Carlingford Resident Joe Gee NDP Candidate for Victoria-Carleton
Joe believes his deep roots in the community will serve him well in representing the people of Carleton-Victoria as their next MLA.
“My goal is to work with the NDP to help change the common stereotype people have of politicians by listening to people, keeping people informed and continuing to work hard for progressive change,” Gee said. “I welcome everyone in the riding getting to know me and bringing me their concerns. New Brunswick will not change until people know who and what they are voting for.”
“I think the province is in real trouble, and I’d like to be part of helping to change that.”
Brian noted that you CAN bring change to government, and the NDP want to bring common sense back to our communities. People in our communities need the authority to make their own decisions, and then to receive strong support to back up those decisions.
We have 17 Cabinet Ministers in NB, and 3 departments to deal with education, yet kids are still not learning! NB has an illiteracy rate of over 50 percent. We need to spend on education, skills and development, not corporations. Corporate welfare needs to come to an end.
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Joe addressed the group with this message:
“I’m a 36 year old resident of Carlingford, New Brunswick, a potato farming community just outside Perth Andover.”
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I was born and raised right here in Perth-Andover, the heart of the newly formed riding of Carleton-Victoria. I graduated with honors from Southern Victoria High in Perth Andover and worked for a construction company for a year before deciding which career path to take. The following year, I enrolled in the Agriculture Tech II course at NBCC Woodstock and graduated with high honours in 1999. Since then, I have worked with my father on the family farm while holding several other jobs ranging from welding/metal fab, supply teaching, plant pathology, seismic exploration and community support. Of all my career fields, I would have to say the most rewarding job I’ve held would most definitely be working with special needs children and teens on probation.
Over the past two years I have become more involved in my
community.
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Last spring I became involved in the fight to restore hospital services at Hotel Dieu of St. Joseph and circulated a petition to over- turn the Progressive Conservatives decision to close obstetrics and OR. After collecting over 4000 names, I helped organize a peaceful rally at the NB Legislature where we presented the petition to PC MLA Wes McLean.
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Last summer I began research on the northern most route of the Underground Railroad that stretched clear to the bank of the beautiful St. John River in Perth-Andover. To commemorate those who escaped slavery and made their way to Canada from the US, I organized the Tomlinson Lake Hike to Freedom. Over 70 people ranging from ages 3 to 89 had participated in the event that retraced the final few miles to freedom at Tomlinson Lake, NB.
Last fall I attended the Georgetown Conference on revitalizing rural Atlantic Canada in Prince Edward Island. I went as a delegate but became an impromptu guest speaker while there. .
I have organized and moderated several presentations in our community to help raise awareness of the many social and environmental issues New Brunswicker’s are facing today in rural communities including the dangers of hydraulic fracturing and the state of the Crown forest.
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To better educate myself on the facts of a shale gas industry, I visited the small community of Penobsquis NB to get a first- hand glimpse of the affects that this type of industry will have on NB communities.
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Why am I running? Over the past six months I’ve had numerous people suggest that I run for MLA and many of those have been quite persistent. Although the idea came from others, the decision was certainly mine. Many might agree that it’s more common to see people become involved in their community because they “want” to be MLA and less common to see people run for MLA because they “have been” involved in their community. I’ve decided to run because I want to do even more than what I have been doing already.
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I certainly don’t consider myself a politician and I’m horrified by thought of becoming one, mainly due to the stereotype that all politicians are dishonest and are only out to benefit themselves. My goal is to work with the NDP to help change this stereotype by listening to people, keeping people informed and continuing to work hard to make a progressive change in our province. It’s important to know that New Brunswick politics won’t change until we have more common people with common sense doing the work.
My only request: I’m not going to ask people for their vote but what I will ask is for the people of this riding , both young and old, to make their vote an informed decision this September. Know who and what you’re voting and vote for the person you feel will do the best job for those who they are meant to represent, the people.
Thank you,
Joe Gee
