Green Party of Canada candidate Thaila Riden is looking to represent the federal riding of Prescott-Russell-Cumberland as its next Member of Parliament (MP). Riden is focused on fairness, sustainability, and evidence-based planning to combat federal issues faced in the riding, building on the momentum gained from his recent provincial campaign.
Riden decided to run as the Green Party federal candidate because “Most of the issues are the same, except now they have to be addressed from the federal perspective, and my GPC team is ready with a comprehensive plan to deal with all of them.”
He is still committed to being a collaborative voice for Prescott-Russell-Cumberland by fostering coalition-building to achieve meaningful electoral reform through proportional representation for a more democratic government.
Riden says electoral reform is central to his campaign, explaining, “It is the issue I want to focus my campaign on. I strongly support moving to proportional representation because our current first-past-the-post system is ultimately unfair—it allows a party to win a majority with less than half the votes, leaving millions of votes unheard.”
“I’m committed to making every vote count by supporting proportional representation and lowering the voting age to 16, empowering young Canadians.”
Beyond electoral reform, Riden’s platform also addresses pressing economic concerns in the region. He wants to see more support for local small businesses, tackle the housing crisis and the rising cost of living, a more transparent government, meaningful tax reform, and a stronger, greener economy.
“By eliminating income tax on earnings under $40,000, we will boost local economies and give residents more spending power. I am also committed to Green Tax Reform, shifting taxes away from earned income to unearned income—such as capital gains—as well as resource use and pollution,” he explained.
Riden wants to ensure government policies benefit both the communities and future generations, eliminating potential short-sightedness when making larger, more impactful decisions for Canada. He aims to restore public trust in the government and “end costly consulting contracts, rebuild public services, strengthen ethics rules, and ensure responsible transparency in how money is spent.”
Looking ahead, Riden says federal conversations must stay focused on environmental and green initiatives amid rising global instability and trade tensions with the United States.
Riden emphasized the urgency of environmental action, stating, “The Green Party remains committed to addressing the climate emergency with urgency, transitioning away from fossil fuels, and ensuring economic sovereignty through public ownership of natural resources and the removal of fossil fuel government subsidies.”
