Climate change and a must “do something” are driving forces behind former London poet laureate Tom Cull’s decision to pursue the Green Party’s federal nomination for London-Fanshawe.
“You may worry about something, you’ll be able to complain about something, or you’ll be able to get entangled in actually changing things,” said 46-year-old Cull, who currently teaches writing and artistic writing at Western University.
Transitioning towards a carbon-free economy and giving serious consideration to what the scientific community says about climate change are a few of his top priorities.
“The Green Party isn’t turning away from these issues, but turning towards them and facing them directly,” he said.
Just a few years ago, he and his partner created the grassroots river clean-up group, dubbed Antler River Rally, to advertise citizen engagement, direct motion, and protection of the river’s health.
He tells 980 CFPL he’s been mulling over an attempt at politics for some time, motivated by long-standing concern for the environment, threats of world climate change, and environmental degradation.
However the Green Party of Canada isn’t only a one-topic party, he added. The party’s position on election reform, social justice, implementing a universal wage, and creating stable non-precarious employment, resonates with Cull.
“The Greens are consensus builders. They don’t whip their votes, so I can speak my mind as I run this campaign,” he said.
If Cull gets the nomination — he’s uncontested up to now — he’ll be running for a federal seat against Ward 1 Coun. and Conservative candidate Michael Van Holst, and NDP candidate Lindsay Mathyssen. Her mother, Irene Mathyssen, is the present NDP MP for London-Fanshawe and has said she won’t be in search of re-election.
