Each candidate was asked to submit a biography and answer three questions. Below is the response from the Green Party of Ontario's candidate for Kitchener-Waterloo, Stacey Danckert.
Biography
Stacey Danckert, PhD, is a research scientist and mother of two who lives in Kitchener. She believes Kitchener-Waterloo can become a model of efficiency, innovation, and sustainability for Ontario, and will work with the community to reach these goals.
Stacey has sat on the Environmental Advisory Committee for the Kitchener City Council and has loved watching various positive plans become implemented. She wants to do more for her great community and affect positive change. She is convinced the GPO's positive approach and practical policies are the way to build a strong economy in a clean, green environment.
Stacey has a PhD in Psychology. Her research is focused on exploring the bases of memory in and consequences of aging on the brain. She has a deep passion for protecting the environment and future of her two sons.
Why should the constituents of Kitchener-Waterloo vote for you?
The MPP for K-W can be the deciding vote in the Legislature. I will put K-W first and make sure your voice is heard. A vote for me sends a message to Queen’s Park: that it’s time for politicians who put good policy ahead of partisan games.
There are many important questions facing Ontario right now. The GPO has shown leadership on education -- we want a fair, fiscally-responsible school system. We’ve shown leadership on conservation -- no logging in Temagami, no mega-quarry in Melancthon. We’ve shown leadership on smarter energy policy -- no more passing the buck to taxpayers for nuclear plant cost overruns.
Elizabeth May has set an incredible example in the House of Commons, standing up for issues the other parties are afraid to talk about. I am committed to bringing this same leadership and fresh, sensible ideas to Queen’s Park.
If you are elected as an MPP, what will your top two priorities be?
We all want to cut waste and ensure fairness in our school system. My first priority as your MPP will be to maximize efficiency and offer the best environment for every student. This starts by opening the door to a conversation on merging the Catholic and public school boards. Before we close schools and cut services, we need to look at moving to one school system, an option estimated to produce savings of more than a billion dollars.
My second priority would be to support the development of smarter energy policy. We don’t need more nuclear plants -- we can save the same amount of energy a new plant would produce through conservation, and for half the cost. Smarter energy policy includes investments in programs like building retrofit programs that produce thousands of jobs.
Regardless of the issue at hand, Queen’s Park is due for some political cooperation. Electing a Green MPP would challenge the other parties to work together for all Ontarians. As an independent Green I would be free to represent KW and never be forced into silence as a backbencher.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing Ontarians?
We are facing a democratic deficit. Voter turn-out decreases in every election, as politicians continue to alienate voters with partisan games instead of practical solutions.
The timing of this by-election is one example, being called for a week when many of us are busy getting our kids to school, and where university students have just returned after a summer away. We’ve also seen money being thrown away in scandals like Ornge and e-Health; waste that’s particularly difficult to swallow during a recession.
The Green Party of Ontario has what we call a triple-bottom-line. Everything government does should be fiscally responsible, environmentally sustainable, and socially just.
Every vote for the Green Party and for me, sends the message to Queen’s Park that short-term politics-as-usual won’t cut it; that what you really want is a representative focused on making decisions that will create a prosperous province for our children and grandchildren.
