BC Greens candidate Peter Hallschmid: We need more young people in politics

May 5 2017, 6:35 am

Ahead of the BC Election, Daily Hive has been speaking to a few of the candidates running from all three parties to find out what motivates them.

Here, Peter Hallschmid, 44, who is running for the BC Greens in Burnaby-North, shares his story and political advice for young voters.

Why run for office?

I’m an engineer, entrepreneur and an academic. I’ve spent the last four years running a local technology company focused on software tools for the semiconductor industry. Previous to that, I was a professor at UBC. I’m currently teaching at SFU.

I’ve always had a passion for social-justice and environmental issues and decided it was time to follow my heart and to try to make real change.

Why this political party?

I decided early that, if I were to set aside my career to do this, it had to be for the right reasons.

The Green Party is the only party truly standing up against big-money in politics. Further, it’s the only party fighting for social, economic and environmental inter-generational equality.

What about jobs and the economy?

Personally, I’ve been fortunate in terms of jobs. My training is in computer engineering where there’s never a shortage of jobs.

I spent some time in the Silicon Valley where salaries are higher for engineers, but didn’t feel like it was worth it. BC is truly the best place in the world to live.

I believe that BC can become a world leader in technology and especially in clean technology. It’s a great opportunity for us.

We need to encourage growth in these industries and the jobs will follow. To be prepared, we need to make education as accessible as possible for everyone.

How’s your campaign going?

I’m having a blast. There’s been no shortage of support for the BC Greens in Burnaby-North.

I’ve really enjoyed canvassing; most people are very optimistic about the future and are looking for change.

What would you say to young people getting into politics?

I strongly encourage young people to get involved in politics. Young people are optimistic and energetic and that’s exactly what we need.

I encourage everyone to vote because every vote makes a difference. I encourage people to vote for a party that they feel passionate about.


To find more guides to all the issues, interviews with the BC party leaders, and plenty of opinions, check out our full BC Election coverage here: Battleground BC.

Eric ZimmerEric Zimmer

+ News
+ Politics
ADVERTISEMENT