Holly Nelson
Encyclopedia
Holly Nelson is a Canadian
writer, poet, activist and print reporter. She served as leader of the Green Party of Manitoba
from 2005 to 2006.
, Minnesota
, the daughter of electrical engineer Forrest Nelson and poet Natalie Nelson. She has lived in Canada
since 1973, taking Canadian citizenship in 1980.
She worked for Manitoba Hydro
as an engineering aide for 20 years, designing and drafting electrical substations and control circuitry. She left this position to study journalism at Red River College
, where she received a degree in creative communications.
, the Manitoba Co-operator and the Herald Leader Press. She won the 2002 Eric and Jack Wells Award for Excellence in Journalism, and has participated in several arts festivals in Winnipeg
. Her first publication is a 2004 poetry compilation, All These Stars...and Me With No Bucket.
resigned as the result of ongoing divisions within the party. Nelson advocated reaching out to older and more conservative Manitoba residents, rather than relying on left-wing campus activists for the party's membership. She also advocated proportional representation
, and said that the Greens would only run candidates in a small number of ridings in the next election.
She wrote again the construction of a new Winnipeg slaughterhouse
in December 2005, arguing that such enterprises routinely injure young workers and do not provide economic benefits to their host communities.
Nelson resigned as party leader in September 2006, having accepted an out-of-province position. She has never campaigned for public office.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
writer, poet, activist and print reporter. She served as leader of the Green Party of Manitoba
Green Party of Manitoba
The Green Party of Manitoba is a provincial political party in Manitoba, Canada, founded on November 11, 1998. The party is legally autonomous from the Green Party of Canada, though for several years many of its members also belonged to the Green Party of Canada in Manitoba, a federal...
from 2005 to 2006.
Early life and career
Nelson was born in MankatoMankato, Minnesota
Mankato is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 39,309 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest city in Minnesota outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The county seat of Blue Earth County, it is located...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, the daughter of electrical engineer Forrest Nelson and poet Natalie Nelson. She has lived in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
since 1973, taking Canadian citizenship in 1980.
She worked for Manitoba Hydro
Manitoba Hydro
Manitoba Hydro is the electric power and natural gas utility in the province of Manitoba, Canada. Founded in 1961, it is a provincial Crown Corporation, governed by the Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board and the Manitoba Hydro Act. Today the company operates 15 interconnected generating stations. It has...
as an engineering aide for 20 years, designing and drafting electrical substations and control circuitry. She left this position to study journalism at Red River College
Red River College
Red River College of Applied Arts, Science and Technology is located in Winnipeg. The College offers degree, diploma, certificate, and apprenticeship programs in the applied arts, applied sciences, and various trades. The university press, The Projector, is a member of CUP.-Campus:It has a number...
, where she received a degree in creative communications.
Writer
Nelson has written for several media outlets, including the Canadian Broadcasting CorporationCanadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
, the Manitoba Co-operator and the Herald Leader Press. She won the 2002 Eric and Jack Wells Award for Excellence in Journalism, and has participated in several arts festivals in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
. Her first publication is a 2004 poetry compilation, All These Stars...and Me With No Bucket.
Green Party leader
Nelson joined the Green Party of Manitoba in 2003, and was acclaimed as its leader at the party's annual meeting in November 2005. The position had been vacant since March, when Markus BuchartMarkus Buchart
Markus Buchart is a lawyer and politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was the first leader of the Green Party of Manitoba, serving from 1999 until his resignation in March 2005. He is now a leading spokesperson for the Winnipeg Green Party...
resigned as the result of ongoing divisions within the party. Nelson advocated reaching out to older and more conservative Manitoba residents, rather than relying on left-wing campus activists for the party's membership. She also advocated proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
, and said that the Greens would only run candidates in a small number of ridings in the next election.
She wrote again the construction of a new Winnipeg slaughterhouse
Slaughterhouse
A slaughterhouse or abattoir is a facility where animals are killed for consumption as food products.Approximately 45-50% of the animal can be turned into edible products...
in December 2005, arguing that such enterprises routinely injure young workers and do not provide economic benefits to their host communities.
Nelson resigned as party leader in September 2006, having accepted an out-of-province position. She has never campaigned for public office.