(OTTAWA) –The Green Party of Canada welcomes José Núñez-Melo, MP to the Green Party’s Parliamentary caucus.
“I am very pleased to welcome my friend José Núñez-Melo to the Green caucus!” said Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP (Saanich – Gulf Islands). “With three MPs representing ridings in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, we are a strong team going into this election, with a much larger caucus heading into the 42nd Parliament. José joins a great team of Quebec Greens ready to fight risky rail and pipeline transport of dangerous materials and demand a real and effective climate plan.”
“It is rewarding to know leaders such as Ms. May and Mr. Hyer care about their colleagues,” said Mr. Núñez-Melo. “I am thankful for their invitation to join the Green Party of Canada, which I humbly accept. I appreciate their understanding about my purpose of obtaining another mandate from Laval constituents to represent them in the 42nd Parliament of 2015, now for the riding of Vimy with a real democratic party.”
José Núñez-Melo, the founder of Les Éditions Panaméricaines publishing company and civil servant for the province of Quebec, was elected as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Laval in the 2011 federal election. Mr. Núñez-Melo recently left the NDP after they rigged the nomination process in his riding.
“I have worked closely with José for several years. He is honest, kind, caring, and hard working. Like me, he often felt uncomfortable with the lack of democracy in the ‘Non Democratic Party’. I am very pleased that he has now chosen to join the only truly democratic national party,” concluded Bruce Hyer, Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP (Thunder Bay – Superior North). “I look forward to re-joining him in the House of Commons. We will work with other new Green MPs in a progressive minority government to restore democracy in Parliament. Bienvenido, José!”
“The addition of Mr. Núñez-Mello to the Québec Greens shows how our message and open way of conducting politics is catching on in Québec. I am overjoyed to have him on our side, because we will have a strong voice to fight for the interests of Québec residents in Ottawa, including our opposition to the transportation of raw bitumen through our communities, by ship, train, rail, or pipeline,” added Daniel Green, Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Canada and candidate (Ville-Marie – Le Sud Ouest – Île-des-Soeurs). “Like us, Mr. Núñez-Mello believes that the people of Québec deserve a much better future. He is a man of action, a small business owner, and a man who has embraced this country in the hopes of improving it.”
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For additional information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Julian Morelli
Director of Communications
Green Party of Canada
cell: (613) 614 4916
office: (613) 562 4916 (224)
julian.morelli@greenparty.ca
Or
Kirsten Strom
Executive Assistant to Director of Communications
t: 613.562.4916 (200)
Toll Free 1.866.868.3447
kirsten.strom@greenparty.ca
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Background: José Núñez-Melo
José Núñez-Melo was born and raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. In 1981, while working full time in the private sector, he obtained a graduate diploma in tourism marketing, after succeeding in a special training program in English as a second language.
José immigrated to Canada in 1990. In 2000, he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in management from the École des Hautes Études Commerciales in Montréal, and a Certificate in transportation (logistics) from McGill University. Just recently, he attended an intensive programme leading to a Professional Certificate in Parliamentary Affairs by the International Centre for Parliamentary Studies in London, U.K.
José founded his own small publishing business, Les Éditions Panaméricaines, in 1994. At that time, the company published a prestigious Spanish language periodical in Montreal. For more than two years he worked with the 2nd Canadian Division Support Group of National Defence as a part-time civilian worker.
From 1998 to 2011, José worked for the Government of Quebec as a public servant. At the same time, he has served as the representative of the Syndicat de la fonction publique du Québec (SFPQ).
Jose is passionate about politics, and has been actively involved since 2007. In 2011, José was elected Member of Parliament for Laval, where he has been living since 1998. He is more than ever motivated and determined to continue in politics, and looks forward to his future with the Green Party of Canada.