By Ben Macintosh
Darcie Lanthier (submitted)
Islanders will be going to the polls for the second time this year, and The Cadre is making sure you know who is running in the Charlottetown riding for the 2019 Federal Election.
The first candidate in our election profile series is Darcie Lanthier.
Darcie Lanthier is the Green Party of Canada candidate for the Charlottetown riding. This is her first time running federally, she previously ran provincially for the Green party in 2011 and 2015 but did not win.
Running federally was an easier decision for Lanthier now that her children are older.
“For me, federally was a much bigger commitment, so I had to wait until the timing was better for me personally,†Lanthier said on Tuesday during an interview with The Cadre.
She is a legal information officer and also conducts energy audits for homes and businesses. Lanthier graduated from the Holland College Energy Systems Engineering Technology program in 2014.
As a recent graduate, Lanthier says she has a strong connection to students and what issues matter to them.
“Right now, the biggest issue for students is housing; there’s absolutely no doubt,†she said. “It’s the biggest issue for everyone in Charlottetown.â€
Other issues Lanthier sees among students are tuition and book costs, overall debt when leaving school and also transportation. She believes these are issues The Green Party will address.
“We are fierce defenders of people at the ground level,†Lanthier added.
Much of the political discourse at the moment is surrounding leaders of Canada’s federal parties. Lanthier feels confident with Green Party Leader Elizabeth May.
“I’m really happy to be on team Elizabeth. Elizabeth May has been solid and steadfast, she’s been the leader for a long time, she’s held forth for seven years by herself,†she said. “She’s the hardest working person I know.â€
The Liberals have dominated Charlottetown federally, holding the district for over 30 years. While campaigning in the provincial election with candidates, Lanthier noticed the number upset with the Federal Liberal Party.
“We found a lot of disappointment with Trudeau, not so much with Sean, Sean’s a nice guy, but there’s a lot of disappointment,†she said.
With the federal election just beginning, UPEI students will be seeing much more of Lanthier and the other candidates running in the Charlottetown district.