North Okanagan-Shuswap election candidates discuss climate change issues in livestream forum

North Okanagan voters had their first chance to see candidates think on their feet Thursday night.

In the first of two election forums, candidates in the North Okanagan-Shuswap riding discussed issues pertaining to climate change, with wildfires being a popular topic.

Candidates introduced themselves at the Sustainable Environment Network Society forum and were given one minute to answer questions sent in by the public.

The event was held at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre and streamed online.

The NDP's Ron Johnston stated his party will add $3 billion to the disaster mitigation fund over four years for communities to respond to extreme climate events.

Conservative incumbent Mel Arnold said the Tories plan to fight climate change, but not do it on the backs of "hard working Canadians."

Andrea Gunner, Green Party candidate informed voters about her experience and background as an agriculturalist.

PPC candidate Kyle Delfing made a bold statement in regards to climate change.

“People are blaming climate change for the Okanagan fires and Monte Creek burning, but really we see it’s government mismanagement,” Delfing charged.

“I’m disappointed in how the government is tackling these natural disasters as a result of climate change.”

Liberal Shelley Desautels was not in attendance.

Early on, the hopefuls were asked how this summer changed how they think about climate change in the Okanagan.

“We’ve all felt the effects of climate change in the North Okanagan. The heat wave spoiled fruit crops and led to wildfires that threatened our homes and blanketed us in smoke for several days,” said Johnston. “We need to make changes fast.”

Arnold proposed creation of a system to unify all platforms by which people get emergency alerts for disasters such as wildfires.

According to Gunner, this is the third time in five years the North Okanagan had smoke filled skies, adding that the world is getting warmer and dryer.

“We have a moral obligation to make changes as quickly as possible,” she said.

Delfing put some of the blame, again, on the government.

“It has nothing to do with climate change, it has everything to do with human behaviour… Biodiversity is essential, if we’re waiting three days to put out a fire, we definitely aren’t taking biodiversity seriously, we need to put people on the fire now.”

All the candidates agreed that in order to put up a tougher fight against climate change their parties need to work with all levels of government, especially Indigenous governments.

“We need to talk with our aboriginal brothers and sisters because they were on this land before us, they can help restore and maintain the earth,” said Delfing.

On old-growth logging and sustainability, Johnston said old-growth trees need to be protected.

“Instead of working with the provinces and Indigenous peoples to protect old-growth logging forests, Justin Trudeau called an election,” said Johnston.

He added the NDP will commit $500 million to support Indigenous led stewardship programs and advance reconciliation and protect land water forests including old-growth forests.

Gunner demanded a halt to the export of raw logs and old-growth forest logging.

In agreement with ending old-growth forest logging, Delfing said to "leave them alone."

When asked what the greatest environmental threat to this riding is, Delfing again said, the government.

“The government is failing British Columbians, an example of this is this year's wildfires...The wildfires should’ve been dealt with better,” said Delfing.

Arnold noted the threat of invasive species, while Johnston believes the greatest threat to the environment is climate change.

Gunner believes it is “doing the same things and expecting a different outcome.”

The full forum can be found below.