Federal election candidates will have an opportunity to discuss climate issues in an online all-candidates forum on September 8 for the Kootenay—Columbia riding. The online event will start promptly at 6 p.m. (Mountain Time).

The riding-wide forum, Election 2021 and the climate emergency, is being organized by two non-partisan local organizations — Fridays For Future West Kootenay and the Nelson-West Kootenay chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL).

A similar forum is being held in the South Okanagan-West Kootenay riding, and both are part of the Canada-wide 100 Debates on the Environment happening in communities across Canada around the same time.

“The heat, drought, wildfires, and hazardous smoke we experienced this summer have woken more people up to the urgency of the climate crisis,” said Laura Sacks, who co-leads the CCL chapter. “We want to know what candidates plan to do to keep our world livable.”

Last month’s report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued its starkest warning yet. The report states that there is unequivocal evidence that fossil fuel emissions are propelling us towards a future that will make life very challenging for millions of people and species. There is still time to reduce the worst impacts if we act now.

“The climate crisis is already upon us,” said 21-year old Linn Murray, an organizer with Fridays For Future West Kootenay. “Our governments call the climate situation an emergency, but consistently are slow to act. We saw with COVID-19 how rapidly governments can respond to a crisis when they want to. We will be looking to our candidates to show similar leadership on the climate front.”

Invitations were sent to candidates from the four main political parties. Candidates’ responses have been favourable.

A number of local organizations from the riding have been asked to draft a question for the candidates. We will be hearing from Kimberley Youth Action Network and the Cranbrook Climate Hub among others. Youth will be moderating the forum.

One of the co-moderators is 18-year old Thea DePaoli of Kimberley. “This is the first election I can vote in, and I’m unbelievably proud and excited to do so,” she says. “I know many young people paying attention to the election because of the climate crisis.”

The forum will take place on Zoom (phone in options will also be available) between 7 to 9 p.m. Mountain Time on September 8.

Registration is required: bit.ly/KC-ClimateForum. Live Streaming will also be available on Facebook (Fridays For Future West Kootenay), on YouTube (Fridays For Future Nelson), and at fridaysforfuturewestkootenays.org/watch-live.

The general election is Sept. 20.

Lead image: The Kootenay-Columbia candidates, top left to right: Rob Morrison, Conservative Party of Canada; Rana Nelson, Green Party of Canada; Robin Goldsbury, Liberal Party of Canada; and Wayne Stetski, New Democratic Party. Photo submitted

Submitted

Article Share