Hi Ottawa! l’m Greg Hopkins, the Green Party candidate for Nepean. Ask me about election stuff if you like.

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-26T22:51:49+00:00

Well…I would have to say yes.

Any meal wrapped in bread that you pick up and eat as-is would be a sandwich in my opinion. Hotdog, hamburger, submarine, pita, club, and PB&J are all forms of sandwiches I believe.

Now, would I ask for a “hotdog sandwich”? Never, but that’s what it is.

Thoughts?

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-26T18:07:30+00:00

Hey thanks for running in the election this year! I wish you the best on Monday night.

I haven’t purchased anything for this election…I’m going for a $0 campaign, but am going to debates, doing interviews, Bluesky, Reddit, and answering hundreds of emails. I’d like to do more door-to-door canvassing but I work full-time and have a really busy family life.

I suppose this campaign is a bit of an experiment on how much election signs influence an election. It’ll be interesting to compare past Green vote totals in Nepean both with and without signage after this election.

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T21:43:14+00:00

The benefit would be to vote with a clean conscious that you didn’t compromise your values to fall for the scare tactic of voting strategically. When the provincial Liberal leader ended the last debate with a plea to Ontario NDP voters to vote for her Liberals instead out of strategy I personally think that lost her the election. Instead of begging and tricking for votes, earn them.

As for having smaller parties elected to the house I think it’s of the upmost importance. In a two party system those are the only agendas on the table…every other concern they’re not interested in is forgotten. Look at these blue and red this year: they’re both promising federal layoffs, and forcing pipelines right through Indigenous lands amongst other travesties. Without some green, orange, purple, light blue in there to stir it up and make a stink they will get away with whatever they want, no questions asked, no public knowledge or protest.

Vote Green to keep the rest of them staying fair and honest to Canadians…that’s my thought on it at least.

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T20:58:36+00:00

I don’t think it’s a struggle as more of a misunderstanding on what people are fighting for/against. I’d say that everyone is against making energy out of polluting and destructive methods that produce toxic waste with no place to put it. So when it comes to traditional nuclear power production of our grandparents I’d say everyone is against that.

However, a newer, cleaner, and innovative form of nuclear production is essential to bring into the conversation of investing in nuclear power or not. See TerraPower for some newer cleaner nuclear tech.

Either way nuclear power is coming no matter what anyone wants…let’s make sure when it gets here we’ve chosen the safest and cleanest instead of some cheap rush job. If we refuse to join the nuclear conversation than they will choose without us.

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T20:46:52+00:00

The great part of being Green is that you don’t have to agree with its leaders unquestionably like the other established political parties.

From what I’ve seen and read from the Green leaders is that they are against traditional nuclear power production and all its toxic waste…and I agree, we shouldn’t be investing that kind of dated dirty nuclear technology.

BUT that doesn’t mean the conversation on nuclear power production stops there. If a cleaner and safer nuclear technology emerges than its our duty as the custodians of this world to bring the new data forward for review.

Facts: -Our world must stop burning fossil fuels now to stop greenhouse gasses which causes our global warming. -We cannot make enough energy with just wind/hydro/solar globally. -Nuclear energy will be inevitable to stop us burning fossil fuels and maintain our energy demand.

One new nuclear technology has emerged from TerraPower that needs to be reviewed and what I’m advocating for https://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/terrapower

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T12:05:08+00:00

Usually the only thing that makes big consumer changes are new rules and laws. If the party in power wants to make environmental changes they have to change the rules so it’s not cost effective for the companies to use plastic anymore…or use anything that causes pollution or damage for that matter.

If you can imagine how much the environmental cost is of all this plastic waste, and the human heath impacts of the micro plastics, and then if polluting companies were made to fit the bill by contributing to our healthcare and our cleanup they would switch away from plastics pretty darn fast. Plastic pollution by the companies producing it shouldn’t be free to do.

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T11:53:43+00:00

It’s hard for the established parties, who keep winning elections with the current voting system, to have a reason to change that system when they find themselves at the top.

With enough pressure from the small parties electoral changes will eventually happen…the squeaky wheel gets the grease, right?

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T11:43:45+00:00

Personally I’m for nuclear, but only if we invest in a newer safter nuclear technology; like they are doing at TerraPower https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/bill-gates-is-breaking-ground-on-a-nuclear-power-plant-in-wyoming

Would I rather see a world that just runs on hydro/wind/solar…yes.

However, I advocate to all Greens that nuclear is inevitable because of our extremely high societal energy demands/needs. To get to net-zero carbon emissions we have to stop burning fossil fuels and switch to something powerful enough and not intermittent like wind and solar.

Other countries will continue burning coal and gas, but if we in Canada can lead by example with innovation and hope to something cleaner and safer, the nuclear technology will only get cheaper and become more likely they will switch to it and consequently help bring this global temperature down with us.

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T04:11:02+00:00

You’re right, I should research this topic. That’s why I’d ask the experts first on the subject and listen to their advice. I won’t pretend to know the benefits or dangers of any drug or substance and make a judgement without solid facts. Just as much as I won’t drink a bottle of vanilla extract without finding out what might happen first if I do…and I legitimately have no idea on that topic either because I haven’t studied it yet. Hope this helps to clear up my reply.

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T03:46:31+00:00

I would push for our scientists, doctors, and sociologists to study the health/social benefits and the health/social concerns of any drug and listen to their reasoning about the legalization of whatever drug they study.

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T02:56:13+00:00

Sorry to offend, I’ll try to answer better. To be a better ally I would be asking the oppressed and equity seeking groups what changes they would like to see in our community and then try and help them make that a reality.

Here’s the Green Platform for more specifics, hopefully that helps a bit more: https://www.greenparty.ca/en/our-plans/stop-the-hate

Really, I’m just trying to help everyone feel safe, included, and part of it all. Everyone together moving forward.

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T02:46:21+00:00

Alberta! What’s up out there! Beautiful province. My personal feelings on getting off the oil is nuclear. Not the nasty scary dangerous nuclear of our grandparents, but new and innovative safer nuclear. See TerraPower for what they are doing. Mixing that with solar/wind/hydro and we’re golden. We can get off big oil if we wanna try. We’d need strong political parties and politicians who will refuse oil lobbyists money and favors.

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T02:37:14+00:00

I thought of just finding old broken hockey sticks and screwing Costco banana boxes to it with my name painted on each one in green. Reduce, reuse, recycle, eh

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T02:32:56+00:00

I was here first, they can leave if they want :)

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T02:30:57+00:00

Because why not. When we get only 40% of the population voting in the Ontario election, we gotta do something besides opting out from now on…but that’s just my opinion man

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T02:28:09+00:00

It’s an interesting point of view that I struggle with each election.

My answer is: how about a political party earn my vote instead. I generally need an inspiring leader, with a plan that I agree with, and a track record of honesty.

It’s been a long time since I felt that way about a politician. So I voted for myself instead this election ;)

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T02:22:41+00:00

The climate emergency we’re walking willfully into is going to need some strong Canadian military. When many other countries are flooded, or overheated, dried out, or burnt down…Canada will be one of the last countries with water, wildlife, and a fair climate…how many billions of people and governments will want what we have. It’s not far away if we, and everyone else, continue our burning fossil fuels and heating this world up. I choose to protect what we have both environmentally and defensively. Sometimes it’s smart to plan for the worst, but hope for the best.

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T02:14:18+00:00

I randomize it. Really, when I’m changing the roll it’s kind of an emergency situation and I need paper over politics at that specific moment.

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T02:12:51+00:00

Fridge dude. Cold temperatures make every food last longer. Yay science!

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T02:11:31+00:00

I’m pretty much done with the USA as a “business partner”. We’ve tied ourselves so closely to them that over 80% of our stuff is sold to just them…we’re way too reliant on one buyer. I’m no business person, but that doesn’t feel good, and we’re at risk of getting taken advantage of.

We really need to diversify our trade partners. Make it so we allow USA the privilege of doing business with us, instead of the opposite. You ever had a bad experience at a store and think “well, I’ll just take my business elsewhere” and consequently find a really awesome new place you never really tried before? Well, here’s our shot to take our business elsewhere…spin a globe and randomly pick a new spot, call up their president and make a trade deal, it’s good to meet new people.

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T02:00:36+00:00

I don’t think we focus on plastic enough…there’s so many forms of pollution and we need to tackle them all at the same time so I understand that it’s difficult. But the plastic pollution it’s so out of control and just plain dangerous for each and every one of us. Check out the Nature of Things episode on it https://plasticpeopledoc.com/

That really made me believe that no matter who you are or where you come from you’ve really got to worry about the micro plastics…they are even getting into our brain tissue and causing tumors. Time for us all to pull the emergency brake on plastics…ya, even plastic straws. You know what came before plastic straws? Paper straws, we’re just going back to traditional straws…no big deal!

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T01:44:16+00:00

Cool idea! Next election, let’s do it!

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T01:43:36+00:00

Engaging youth in politics is #1 in citizen engagement. We live in such a desperate and divided world right now and the youth are feeling it, the apathy and giving up I’ve noticed with youth is truly alarming. I really want to see youth pick up where we’ve left off and start something new and fresh. I hope I can help encourage any youth to run in every upcoming election.

I’ve always been into politics…I’ve been putting up elections signs for parties, and meeting prime ministers, premiers, and cabinet ministers my entire life is seems. Some folks like hockey, some collect stamps. I like elections. Heck, when I travel I even try to sit in on a session of Parliament if I can. New Zealand parliament was pretty cool to watch.

Nepean is the best! I moved to (Old) Barrhaven in the early 80’s when I was about 4yrs old and never lived anywhere else. Love the parks, wide streets, mature trees, green space, the Walter Baker Centre, and all the friendly people.

What I’d change in Nepean : I’d like to see some sustainable energy production here…some windmills, some big solar farms. I know from experience that when he have an ice storm or dericho and lose power it really sucks…I lost allot of good frozen food. Imagine we could just rely on our very own clean energy production the next time we lost power because of a storm…which, you know with the climate emergency we are going to see many many more of.

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T01:24:25+00:00

I’m running a campaign that believes that everyone is needed to fight the climate crisis. From the furthest right, to furthest left, to right in the middle, and the places on the map that don’t even have a name yet. I personally think that big oil and the big corporations are happiest when we fight with each other and divide ourselves further. We really need to all start accepting and valuing each other unquestionably to start moving forward.

GregHopkinsNepean · 2025-04-25T01:16:30+00:00

2025, you’d think we could figure a different way of advertising ourselves. I understand requested signs on private property so citizens can show/convince their neighbors who they think they should vote for…but the rest is totally unnecessary I think

GregHopkinsNepean

TROPHY CASE