VICTORIA — British Columbia Green Leader Sonia Furstenau is running in the Victoria-Beacon Hill riding in the Oct. 19 election, returning to the capital after representing the Cowichan Valley riding since 2017.
Age: 54. Born June 8, 1970.
Pre-Politics: Bachelor's and master's degrees in history as well as a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Victoria. Furstenau has worked as a high school teacher in Victoria and Shawnigan Lake and served as a director with the Cowichan Valley Regional District for three years prior to entering provincial politics.
Politics: Elected to the B.C. legislature in 2017 for the Cowichan Valley riding and re-elected in 2020, shortly after winning the BC Greens leadership contest that year.
Personal: Furstenau recently moved back to Victoria, where she lives with her husband. The couple shares two sons, and Furstenau told The Canadian Press she is looking forward to becoming a grandmother for the first time in November.
Quote: "When we have a right-wing party pandering to these kind of culture war issues, and then we have the NDP that has abandoned so many of (its) progressive values ... more than ever, we need BC Greens in the legislature to keep the focus on the health and well-being of people, communities, the environment and our economy."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 21, 2024.
The Canadian Press
