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香蕉视频直播檚 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.
香蕉视频直播淭here is no scientific consensus on the theory that CO2 produced by human activity is causing dangerous global warming, today or in the future,香蕉视频直播� said People香蕉视频直播檚 Party of Canada candidate John Barr, eliciting a chorus of 香蕉视频直播渂oos香蕉视频直播� from the crowd.
This prompted an interjection from moderator Rick Webber, who said: 香蕉视频直播渋f you香蕉视频直播檙e going to boo somebody, maybe boo the people who aren香蕉视频直播檛 here.香蕉视频直播�
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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 香蕉视频直播済etting there.香蕉视频直播� He also said that a minority government is one of the biggest threats to moving forward on climate change.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 the most political thing that we香蕉视频直播檙e dealing with and it香蕉视频直播檚 very important to get it right,香蕉视频直播� said Fuhr.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e looking at three options: one doesn香蕉视频直播檛 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香蕉视频直播檛 agree on the magnitude. When you have big divisive issues, and climate is a big, divisive issue, it shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be but it is. A minority government just isn香蕉视频直播檛 going to move the yardstick on that issue.香蕉视频直播�
READ MORE: 香蕉视频直播楾his is a business decision香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� Liberal candidate floats idea of strategic voting
The NDP香蕉视频直播檚 Justin Kulik retorted Fuhr香蕉视频直播檚 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, 香蕉视频直播測ou should be ashamed of yourself,香蕉视频直播� for not stepping up to defend his beliefs.
香蕉视频直播淩egardless of your beliefs, climate change is going to affect us all,香蕉视频直播� Kulik replied.
香蕉视频直播淚t doesn香蕉视频直播檛 matter if you believe it to be real or not. Regardless of your beliefs, climate change is a fact.香蕉视频直播�
The Green Party香蕉视频直播檚 Travis Ashley felt that an open debate might be a useful practice.
香蕉视频直播淚f given the chance, I香蕉视频直播檇 love to persuade you guys to understand that climate change is real,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淲e can香蕉视频直播檛 just throw rotten fruit at each other and say you香蕉视频直播檙e wrong and you香蕉视频直播檙e wrong. Let香蕉视频直播檚 put it at the table and talk about it like we香蕉视频直播檙e at a family reunion.香蕉视频直播�
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 香蕉视频直播渞acist, homophobic and xenophobic views.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淥ne of the main reasons why I left the party is because instead of the People香蕉视频直播檚 Party deciding to want to be an official opposition party, they decided to become a rhetoric machine,香蕉视频直播� Joseph said.
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michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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