David Charles Coon (born 28 October 1956 in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
) is a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
politician, who was elected to the
Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
A legislature is an deliberative assembly, assembly with the authority to make laws for a Polity, political entity such as a Sovereign state, country or city. They are often contrasted with the Executive (government), executive and Judiciary, ...
in the
2014 provincial election to represent the provincial electoral district of
Fredericton South.
Coon became the first elected Green MLA in New Brunswick history, the third Green parliamentarian elected in Canada, and has served as the Leader of the
Green Party of New Brunswick
The Green Party of New Brunswick (french: Parti vert du Nouveau-Brunswick) was formed in November 2008 to run in provincial elections. It is a registered Green political party in New Brunswick, Canada. A founding convention was held on November 1 ...
since winning the leadership of his party in 2012.
Coon resides in Fredericton, NB with his wife Janice Harvey, and daughters Caroline and Laura Coon.
Biology and conservation work
A biologist by training, Coon worked as an environmental educator, organizer, activist and manager for 33 years, 28 of those years with the Conservation Council of New Brunswick.
Coon has also provided education and training in energy efficient home renovation and home-based renewable energy systems, writing a regular column for the Globe and Mail on the topic. During his time as Policy Director at the Conservation Council, Mr. Coon's work to protect drinking water led to the creation of New Brunswick's Clean Water Act and to the province's Petroleum Product Handling and Storage Regulation. This earned the New Brunswick environmental organization the United Nations Environmental Programme's Global 500 award.
He was later awarded a silver medallion from the Canadian Environmental Achievement Awards for his work in advancing public policy on climate change, both provincially and nationally.
Coon has advocated for community-based ecological resource management and land use. He worked with commercial fishermen's organizations to establish the Bay of Fundy Fisheries Council to advance community-based fishery management. His collaboration with the National Farmers Union helped create the first agricultural conservation club in New Brunswick.
He was a founding director of Canada's first community supported agricultural initiative, Harvest Share Co-operative on
Keswick Ridge,
and co-founded the New Brunswick Community Land Trust.
Political career
Coon ran for the seat of
Fredericton South in the
Legislative Assembly in the
2014 provincial election, winning the vote.
He is the second member of a provincial Green Party to win a seat in a provincial legislature, following
Andrew Weaver in
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
.
Since his election in 2014, Coon has introduced private member's bills aimed at increasing local food security and expanding local agriculture, creating jobs in energy efficient building renovations and renewable energy, lowering the voting age, protecting citizens against frivolous lawsuits. He has championed improving access to both mental and primary health care, alleviating poverty, the provision of midwifery services, climate action, and forest management that is socially and ecologically sound. He had a bill passed to ensure students in the public school system learn about historical and contemporary relationships with First Nations; implementing one of the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Coon was successful in securing all party support for adding a code of conduct and a statement on the roles and responsibilities for MLAs to the Standing Rules of the Legislative Assembly.
He has served as a member of the Standing Committee on Estimates and Fiscal Policy, the Standing Committee on Procedure, Privileges and Legislative Officers, and the Legislative Administration Committee. He also served as a member of the Select Committee on Climate Change, whose recommendations formed the basis of New Brunswick's Climate Action Plan.
In the
2018 provincial election, the Green party under Coon elected three MLAs. In the
2020 provincial election, those three MLAs were all re-elected including Coon.
See also
*
List of Green party leaders in Canada
This is a list of Green Party leaders and deputy leaders in Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, ...
References
External links
*
Green Party of New Brunswick
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coon, David
Living people
1956 births
Leaders of the Green Party of New Brunswick
Green Party of New Brunswick MLAs
Politicians from Toronto
Canadian biologists
Politicians from Fredericton
21st-century Canadian politicians
Canadian conservationists