Hollywood star Mark Ruffalo lauds B.C. Green Party in leadup to election

Mark Ruffalo speaks at the Solutions Project garden party at La Plaza Cultural on Thursday, June 18, 2015, in New York. (Charles Sykes/Invision)

American actor and environmental activist Mark Ruffalo is weighing in on British Columbia politics, lauding the B.C. Green Party's stance on fossil fuels ahead of the Oct. 19 election.

The Hollywood star took to social media shortly after the B.C. leaders debate Tuesday night to contrast the B.C. Green Party's promises to end fossil-fuel subsidies and stop the expansion of LNG infrastructure with the Green Party of Ireland, which Ruffalo accuses of opening the door to LNG export facilities in the country.

The actor's post on X, formerly known as Twitter, linked to the B.C. Green Party's election campaign platform and tagged leader Sonia Furstenau, saying she and her party "show us what a principled Green Party looks like – committed to ending LNG expansion and fossil fuel subsidies, all while prioritizing people's health and well-being."

The B.C. Greens were quick to seize on the star's praise, quoting his comments in full in a post on the party's Instagram account alongside a photo of the actor, who is known for portraying comic-book character the Hulk.

"Sonia Furstenau took the spotlight in last night's debate, and momentum is building," the party said in a comment accompanying the post. "Even Mark Ruffalo – yes, that Mark Ruffalo – just endorsed Sonia and shared the BC Greens platform on X (Twitter)."

The party went on to say that "while the other leaders waffle on climate action or ignore it all together, the B.C. Greens position is as strong as the Hulk: no more fossil fuel infrastructure, no more LNG, no more fossil fuel advertising."

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by BC Greens (@greenpartybc)

A Green Party of Ireland spokesperson responded to Ruffalo's claims about the party's position on LNG exports Wednesday, telling The Irish Times newspaper the party "remains fully opposed to a commercial LNG facility and is proud that no such facility has proceeded during our time in government," calling Ruffalo's statements about the issue "very misleading."

The Avengers actor is no stranger to environmental causes in B.C., having previously endorsed campaigns to stop LNG pipeline expansion and block old-growth logging in the province.

During the televised debate, Furstenau acknowledged her party would not form government after next week's election, but used her platform to slam the rival B.C. NDP and B.C. Conservative leaders for failing to address climate change with sufficient urgency.