Two of the three major party candidates vying for the West Vancouver - Sea to Sky seat in the upcoming provincial election tackled the topics of nature and climate in a debate on Monday, Oct. 7.
Hosted by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) BC Chapter, the debate drew about 85 people to the Eagle Eye Community Theatre.
NDP candidate Jen Ford and Green Party candidate Jeremy Valeriote fielded questions from two participants of CPAW's Young Leaders in Conservation Program before turning the mic to the audience.
The two MLA hopefuls agreed on several points regarding the environment during the civil debate—and both highlighted the fact that Conservative candidate Yuri Fulmer was absent.
"I just want to make the point that there's only one candidate in this election who doesn't have government experience and that's our friend over here who's not here," Valeriote said, gesturing to an empty seat to his left.
(Ford has been a Resort Municipality of Whistler councillor since 2014 and Valeriote served as a councillor in Gibsons.)
While organizers didn't give a reason for Fulmer's absence, the businessman and Capilano University chancellor took part in a panel called The Election and The Economy that took place at the same time.
Several debate questions, meanwhile, honed in on Squamish-centric topics, like Woodfibre LNG.
Healthy coast
"If elected, what will you and your government do to ensure a healthy coast for both marine life and people in the face of … threats [to human health and safety, risks to biodiversity in Howe Sound and climate pollution]?" moderators asked.
"I think I don't need to tell you that I don't believe that a methane gas export plant and LNG tankers running up and down the sound is a good thing," Valeriote said. "In terms of [the current government's] Coastal Marine Strategy, it was co-developed with First Nations, so it's a good plan. But like many good plans under this [current NDP] government, they don't always make it all the way to implementation. They make really good announcements. People believe that the government is for the environment, but they don't actually make it all the way to the action stage. I think it's important to remember that we need people who are actually going to follow through on environmental protections."
For her part, Ford stood behind the Coastal Marine Strategy.
"Some people want us to say yes to all development, regardless of the cost to the environment and some people want us to say no to all development, regardless of the cost to jobs. We believe that there's a way forward by bringing the oil and gas industry, and all of the players to account, holding the bar high, holding the environmental assessment certificate to a higher standard. To a very high standard," she said.
Regional transit
Members of the audience asked a series of local and wider-reaching questions, including one about expanding transportation.
"I was wondering if you have plans to maintain or expand public transit systems in B.C., no matter who comes into power on a federal level," one audience member asked.
"The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District has been at the table, we have costed out a plan for Sea to Sky Regional Transit so that someone living in Mount Currie can access work in Whistler, they can access health care in Squamish and they can access family and visits and they can move around this corridor seamlessly on transit," said Ford, who serves as board chair for the SLRD. "We have a plan. We can do it financially."
She also said that plans are underway to conduct a feasibility study for a train through the Sea to Sky.
Regional transit is long overdue, Valeriote said.
"We've seen that this is a major shortcoming," he said. "To be honest, the fact that we don't have it is a little embarrassing. This corridor has deserved regional transit ever since Greyhound left, even before then … There needs to be a funding model that a government will accept. If the Greens are in any kind of leverage position, this would be near the top of my list because it's so clearly needed."
Respecting local government
Another audience member tapped into a local sore spot: the Environmental Assessment Office ordering Woodfibre LNG to put its worker accommodation floatel into place, despite District of Squamish council not yet voting on its Temporary Use Permit.
"Would your government respect local municipal decisions, such as a floatel permit and Fortis work camp?" he asked.
"I do acknowledge that this is a rub for me and it was a rub for me when I saw that news because I have been committed to this region as a local government elected official for many years and I support council in their jurisdiction," Ford said. "I have advocated with the province that local jurisdiction matters … I can't defend what has happened because I wasn't part of that decision. What I can do is commit that I understand local government issues and I am strong enough and connected enough to this community to speak on behalf of this community if you chose me to go to Victoria on your behalf."
Valeriote said part of the appeal of a Green MLA is he wouldn't be beholden to a party line.
"I said at the public hearing for the Fortis[BC] work camp that the local governments are the last line of defence for a community that wants to be protected from the ill effects of projects that, in this case, the provincial government is imposing on them," he said.
"Those decisions need to be respected … As much as my colleague has different views from the NDP on this one, it was the NDP government who decided to do a very backhanded way of enforcing the floatel through the EAO compliance enforcement act … Unfortunately, they have to toe the party line. They don't have the independence to be able to say, 'I disagree with that.' That's what you'll find in a Green MLA. I can say, 'That is not OK with me. It doesn't represent my constituents, values and I won't support it."
The final voting day for the provincial election takes place on Oct. 19.
