West End Votes—Candidate Profile: Alaric Paivarinta

Alaric Paivarinta
Green Party of Canada
Alaric.paivarinta@greenparty.ca
Phone: (604) 369-4245
Social Media:  Twitter

Question 1: Housing Affordability 
Approximately 80% of West End residents currently rent their homes. Many neighbours are concerned that rental prices and living expenses are rising exponentially faster than household incomes. What will you do to address rising inequality and housing unaffordability? 
Alaric Paivarinta:
1. Introduce a supplement grant for those who pay more than 30% of their income on rent.
2. Commit to applying a corporate tax on transnational Airbnb e-commerce companies doing business in Canada

Question 2: Homelessness
What will you do to reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness, and prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place?  
Alaric Paivarinta:
1. Establish a housing first initiative to ensure access to housing and to take aggressive steps to eliminating homelessness.

Question 3: Opioids
The opioid overdose crisis has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, and BC has reported record numbers of opioid-related deaths, emergency calls, and hospitalizations. We can all play a role in supporting those who use substances and have substance use disorders. What will you do to address this national crisis?  
Alaric Paivarinta:
1. Addiction is a health crisis, not a crime requiring immediate decriminalization of possession of small amounts of illicit drugs.

Question 4: Reconciliation
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission produced 94 Calls to Action which have become the leading document for revealing the impact of violent colonization of Indigenous lands and peoples, and the pathway to reconciliation for settler societies and all levels of government. Some organizations claim that only 8 of the 94 Calls to Action have been implemented. What concrete plans do you have to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action in the next four years? 
Alaric Paivarinta:
1. End the drinking water and boil water advisories by investing and upgrading critical infrastructure to ensure safe water access in every community.
2. Support the development of Indigenous education curricula that are language and culture specific.

Question 5: Food Security
Food insecurity is on the rise and now affects one in seven Canadians. Many families, young adults, and seniors can’t afford food, or worry about running out with no money to buy more. A root cause of food insecurity is poverty. How is your party planning to decrease poverty and food insecurity?
Alaric Paivarinta:
1. Put opportunity back into food production.
2. Encourage farmers to add value to their products through local and direct sales.

Question 6: Climate Change
This Summer, Vancouver experienced the hottest temperatures on record. Many political parties have committed to long-term plans and solutions. What will you do in the next four years to confront climate change? 
Alaric Paivarinta:
1. End the 3.3 Billion Canada spends on fossil fuel subsidies. 
2. Fast Forward our transition into a green economy by subsidizing green businesses. 

Question 7: Health Care
Many neighbours are concerned about the underfunding of mental health services in comparison to physical health. What will you do to ensure all Canadians—regardless of income—can access the complete care they need?
Alaric Paivarinta:
1. Expand public healthcare to include pharmacare. Establishing a Crown corporation to bulk purchase and dispense prescription drugs and providing much needed coverage to the one in three Canadians forced to pay for prescription medication.
2. Immediate mobilization of mental health and crisis management teams to help provide care to nurses and their colleagues during and after the pandemic.

Question 8: What is your favorite place on the downtown peninsula, and why?
Alaric Paivarinta:
My favorite place is the seawall, a bike around it and a dip in the Ocean is worth more than anything. 

End of Questions.
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