It was a left-of-centre heavy presence on stage at the Kelowna Senior Citizens害羞草研究所� Society Thursday night as seven of 12 federal candidates from the Central Okanagan害羞草研究所檚 two ridings met to discuss topics affecting area residents.

Notable absences included candidates from the Conservative Party, the Marijuana Party and one People害羞草研究所檚 Party of Canada candidate.

That left only Kelowna-Lake Country John Barr of the People害羞草研究所檚 Party on the right to balance out a full turnout on the left which included the Liberals Mary Ann Murphy (Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola) and Stephen Fuhr (Kelowna-Lake Country), the NDP害羞草研究所檚 Joan Phillip (Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola) and Justin Kulik (Kelowna-Lake Country) and the Green Party害羞草研究所檚 Robert Mellalieu (Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola) and Travis Ashley (Kelowna-Lake Country).

The forum, hosted by the Canadian Federation of University Women Kelowna, had candidates cover platform positions on various topics, including pharmacare, climate change, homelessness and missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

The imbalance in political ideas was apparent in the candidates害羞草研究所� respective handling of a question regarding the reduction of carbon emissions.

害羞草研究所淎re you sure that reduce is the word that you want to use?害羞草研究所� said Barr.

害羞草研究所淥n Aug. 9 a major party tweeted: 害羞草研究所楾his is what we害羞草研究所檙e up against. If humanity doesn害羞草研究所檛 transition off fossil fuels (before the next election) the earth will heat to unsafe levels and there will be climate catastrophe.害羞草研究所� The PPC rejects this rhetoric as alarmist and will focus on concrete solutions,害羞草研究所� he said.

The tweet which Barr referenced was made by Green Party Leader Elizabeth May.

This is what we're up against. If humanity doesn't transition off fossil fuels (before the next election) the earth will heat to unsafe levels and there will be climate catastrophe.

害羞草研究所� Elizabeth May (@ElizabethMay)

While the Greens, Liberals and NDP all recognize the issues a changing climate poses, their ideas on how to remedy the situation vary.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a scientific consensus that says we should be acting on climate change,害羞草研究所� said Fuhr. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 an economic consensus that tells us that pricing pollution would be better off to any climate plan that has a chance at working. We actually have put a national price on pollution. In British Columbia, we害羞草研究所檝e had a price on pollution for a decade. We know that it works.害羞草研究所�

He said it could have been more effective if the previous federal government had kept up with climate action.

Kulik agreed with Fuhr the previous government did not do enough regarding climate change but said the current Liberal government has also failed to do its job.

害羞草研究所淭he Liberals like to say that its all about their (Paris Agreement) targets,害羞草研究所� said Kulik. 害羞草研究所淏ut the government itself has announced it害羞草研究所檚 not on track to hit those targets, let alone targets that will actually keep global warming to 1.5 C.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e going to take Paris targets, we害羞草研究所檙e going to increase them and we害羞草研究所檙e going to put them into law.害羞草研究所�

Ashley expressed a similar sentiment. He said it would require political courage, adding the parties need to work together on a climate plan.

害羞草研究所淲e are at war with climate change,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲e have to establish an inner cabinet of all parties with cooperation because this is a universal threat,害羞草研究所� said Ashley. 害羞草研究所淲e will reduce our emissions by 60 per cent before 2005 levels by 2030 and head towards zero emissions by 2050.害羞草研究所�

Two more forums are currently scheduled for the Central Okanagan ridings:

• Sept. 21 害羞草研究所� 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kelowna Downtown Library
• Oct. 16 害羞草研究所� 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Coast Capri Hotel

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