Elizabeth May Whistler 2016
Green Party leader Elizabeth May addresses a sold-out crowd at the Whistler Conference Centre last Thursday (Jan. 21). Whistler Question Photo by David Buzzard www.media-centre.ca
Elizabeth May, Sea to Sky mayors weigh in on COP21, local environmental initiatives
Sara Jennings was the first person in a sold-out crowd to pose a question to Elizabeth May after the Green Party leader and environmental activist offered Sea to Sky residents an in-depth breakdown of the recent COP21 climate talks in Paris.
“In Whistler we continue to see the number of personal vehicles increasing on the road, and snowmobiling is a very fast-growing sport in the corridor and this concerns me in a town that is considered quite green,” said Jennings, who is the past president of the Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment (AWARE), the organization that put on the event. “As an individual who is passionate about the environment, what is the best way to bring that down to the individual level when trying to encourage people to take personal responsibility for change?”
For much of the evening last Thursday (Jan. 21) at the Whistler Conference Centre, May focused on the national and international implications of the global climate summit. While the aim of the event — which also included a presentation with the mayors of Whistler, Pemberton and Squamish — was to help locals understand what they could do to help curb global warming on a community level, May said the answer lies largely with government policy.
“The route to encourage every person to take personal responsibility will take us past 1.5 (degrees),” May said, referring to the cap set for global average temperature increase at the conference. “We need to increase the carbon fuel tax. It needs to cost more to ride around in a snowmobile. We need to send people the signal and we need more investment in infrastructure that makes it convenient for people. A lot of people have to drive a car… for many reasons. If we make it about the personal, it’s really hard. We have to change the structure of society so it becomes easier — for example, tax rebates to buy hybrid or electric cars. We need to encourage that behaviour while discouraging the use and waste of fossil fuels.”
Overall, May said a “very ambitious agenda” emerged from the climate talks, during which Canada punched well above its weight. It painted a future in which the countries involved committed to going off of fossil fuels in order to curb global warming before it reaches the point of no return.
“If we take them at their word, the leaders of 195 countries have just committed our society, our economies, all nations to go off fossil fuels completely as soon as possible,” May said. “We’ve committed to ensure that the global peak of greenhouse gas emissions is as soon as possible. There is speculation we may (have) hit it in 2015 and (will) go down from there.”
For its part, the provincial government is in the midst of seeking input from residents for its new Climate Leadership Plan, Jordan Sturdy, MLA for the West Vancouver-Sea to Sky riding, told the crowd. “A strong leadership plan will help us take advantage of a low-carbon economy, a future and green jobs,” he said.
While almost 6,000 people completed a survey released in the plan’s first phase, the second phase of consultation was launched on Monday (Jan. 25) on the Climate Leadership Plan website focusing on options and time frames for greenhouse gas reductions in B.C.
Meanwhile, the mayors also shared their community’s environmental initiatives. “Whistler has been interested in climate change and greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption for a long time,” said Whistler Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden. “We’ve got targets built into our OCP (official community plan), we want to reduce GHGs from 2007 levels by 33 per cent by 2020, 80 per cent by 2050 and 90 per cent by 2060. Between 2007 and 2012 we reduced our GHGs by 17 per cent. We’ve got a lot of work to do. We can’t kid ourselves, but we’ve paid attention to these issues and we’ve done some very good work so far and I have every confidence we will carry on doing so.”
- See more at: http://www.whistlerquestion.com/news/local-news/corridor-talks-climate-change-1.2158339#sthash.LWFtp5vD.dpufFirst Ministers - Climate Change
Contact information for Canadian First Ministers
Reach out to them directly and urge them to be part of the solution and lead on climate change:
CANADA:
- Prime Minister: Justin Trudeau
- PM's Twitter: @CanadianPM
- JT's Twitter: @JustinTrudeau
- FAX: office of Prime Minister: 613-941-6900
- Email: office of Prime Minister: http://pm.gc.ca/contactpm
- PM's Website: http://pm.gc.ca/eng
- Gov's Twitter: no main twitter handle. individual for each department: http://www.canada.ca/en/social/index.html
- JT's FB: https://www.facebook.com/JustinPJTrudeau
- PHONE: General: Information on Programs and Service: Telephone: 1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232)
- WEB: http://www.canada.ca/
- CLIMATE: http://www.climatechange.gc.ca
ALBERTA:
- Premier: Rachel Notley
- P's Twitter: @RachelNotley
- PHONE: office of Premier: 780-427-2251
- Email: office of Premier: http://alberta.ca/premier/contact.cfm
- Gov's Twitter: @YourAlberta
- FB: https://www.facebook.com/youralberta.ca
- PHONE: 310-0000 or 1-780-427-2711 outside Alberta
- WEB: http://alberta.ca/
- CLIMATE: http://aep.alberta.ca/climate-change/default.aspx
- Shannon Phillips - @SPhillipsAB - Minister of Environment and Parks
420 Legislature Building
10800 - 97 Avenue
Edmonton, AB T5K 2B6
780-427-2391
http://alberta.ca/contact.cfm
BRITISH COLUMBIA:
- Premier: Christy Clark
- P's Twitter: @christyclarkbc
- PHONE: office of Premier: (Victoria) 250-387-6121
- Email: office of Premier: premier@gov.bc.ca
- Gov's Twitter: @BCGovNews
- FB: - WEB:http://www2.gov.bc.ca/
- CLIMATE: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/climate-change
- Mary Polak - @maryforbc - Minister of Environment
Room 247, Legislative Buildings (V8V 1X4)
P.O. Box 9047 Stn. Prov. Govt.
Victoria, BC V8W 9E2
250-387-1187
env.minister@gov.bc.ca
MANITOBA:
- Premier: Greg Selinger
- P's Twitter: @GregSelinger
- PHONE: office of Premier: 204-945-3714
- Email: office of Premier: premier@leg.gov.mb.ca
- Gov's Twitter: @MBGov
- FB: https://www.facebook.com/ManitobaGovernment/
- WEB: https://www.gov.mb.ca/
- CLIMATE: http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/environment/climate-change/
- Tom Nevakshonoff - @tomnevakshonoff - Minister of Conservation and Water Stewardship
330 Legislative Building
450 Broadway
Winnipeg, MB R3C 0V8
204-945-3730
mincon@leg.gov.mb.ca
NEW BRUNSWICK:
- Premier: Brian Gallant
- P's Twitter: @BrianGallantNB
- PHONE: office of Premier: (506) 453-2144
- Email: office of Premier: premier@gnb.ca
- Gov's Twitter: @Gov_NB
- FB: https://www.facebook.com/GovNB
- WEB: http://www2.gnb.ca/
- CLIMATE: http://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/elg/environment/content/climate_change.html
- Brian Kenny - @BathurstBrian - Minister of Environment and Local Government
20 McGloin Street, Marysville Place
P.O. Box 6000
Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1
506-453-2807
elg/egl-info@gnb.ca
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR:
- Premier: Dwight Ball
- P's Twitter: @DwightBallMHA
- PHONE: office of Premier: (709) 729-3570
- Email: office of Premier: premier@gov.nl.ca
- Gov's Twitter: @GovNL
- FB: http://gov.nl.ca/socialmedia/index.html#facebook
- WEB: http://www.gov.nl.ca/
- CLIMATE: www.turnbackthetide.ca, https://www.facebook.com/TurnBackTheTide
*Turn Back the Tide is the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador's first-ever public awareness campaign on climate change and energy efficiency, +1 709-729-1210, climatechange@gov.nl.ca
- Perry Trimper - @PerryTrimper - Minister of Environment and Conservation
4th Floor, Confederation Building, West Block
P.O. Box 8700
St. John's, NL A1B 4J6
709-729-2577
perry.trimper@gov.nl.ca
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES:
- Premier: Bob McLeod
- P's Twitter: @nwtpremier
- PHONE: office of Premier: (867) 669-2311
- Email: office of Premier: premier@gov.nt.ca, bob_mcleod@gov.nt.ca
- Gov's Twitter: @NWT_CPHO, (Chief Public Health Officer Government of the Northwest Territories), @GNWT_Jobs (This is the official Twitter page for the Government of the Northwest Territories' Department of Human Resources)
- FB: no
- PHONE: Switchboard: (867) 873-7500
- WEB: http://www.gov.nt.ca/
- CLIMATE: http://www.nwtclimatechange.ca/content/climate-change-impacts
- Wally Schumann - @WallySchumann - Minister of Environment and Natural Resources
Legislative Assembly
Box 1320
Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9
867-669-2355
Wally_Schumann@gov.nt.ca
NOVA SCOTIA:
- Premier: Stephen McNeil
- P's Twitter: @StephenMcNeil
- PHONE: office of Premier: (902) 424-6600
- Email: office of Premier: PREMIER@novascotia.ca
- Gov's Twitter: @nsgov
- FB: https://www.facebook.com/nsgov/
- PHONE: 800-670-4357 - contact: https://www.novascotia.ca/sns/access/contact.asp?bhcp=1
- WEB: http://novascotia.ca/
- CLIMATE: http://novascotia.ca/nse/climate-change/
Margaret Miller - @mmillershubie - Minister of Environment
Barrington Tower
1894 Barrington Street, Suite 1800
Halifax, NS B3J 2A8
Minister.Environment@novascotia.ca
NUNAVUT:
- Premier: Peter Taptuna
- P's Twitter:@PeterTaptuna
- PHONE: office of Premier: 867-975-5050
- Email: office of Premier: premier@gov.nu.ca
- Gov's Twitter:@GOVofNUNAVUT
- FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Government-of-Nunavut
- PHONE: +1 877-212-6438
- WEB: http://www.gov.nu.ca/
- CLIMATE: http://www.gov.nu.ca/environment/information/climate-change
- Johnny Mike – N/A Twitter - Minister of Environment, Minister responsible for the Utility Rates Review Council
P.O. Box 2410
Iqaluit, NU X0A 0H0
867-975-5024
environment@gov.nu.ca
ONTARIO:
- Premier: Kathleen Wynne
- P's Twitter: @Kathleen_Wynne
- PHONE: office of Premier: 416-325-1941
- Email: office of Premier: premier@ontario.ca
- Gov's Twitter: @ONgov
- en francais @ONgouv
- FB: https://www.facebook.com/ONgov
- Suivez-nous en francais: facebook.com/ONgouv
- PHONE: 1-800-387-5559
- WEB: http://ontario.ca
- CLIMATE: http://www.ontario.ca/page/climate-change
- Glen Murray - @Glen4ONT - Minister of Environment and Climate Change
77 Wellesley Street West
11th Floor, Ferguson Block
Toronto, ON M7A 2T5
416-314-6790
https://www.ontario.ca/contact-us
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND:
- Premier: Wade MacLauchlan
- P's Twitter: @WadeMacLauchlan
- PHONE: office of Premier: (902)368-4400
- Email: office of Premier: premier@gov.pe.ca
- Gov's Twitter:@InfoPEI
- FB: https://www.facebook.com/govpe
- PHONE: +1 800-236-5196
- WEB: http://www.gov.pe.ca
- CLIMATE: http://www.gov.pe.ca/environment/climatechange
- Robert Mitchell - @RobMitchellMLA - Minister of Communities, Land and Environment
11 Kent Street, 4th Floor
P.O. Box 2000
Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8
romitchell@gov.pe.ca
QUEBEC:
- Premier: Philippe Couillard
- P's Twitter: @phcouillard
- PHONE: office of Premier:418 643-5321
- Email: office of Premier: https://www.premier-ministre.gouv.qc.ca/premier-ministre/joindre-pm/courriel/index-en.asp
- Gov's Twitter: http://www.gouv.qc.ca/EN/VotreGouvernement/Pages/repertoire-medias-sociaux-ministeres-organismes.aspx
- FB: http://www.gouv.qc.ca/EN/VotreGouvernement/Pages/repertoire-medias-sociaux-ministeres-organismes.aspx
- PHONE: 1 877 644-4545
- WEB: http://www.gouv.qc.ca/EN/Pages/Accueil.aspx
- CLIMATE: http://www.mddelcc.gouv.qc.ca/changementsclimatiques/index-en.htm
- David Heurtel - @Heurtel - Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change
675, boul. René-Lévesque Est
Édifice Marie-Guyart, 30e étage
Québec, QC G1R 5V7
418-521-3911
ministre@mddelcc.gouv.qc.ca
SASKATCHEWAN:
- Premier: Brad Wall
- P's Twitter: @PremierBradWall
- PHONE: office of Premier: (306) 787-9433
- Email: office of Premier: premier@gov.sk.ca
- Gov's Twitter: @SKGov
- FB: https://www.facebook.com/SKGov
- PHONE: http://www.gov.sk.ca/Contact
- WEB: http://www.gov.sk.ca/
- CLIMATE: http://environment.gov.sk.ca/climatechange
- Herb Cox - @helicoherb - Minister of Environment
Room 38, Legislative Building 2405 Legislative Drive
Regina, SK S4S 0B3
306-787-0393
http://environment.gov.sk.ca/Contact
YUKON:
- Premier: Darrell Pasloski
- P's Twitter: @YukonPremier
- PHONE: office of Premier: 867.667.8660
- Email: office of Premier: premier@gov.yk.ca
- Gov's Twitter: @yukongov
- FB: https://www.facebook.com/yukongov
- PHONE: 867-667-5811
- WEB: http://www.gov.yk.ca/
- CLIMATE: http://www.env.gov.yk.ca/air-water-waste/climatechange.php
- Wade Istchenko - @WadeIstchenko - Minister of Environment
2071 - 2nd Avenue
P.O. Box 2703
Whitehorse, YT Y1A 2C6
867-667-8628
environment.yukon@gov.yk.ca
