Climate change was once again the focus of a heated debate between Kelowna-Lake Country MP hopefuls at an all-candidates forum on Oct. 3.
Five of seven candidates were present for the debate at UBC Okanagan, which was one of over 100 similar debates focusing on the environment held across the country. Notably absent was the Conservative Party害羞草研究所檚 Tracy Gray, despite being invited.
Four of the five candidates that were present made it clear fighting climate change would be high on their to-do lists if they are elected on Oct. 21, while one candidate said he was less sure about the validity of the science surrounding climate change.
害羞草研究所淭here is no scientific consensus on the theory that CO2 produced by human activity is causing dangerous global warming, today or in the future,害羞草研究所� said People害羞草研究所檚 Party of Canada candidate John Barr, eliciting a chorus of 害羞草研究所渂oos害羞草研究所� from the crowd.
This prompted an interjection from moderator Rick Webber, who said: 害羞草研究所渋f you害羞草研究所檙e going to boo somebody, maybe boo the people who aren害羞草研究所檛 here.害羞草研究所�
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The other four candidates took similar stances on the threat that a changing climate poses. Liberal candidate Stephen Fuhr said that his party shares similar views with the NDP and the Green Party on what must be done, they just all have different ways of 害羞草研究所済etting there.害羞草研究所� He also said that a minority government is one of the biggest threats to moving forward on climate change.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 the most political thing that we害羞草研究所檙e dealing with and it害羞草研究所檚 very important to get it right,害羞草研究所� said Fuhr.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e looking at three options: one doesn害羞草研究所檛 want to do anything about climate, one does want to do something about climate, and one has no ability to do anything about climate change. Minority governments can work when both sides agree on something but they maybe don害羞草研究所檛 agree on the magnitude. When you have big divisive issues, and climate is a big, divisive issue, it shouldn害羞草研究所檛 be but it is. A minority government just isn害羞草研究所檛 going to move the yardstick on that issue.害羞草研究所�
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The NDP害羞草研究所檚 Justin Kulik retorted Fuhr害羞草研究所檚 view, bringing up that a minority government gave us universal healthcare under Lester B. Pearson.
Less than convinced about the rhetoric of his peers, Barr invited his fellow candidates to have an open debate on the topic of climate change, which prompted one of the more turbulent moments of the night.
Kulik made it clear that he would decline the offer, adding that the other candidates likely would as well. This sparked a question from an audience member in which he told Kulik, 害羞草研究所測ou should be ashamed of yourself,害羞草研究所� for not stepping up to defend his beliefs.
害羞草研究所淩egardless of your beliefs, climate change is going to affect us all,害羞草研究所� Kulik replied.
害羞草研究所淚t doesn害羞草研究所檛 matter if you believe it to be real or not. Regardless of your beliefs, climate change is a fact.害羞草研究所�
The Green Party害羞草研究所檚 Travis Ashley felt that an open debate might be a useful practice.
害羞草研究所淚f given the chance, I害羞草研究所檇 love to persuade you guys to understand that climate change is real,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲e can害羞草研究所檛 just throw rotten fruit at each other and say you害羞草研究所檙e wrong and you害羞草研究所檙e wrong. Let害羞草研究所檚 put it at the table and talk about it like we害羞草研究所檙e at a family reunion.害羞草研究所�
It was pointed out by independent candidate Daniel Joseph that the man who accused Kulik was the president of the Kelowna-Lake Country Peoples Party of Canada riding association, Peter Neville. Joseph formerly held the position before leaving in late March of this year due to what he called 害羞草研究所渞acist, homophobic and xenophobic views.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淥ne of the main reasons why I left the party is because instead of the People害羞草研究所檚 Party deciding to want to be an official opposition party, they decided to become a rhetoric machine,害羞草研究所� Joseph said.
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michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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