Tuesday, May 07, 2019
NANAIMO, B.C. -- British Columbia voters sent a message that Canadians are deeply concerned about the environment and climate issues will be at the forefront in October's federal election campaign, jubilant Green party supporters said Monday night. Voters in Nanaimo elected Paul Manly of the Greens as their new member of Parliament, barely six months before October's federal vote. With about 95 per cent of the ballots counted in the Nanaimo-Ladysmith byelection, Manly received 37.4 per cent of the vote. John Hirst, the Conservative candidate, was a distant second with almost 25 per cent of the vote. The NDP polled 23 per cent and Liberal candidate Michelle Corfield received 11 per cent of the vote. "People really want to see action on climate change," said Manly, who called his victory "historic." Manly will become the second Green party member in Parliament, joining Leader Elizabeth May. His victory shows the other parties that Canadians are serious about climate change, Manly said, adding he expects the Green wave of support to grow in the October election. "It's time to step up and do what needs to be done and have a little bit of political courage to deal with climate change properly," Manly said. "Stop subsidizing the fossil fuel industry." Ilan Goldenblatt, Manly's campaign manager, said voters in Nanaimo served notice to the Liberals, Conservatives and New Democrats that Canadians want more movement on environmental issues. "There's a real strong sense here on the West Coast and on Vancouver Island that the three old-line parties are just slow on the uptake on actually committing to real action," he said. Manly said governments should stop subsidizing the "old" economy. "We moved beyond the horse and buggy and it's time to move beyond the internal combustion engine," Manly said, as the crowd cheered. "Those days should be over. It's time to move forward."
https://www.ctvnews.ca/…/b-c-green-win-sends-message-to-est…
https://www.ctvnews.ca/…/b-c-green-win-sends-message-to-est…
"He was able to appeal to disaffected New Democrats who disagreed with the provincial government's significant subsidies for LNG Canada.
The leader of the federal NDP, Jagmeet Singh, has supported John Horgan's inducements to the LNG industry and his support for fracking natural gas in B.C."
Greens coast to victory in Nanaimo-Ladysmith byelection. Green candidate Paul Manly coasted to victory on Monday in a byelection in the B.C. riding of Nanaimo-Ladysmith, joining Leader Elizabeth May as the second member of the party to take a seat in the House of Commons. Global News projected that Manly would win the riding shortly before 10 p.m. local time in the Vancouver Island riding, with the Greens capturing about 37 per cent of the vote.
Moments after the results were...
B.C. has a whopping 1,807 species at risk of extinction — but no rules to protect them | The Narwhal
Opinion (the long list of authors is appended at the bottom of this article) B.C. has a whopping 1,807 species at risk of extinction — but no rules to protect them. With the highest national number of plants and animals at risk of disappearing, B.C. can’t afford to backtrack on promises to introduce endangered species legislation.
Opinion (the long list of authors is appended at the bottom of this article) B.C. has a whopping 1,807 species at risk of extinction — but no rules to protect them. With the highest national number of plants and animals at risk of disappearing, B.C. can’t afford to backtrack on promises to introduce endangered species legislation.
As scientists at the forefront of endangered species research, we are concerned that government backpedaling on endangered species legislation will be a major setback for threatened species, their wild spaces, and the benefits that we derive from them.
British Columbia has a whopping 1,807 species of animals and plants at risk of extinction, more than any other province or territory in Canada.
And yet B.C. is still one of the only provinces in Canada without legislation dedicated to protecting and recovering species at risk.
B.C.’s NDP party platform included the creation of the province’s first endangered species law, and Premier John Horgan reinforced this in the mandate letter to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, George Heyman.
We welcomed this announcement and have worked over the last year to advise the government so that the new law is based on strong science.
But recently, Premier Horgan appeared to back-track on his promise and his ministries’ efforts to build ‘made in B.C.’ legislation, stating: “There’s no significant species at risk legislation on the docket for the foreseeable future here in B.C.”
This potential reversal comes as a result of backlash from parties concerned about how habitat protection for southern mountain caribou could affect their bottom line.
Let’s be clear about what’s going on: particular parties that are highly invested in the status quo of habitat loss and degradation have persuaded cabinet that they will make job loss an election issue in retaliation for strong conservation.
But the evidence is abundant that — contrary to popular belief — protecting the environment doesn’t undermine net job growth. If anything it boosts it, by redirecting and encouraging economic growth towards less damaging practices.
The bottom line for caribou and many other wildlife species is crystal clear: without timely and meaningful protection and restoration measures, including a provincial endangered species law, these creatures will be lost forever.
Signed:
Tara Martin, Professor, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia
Arne Mooers, Professor, Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University
Brian Starzomski, Ian McTaggart Cowan Professor, School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria
Chris Johnson, Professor, Ecosystem Science and Management Program, University of Northern British Columbia
Cole Burton, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia
John Reynolds, Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University
Julia Baum, Professor, Department of Biology, University of Victoria
Kai Chan, Professor, Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia
Karen Hodges, Professor, Department of Biology, University of British Columbia Okanagan
Marco Festa-Bianchet, Professor, Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke
Peter Arcese, Professor, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia
Sally Otto, Professor, Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia
Shaun Fluker, Associate Professor of Law, University of Calgary
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