Elizabeth Schoales has always been an enthusiastic supporter of Green Party ideals: caring for the environment and all the species who share it, and creating sustainable and healthy economies that benefit everyone, not just a few. What is particularly important to her is the Green emphasis on developing real, long-term solutions to social, environmental and economic problems, rather than wasting valuable resources on short-term fixes. Never afraid to stand up for her principles, she is a firm believer that people who want to see change for the better must be willing to get involved in making it happen. Speaking up and raising awareness about issues that matter are important steps towards creating a healthier and fairer society.

Born and raised in Toronto, Schoales grew up in a musical family. Her father, an accomplished organist, was a music producer for the CBC. Schoales studied music at the Royal Conservatory of Music and Mount Allison University, learning a variety of instruments including piano, saxophone and harp. After a couple of years in advertising, she returned to academia, receiving an M.A. from the University of Toronto, followed by a Ph.D. from the University of Wales, where she learned to speak a passable version of Welsh. Since then, she has taught history and literature at universities in both the U.K. and Canada. Throughout her academic career, she has come to appreciate the importance of education in creating a progressive and vibrant society. Quality education that challenges the mind and develops critical and independent thinking allows people to make better decisions both for themselves and their communities. Schoales believes that one of the most important responsibilities of any government is to ensure that every citizen is given that opportunity.

An integral part of the Green platform, animal welfare is Schoales’ particular passion. Her activism probably began at the age of 7, when, sign in hand, she picketed outside the house of a neighbour who had made personal remarks about another neighbour’s cat. Increasingly concerned about the appalling treatment of animals used for food, she started the transition to vegetarianism in her twenties. She then became involved in local and federal campaigns to improve the lives of animals and protect them from abuse and neglect. She is currently pursuing a law degree focussing on animal law, an area that, together with environmental law, recognises the importance of protecting the planet and everyone who lives on it.