Socialist Eden Haythornthwaite
- Conservative John Koury
- Green candidate Cammy Lockwood
- New Democrat Debra Toporowski
See the full list of Vancouver Island candidates here. We are posting the candidate questionnaires riding by riding.
ABOUT THE PROFILES
We asked readers what they wanted to ask candidates and used those answers to help shape our election coverage, including candidate questionnaires.
The answers are presented as submitted by the candidates, edited only for length if they exceeded the word limit they were given. We did not correct grammar, spelling or typos.
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