Leader Profile: Naomi Hunter, Green Party

Naomi Hunter has been the Saskatchewan Green Party leader since 2020, which she represents in the Saskatoon Riversdale constituency.

She was born and raised in Turtleford, Sask. and grew up in the northern part of the province. Hunter has two children and currently lives in Saskatoon.

She is a small business owner and runs a family farm with her father in the summer.

Hunter became interested in politics at a young age, starting as an activist at just 13.

She participated in volunteer and advocacy work throughout her life and continued that passion as she entered politics.

She said she first starting hearing about the Green Party in Europe, then heard rumours that the Green Party was going to start in Saskatchewan. Hunter said at that time, she and her friends gathered signatures and started what was then the New Green Alliance.

“I’ve been involved in this my whole life,” she said. “Besides being a politician and an activist, I actually spent more time really starting petitions and standing in front of the legislature with a bull horn in front of my face at protests that I have the leader of a political party.”

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She said the Green Party is fully made up of volunteers, and said every member is passionate about what they do.

“These aren’t standard politicians. We are activists, we are people, we would go live out of a cardboard box in order to see the causes that we’re putting forward actually affect change in society,” she explained.  

As Green Party leader, Hunter has been vocal about the climate crisis and has worked to address environmental as well as social justice issues.

Hunter is passionate about being involved in the community, and conducts a “listening campaign,” always ready to hear concerns from the public.

“It's very, very good to hear what it is that is bothering people, because these are the issues that matter to them,” she said.

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“It always turns out that [there are] bigger reasons for why it is that people are upset about different things.”

Other issues Hunter is passionate about are addressing poverty and homelessness, with an intention to implement a Housing First program, which provides people with homes without preconditions.

“The big problems that I see with our current system of need that we have in the province is that shelters, while keeping people off the street, are inadequate,” she said. “You cannot gain any real stability when you don’t know where you’re going to be sleeping in a week.”

Hunter is also passionate about the healthcare system. She believes there is work to do in this regard, and plans to expand public healthcare services, including universal Pharmacare.

Throughout her career, Hunter said she is proud of several things, including her candidates and the relationships she has made with different people.

“I am proud of the candidates and people who step up and are brave enough to imagine doing politics differently,” she said.

As well, she is proud of changing people’s minds about politics.

“[I’m most proud of] reigniting people’s belief in the fact that we can have heart, we can actually be genuine, we can reignite people’s belief in the political system,” she said.

Through it all, Hunter wants to make meaningful changes for future generations.

“Saskatchewan Greens are ready to step up with the solutions needed for the future,” she said. “[We need] to vote for the kids this election, make sure that they have a livable planet, that they have good health care.”

This election, the Green Party is running a full slate of candidates, with 29 women, 29 men, and three transgender candidates nominated to be on the ballot.