By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
If the BC Greens end up with the balance of power in British Columbia and choose to support the NDP, they are likely to push hard on two main climate policy issues — the consumer carbon price and liquid natural gas expansion.
Continue reading Greens could be tie-breakers on B.C. climate policy
By Michelle Gamage, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
As an atmospheric river settled over much of the Lower Mainland, the lights flickered off at six polling stations in Kamloops, Langley and some Gulf Islands. Water coursed down streets in Deep Cove and West Vancouver, and cars were submerged in Burnaby.
It was a fittingly dramatic end to the strangest and nastiest election in recent B.C. history. The campaign was marked with warnings about extremism, communism and climate change denial, leading to a uniquely polarizing election campaign.
At The Tyee, we braved the rain to head out to the parties’ headquarters and watch the results arrive. This is the first year electronic tabulators were used to count votes, meaning results — like the weather — flooded in.
Continue reading Inside Election Night’s Drama
Editor’s Note: According to the Cortes Marketer, 316 Cortes Island residents voted for Michele Babchuk. The Conservative candidate, Anna Kindy, received 102 votes – the highest number of Conservative votes for years. Green party candidate Nic Dedeluk only received 80 votes, most likely because many people who would have normally voted Green decided to vote strategically.
The results of yesterday’s election are still too close to call. As of 4:27 AM this morning, Global News reported that the winner has yet to be declared in 7 ridings. The NDP and Conservatives are still both within sight of forming a majority government.
Continue reading Kindy elected in North Island Riding; Majority still within sight for both NDP and Conservatives
By Sidney Coles, Capital Daily, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The future of the natural systems we rely on to meet our basic needs—food, water, and shelter is being rolled into campaign promises made by sitting and would-be MLAs across the CRD. In the run-up to the Oct. 19 election, it’s important to remember that these ecological systems aren’t constrained by riding or ideological boundaries. They will be constrained, however, by environmental policies that impact them, and so impact us all.
Because of their overarching effect on the way we live, work, play, and sustain ourselves, campaign promises concerning the environment and climate should trump all, but they don’t. It’s understandable that as people struggle to pay rent, mortgage, heating, and grocery bills each month, it’s easy to forget the horrifying impacts of the 2021 heat dome in which 619 people in BC died and the disruptions the washout along the Malahat Highway caused that same year.
Continue reading Candidates are making election promises on behalf of ecosystems that can’t voteDear friends and allied organizations in the environmental movement,
The B.C. provincial election is October 19th, and we are asking you to vote for the B.C. NDP, to ensure that Indigenous rights are not rolled back and that we can work together to address the climate emergency.
Continue reading OPEN LETTER: Message from Grand Chief Phillip, Chief Tom and Chief Slett to Allied Organizations re B.C. Election
