In BC, our peoples and places are threatened by careless resource extraction, inaction on climate change, and provincial and federal governments with little respect for our natural systems. Climate change is warming waters, acidifying the ocean, increasing the number and intensity of droughts and floods. This creates havoc with our forests, fisheries, water supply, and agriculture. The lax, unenforced or simply uninformed regulations that govern resource extraction and transportation are exacerbating the damage to our natural resources and the communities who depend on them.
See Elizabeth May's comment on the critical issue of our time - climate change, here in a brief video.
The Harper administration gutted the Fisheries Act and slashed budgets at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), forcing massive layoffs. Omnibus budget Bill C-38 included more than $160 million in cuts to environmental spending, making environmental research, protection and enforcement much more difficult.
Concurrently, Canadians have reduced access to the work done by the government scientists who survived the cuts because draconian communications protocols control their ability to present and publish papers, to speak with journalists and the public. As an example, all research conducted by DFO is now deemed to be confidential, making it almost impossible for scientists to ensure public access to this taxpayer-funded, public research.
We know that scientific data is essential for good policy-making. Elizabeth May continues to champion science, scientists and policy informed by evidence. You can help by pledging your vote for Elizabeth, donating to her re-election campaign, and signing the petition to ensure she is included in the 2015 election debates. We can all benefit from Greener government - see Vision Green for detailed information.
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