In green and against all

Election posters of the Green Party of Canada (PVC) that have been blooming on the lawns of the riding of Saanich – Gulf Islands since the start of the election campaign leave an impression of déjà vu. Because, Elizabeth May recycled their 2019 signs and slogan: “Vote for the climate. Vote green. “

Climate anxiety did not spare the ex-chief of PVC during the summer, which was marked in British Columbia by heat waves and fires. “It’s hard to say how terrified I am,” she says in an exchange with The duty on the sidelines of a campaign activity in Victoria.

The 67-year-old has been raising awareness about the deleterious effects of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on the climate for more than three decades, but has been facing the effects of climate change for the first time in recent times. Her daughter-in-law Julia was rushed to hospital in late June, after being driven in a vehicle without air conditioning under the dome of heat that covered western Canada, including the village of Lytton where the mercury reached 49 , 6 degrees Celsius. “She almost died,” says Ms. May.

In 2019, the New Democratic Party (NDP) and the PVC shared the seven ridings on Vancouver Island. The NDP won five, while the SSC won two in the Southwest: the first by Elizabeth May (Saanich – Gulf Islands) and the second by Paul Manly (Nanaimo – Ladysmith). One week before the poll, only the re-election of Elizabeth May is “probable”, according to the latest electoral projections from the statistical model of Philippe J. Fournier, 338Canada.

Greens of all colors

Neither climate anxiety nor a knee replacement managed to cripple Elizabeth May. The former SSC chief pushes her roller walker with a bell and sticker to one of the entrances to the Hillside Mall in the riding of Saanich – Gulf Islands, which she represents at the House of Commons for ten years. She greets all motorists with equal enthusiasm, whether they are behind the wheel of a compact electric car or a sport utility vehicle fueled with “dirty oil”. She receives honking and smiles sometimes frank, sometimes embarrassed in exchange.

Under a blazing sun, Elizabeth May warns voters against plans to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from other political parties. These are mirages, warns the lawyer. PVC is the only political party to follow up on the call to action of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) by proposing to reduce GHG emissions by 434 megatonnes (Mt) between 2019 and 2030, she pleads. For their part, the NPD targets 360 Mt, the Liberal Party of Canada (PLC) at most 323 Mt and the Conservative Party of Canada (PCC) 213 Mt reduction. The party of Jagmeet Singh would not necessarily cancel the proposed expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline which ends its course on the shores of British Columbia, underlines the politician. “We are the only party with the policies necessary to protect our future,” she repeats.

We have no more than two or three more years to change course. […] I’m… pretty sure it’s not too late, but not absolutely certain.

Yet former British Columbia Green Party leader Andrew Weaver has said he prefers the LPC climate change plan of Justin trudeau, deeming him “both daring and thoughtful”. The “committed ecologist, nerd politician and champion of the ocean ”Nikki Macdonald, who is running for the Victoria constituency under the Liberal banner, was over the moon. The Greens, on the other hand, were dumbfounded. “Andrew hates greens. It’s personal, ”says Elizabeth May, reproaching her“ friend ”for having fallen into the“ ridiculous ”. The liberal plan will contribute to “the end of civilization,” she says simply.

The leading figure in the environmental movement prays that “responsibility” for the governance of the Canadian state rests with a coalition government in which the PVC would be invited to participate. ” Yes it’s possible. In his eyes, the general elections of September 20 are those of the last chance for the climate. “We have no more than two or three more years to change course. […] I’m… pretty sure it’s not too late, but not absolutely certain, ”she drops.

Three-way battle

In Northwestern Nanaimo – Ladysmith, voters are torn between the candidacies of Green MP Paul Manly, NDP candidate Lisa Marie Barron and Conservative Tamara Kronis.

Carried by favorable winds, the head of the CCP, Erin O’Toole, made a trip to Nanaimo less than ten days ago to promise islanders funding for the fast ferry project between the island’s second largest city and Vancouver. He also promised to defuse the crises of housing, inflation, employment, debt… It was not until the 11th^e minute of a 13 minute 20 second speech he mentioned the need to also overcome the climate crisis.

Vancouver Island is home to a diversity of trees – from Douglas fir to red cedar – but also a variety of environmentalists, including the People’s Party of Canada (PPC).

Stephen Welton joined the political formation founded by Maxime Bernier even if it refuses to recognize the repercussions of human activity on climate change and proposes to turn its back on the Paris Climate Agreement. He still describes himself as an “environmentalist”. “Climate change is real. There is a theory that humans are influencing climate change, ”he said in a low voice, before adding,“ I think we are probably [en train d’influer sur le climat]. And I believe we should do whatever we can to reduce our impact. The man who never has a word higher than the other is surrounded by sympathizers whose anger is perfectly audible. Indeed, most of the people who joined him in a seaside park in Ladysmith only have it for the plan to abolish the sanitary measures of the PPC, found The duty.

“We believe in freedom of choice,” said Sherry, before taking pride in being one of some 300 people opposed to the creation of a vaccine passport who demonstrated in front of the Nanaimo General Hospital on the 1st.^is last September. Protesters took the opportunity to curse health professionals or spit in their direction. “That is an invention”, argues the anti-vaccine having worked in a long-term accommodation center, then another, over the past few years. Faced with the “deprivation of [ses] fundamental freedoms by the state ”, Sherry will support Maxime Bernier’s PPC on September 20 – a first for her. She had given her support to the PVC in 2019 and the NDP in 2015. “And Justin Trudeau will end up in jail,” she predicts, staring at the crystal-clear water of Burleith Inlet.

Greens are not immune to the grumbling of antivaccines. A PVC political attaché was pushed without warning during a campaign activity by a voter opposed to measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. Driven by a “malicious force”, people opposed to health measures make the campaign “painful” at times, laments Elizabeth May, wearing a badge bearing the inscription “I am fully vaccinated”. She calls on the population to focus their energy instead on “avoiding the worst of climate change”. “It’s a question of survival,” she said gravely.

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