In a press conference Sept. 13, B.C. Green Party Leader Sonia Fursteneau, announced a proposed investment by her party of $100 million to create watershed stewardship councils, bringing together First Nations, farmers, local government, industry and environmental groups.
Fursteneau was in the Comox Valley to support Courtenay-Comox B.C. Green party candidate Arzeena Hamir.
Hamir, spoke of her experience as an organic farmer in the Comox Valley and dealing with the drought situation that faces the Valley.
“In 2015 we also had a drought and my husband and I decided to invest in a dugout to capture rainwater so that in those times when we needed to irrigate, we could use that winter rain water to water our crops,” said Hamir.
Fursteneau stated that David Eby and the B.C. NDP were ignoring studies on climate change. She stated that under Eby’s B.C. NDP the province has seen disregard for the environment and a lack of implementation of climate change policies.
“In 2017, they approved Site C, after campaigning to not go ahead with Site C. Currently, though I’m sure it is going to be higher, this is a $16 billion project that is going to be providing electricity to the fracking and methane gas industries. Under the B.C. NDP, we have seen a 44 per cent increase in fracking the B.C. Northwest,” said Fursteneau.
Fursteneau said that the government needs a system that’s fair and to ensure that we are not giving a pass to polluting companies with some greenwashing by providing them with cheap electricity while they release methane gas into the air.
“The government has shown that they don’t take a strong stand, they are willing to bend to appease the oil and gas industry,” said Fursteneau.
This announcement from Fursteneau comes a day after Eby’s announcement that the B.C. NDP plan to drop carbon tax if Ottawa drops its alternate tax.
“Yesterday’s announcement is just one in a long series of announcements and decisions by the B.C. NDP that make it incredibly clear to British Columbians that if you care about climate action and you care about the environment, if you care about long-term sustainability, if you care about protecting water security and food security, there is only one choice in this election and that is to vote for the B.C. Green Party,” said Fursteneau.
She spoke of several of her party’s candidates already working on those issues throughout Vancouver Island, Lower Mainland and the Sunshine Coast.
“We have candidates who have demonstrated that they are able to already do the work of MLA’s by representing their communities extremely well. But we also have a platform that takes clear positions and offers clear solutions. The B.C. NDP has proven that they are not interested in real climate action,” said Fursteneau.
Hamir brought her own personal experience with farming in the Valley and spoke of the hardships facing farmers with regards to water security.
“In the agricultural community, how do we grow without water? And where is our minister of agriculture? Is she backing up farmers who are facing these threats of water police coming onto their properties? No, she is in the Fraser Valley enabling companies to pave over the best farmland in the Fraser Valley for industrial purposes.”
Hamir thanked Fursteneau for her dedication to water security and the pledge to help farmers with the issue of droughts.
“I am so proud to be able to stand next to Sonia, a true leader who listens to farmers and hears what we have to say in our struggles and has provided real tangible solutions that farmers can use and move forward to enable food security here on Vancouver Island.”
