MONTREAL – Green Party Leader Elizabeth May announced today that Pierre Nantel has joined the Green team.
Mr. Nantel will become the Green candidate in his riding of Longueuil–Saint-Hubert, will act as head of the Quebec Green delegation in Ottawa, and will speak for all Quebeckers who are demanding a massive reduction in oil sands development.
"Pierre Nantel is a climate leader, and he is one of the most passionate MPs I have encountered in the House of Commons," said Ms. May.
“I have witnessed his total dedication to the people of Longueuil--Saint-Hubert. I can attest to his real leadership in addressing the climate crisis. I saw him fight for culture and for the electrification of transport. We need more MPs like Pierre Nantel fighting to avoid climate catastrophe.”
Mr. Nantel said that the climate emergency requires us to act now. "In Quebec, the October election will be a climate referendum. There will be two sides: the Liberal and Conservative side that wants more oil exports, and the side that will protect our climate," he said.
“Elizabeth May and the Greens can be a force in Ottawa that will represent the citizens, the students who demonstrate every month for elected officials to assume their responsibilities for our collective survival.”
Green Party Deputy Leader Daniel Green said: "Pierre Nantel will bring a necessary and useful parliamentary experience to the delegation of Green MPs who will be elected in Quebec this fall.”
In parliament, Ms. May and Mr. Nantel have already worked together across party lines to demand strong action on the climate emergency. Mr. Nantel heard Ms. May’s call last year for an all-party "war cabinet" to address the climate crisis. He wrote to all party leaders to ask them to commit themselves to a common front to save our climate by massively reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. While the Parti Vert, the Bloc Québécois and the NDP responded positively, the Liberals and Conservatives rejected the idea.
Mr. Nantel has distinguished himself in the House of Commons as the NDP critic for Culture and Heritage and for Transportation Electrification (a mandate he himself proposed in 2017). In Longueuil, he created an Electric Coalition for the South Shore, bringing together six MPs from four different parties, provincial and federal, to accelerate the electrification of transportation.
Mr. Nantel has announced that he intends to respect his mandate by remaining an independent MP until the writ drops to begin the election campaign. He will then become the official Green Party candidate in Longueuil–Saint-Hubert and will lead the Quebec Green delegation in the House of Commons after the election.
Some facts about Pierre Nantel:
Citizen of Old Longueuil for more than 20 years
Artistic director of many Quebec artists, including Isabelle Boulay and Jean Leloup.
Worked for 30 years in the music and media industry, including Cirque du Soleil, Audiogram, Radio-Canada, TVA, TQS and CKOI 96.9. He has contributed to programs such as Le Banquier, La Fosse aux lionnes, Les Midis fous and Le Grand décompte.
Co-recipient of two Félix awards (ADISQ gala 1990) and a member of the Union des artistes (UDA).
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For more information or to arrange an interview:
Rosie Emery
Press Secretary
613-562-4916 x206
rosie.emery@greenparty.ca
For more information or to arrange an interview with Pierre Nantel:
Andréanne Comeau-Aubé
Bureau 450-928-4288
Cell: 514 475 7636