NIPR Greens Executive Members
Jay Van Oostdam
Interim CEO
Member Bio
Jay strongly supports the six values of the Green Party and has been involved with the party since 1983. Supporting the party as a campaign worker through many elections, a financial agent between elections and a candidate in the 1991 BC election.
Jay first landed in BC as a veterinarian in the Nanaimo region in 1981, followed by a post doc at the UBC Pulmonary Research Lab. A Master of Public Health allowed Jay to branch out into environmental monitoring for BC Environment and then for the last eighteen years with Health Canada in Ottawa on human biomonitoring in the high Arctic.
Jay’s work in the high arctic, his wife and two sons have brought to the fore the need for real changes in how the human race relates to the world and how we need to make the six Green values ( Ecological Wisdom, Non-violence, Participatory Democracy, Respect for Diversity, Social Justice and Sustainability) the values we all live by on this planet.
Jay and his family have settled in the Comox valley and he hopes that his work as the Financial Agent for the NIPR Greens will help us elect a Green Party candidate and spread Green values.
Mark de Bruijn
Director at Large (Candidate for 2019 Federal election)
Member Bio
Mark de Bruijn moved to the Comox Valley 15 years ago as a high school sciences teacher and school principal in the Campbell River district. Prior to that he had a variety of careers, including human resources director, sporting goods buyer, general contractor, college instructor, and fisheries biologist. Since retiring, he has had a growing interest in global issues of environmental preservation, social justice, cooperative governance, and the evolution of human consciousness. Modern politics and global corporatization impact these issues, and the lives of virtually all citizens of the world. This realization has led Mark to a desire to be more politically involved, and the values of the Green Party of Canada were a natural fit. In 2014 he joined the GPC, and the North Island-Powell River riding EDA in 2015. His hope is to engage more people in the upcoming federal election, and to help transform Canada to a collaborative and cooperative society beyond the limits of our current partisan politics. Mark has twin 3-year old grandsons living in Calgary, where his son is an environmental consultant and his daughter-in-law a high school counsellor. He shares his life with his partner, a Vancouver-based life coach and meditation instructor.
Carol Thatcher
Director at Large
Member Bio
Prairie born and Victoria raised, Carol is a true West Coast girl who has witnessed, firsthand, the radical environmental and social changes we’ve seen on Vancouver Island and throughout our province. A passion for health and wellness, personal development and social change carried her through 20+ years executive team management in the field of integrated health and cancer care. Education, program development and facilitation, and the co-creation of a progressive organizational model of health and healing, were her focus.
Carol’s latent interest in politics surfaced in 2013 when she co-created a local political group called ‘Y-vote’, a setting in which to create political awareness and foster intelligent political action. A Green Party member since 2014, Carol is currently a member of GPC’s NIPR Election Readiness committee as well as holding the role of Volunteer Coordinator.
Susan Short
Financial Agent
Member Bio
As a relatively new Green member, I am excited to be actively engaged with the North Island – Powell River Greens. My husband, Steve, and I both appreciate how the environment is such an integral part of our lives – the ocean, forests, trails and clean air. I became involved with the Green Party because of the dire situation that the whole world is facing – our climate crisis. While we continue to make changes in our individual lives, I’m interested in discovering how I can do more by joining with others who acknowledge this horrific situation and the opportunity it brings for us to come together and correct our course!
My background is in the field of accounting and office administration, which allowed me to work in a variety of businesses, charities, a university and a seniors’ cooperative. I have volunteered for over 40 years in various not-for-profit organizations, including Habitat for Humanity.
During the 2019 campaign, I was part of the leadership team in Powell River. I was an Electoral District Agent which allowed me to receive contributions and issue receipts. I managed the finances in PR and participated in fundraising, foot canvassing, leafleting, phoning, data processing, office backup, signage, scrutinineering, training, Green waves and clean-up.
Along the way, I was fortunate to work with some amazing volunteers and meet a lot of wonderful, caring people. In 2020 I will become the Financial Agent after Jay Van Oostdam retires.
Will Hatch
Director At Large
Member Bio
Current News from the Green Party of Canada
- Following the horrific Islamophobic attack last week in London, Ontario, Green Party supports the National Council of Canadian Muslim’s call for a national summit June 11, 2021 Rosie Emery
- The Green Party is disappointed that Ms. Atwin is leaving but accepts her decision June 10, 2021 Rosie Emery
- Green Party statement on Islamophobic attack in London, Ontario June 8, 2021 Rosie Emery
Green Party Core Values
The Green Party of Canada and Green Parties around the world share common values based on six fundamental principles. Non-violence, sustainability, social justice, ecological wisdom, participatory democracy, respect for diversity.