Chilliwack resident to run in federal election as Green Party candidate – in Langley
CHILLIWACK — Chilliwack resident and retired professional forester Debra Soutar will run for the Green Party more than 30 kilometers away from her home riding.
According to her biography on the Green Party of Canada website, Soutar says the Langley Township-Fraser Heights riding, which she hopes to represent, has a significant ag industry and a stellar array of parks and trails, forming part of the reason she’s running.
“Agriculture and outdoor recreation dominate the local economy, and I understand both sectors well. That’s what motivates me to run for office,” Soutar said. “I represented the Fraser Timber Supply Area Coalition, working to achieve its tree-growing goals by administering its significant Forest Investment Account funds, primarily for aerial fertilization.”
Soutar devoted much of her career to environmental education by teaching people about the natural world around them, and through her work as a natural history interpreter for B.C. Parks, where she helped students connect with parks and riparian areas in Surrey.
In addition to her stated expertise in wetland conservation, she has served on the board of the Fraser Valley Watersheds Coalition and the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve Society for many years, actively participating in hands-on restoration projects. In 2021, she earned a Bachelor of General Studies in Wetland Conservation & Advocacy from the University of the Fraser Valley.
Currently, Soutar advocates for tree protection and riparian restoration by volunteering with various conservation groups, including:
– Save Our Sloughs
– Chilliwack Urban Forest Advocates
– Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve Society
– Chilliwack Park Society
She remains active in the P.E.O. Sisterhood, which supports the education of women. She also serves on the board for Chilliwack Museum and Historical Society and the board of the Rotary Club of Chilliwack.
By her own admission, her goal within the Green Party of Canada is to connect with the voters of Langley Township–Fraser Heights so that constituents understand she will advocate for climate action by voting against fossil fuel subsidies and redirecting those funds toward developing sustainable energy alternatives; restoration and protection of the region’s precious wetlands; protection and enhancement of agriculture; preservation and promotion of the area’s rich heritage; and developing employment opportunities in all these sectors.
“I see Langley Township–Fraser Heights as a rich and diverse community, one of the best places in British Columbia to live and work. When citizens have good jobs and live in a healthy environment, they contribute to the overall prosperity of the country,” Soutar said.
Soutar previously ran for Chilliwack City Council in 2018 and 2022 but was not successful. She finished 11th out of 14 candidates in 2018 with 5,342 votes. In 2022, she finished 10th out of 12 candidates with 4,673 votes.
Salina Derish, a Chilliwack entrepreneur who previously worked as an Army reservist, truck driver and correctional officer, will run as the Green Party candidate for Chilliwack-Hope in the next federal election.