During elections, GreenPAC screens political candidates and identifies proven environmental leaders in all major parties. Because our campaigns normally take about nine months in the lead up to an election, we worked very hard during 2021’s snap timelines to make sure we engaged and learned about as many candidates as possible, including reaching out to every riding association to welcome nominations. Through our Expert Panel, we endorsed 36 candidates, including our first Bloc Québecois endorsees, 25 of whom were elected to federal office. 

This year we revised our nomination process with an equity lens. Among other changes, we changed our nomination form to ask about candidates’ lived experience and traditional knowledge, as well as their experience (lived or as an advocate) working with Indigenous and communities of colour to address their health and well-being, given the disproportionate impacts these communities bear from environmental degradation, climate change and systemic and legal conditions. While more than 50% of our endorsees identify as women and 25% as members of racialized communities, only 40% and 16% of them, respectively, were elected.  Going forward, we will continue to work to bring equity to our process because a Parliament that represents the diversity of the Canadian population will be better able to advance environmental policies and solutions that support the wellbeing of all Canadians.