To the editor,
Most Canadians are aware that in a little over two months from now we will be heading out to the polls for a national election. This election may well be one of the most important elections we will ever participate in. Our world is fast approaching a critical point. Top scientists from around the world tell us that we have 12 years to make significant changes in the way we care for our world to prevent devastating changes in our environment.
Already we see the first small indications of these changes, these are small enough that they are often ignored. The changes that are coming will not be so easy to ignore, but, by the time we see those effects it will be far too late to stop them – we will speeding down the mountainside with no brakes. If we are to prevent this the decisions need to be made now.
Canadians by and large recognize this. Our federal government declared a climate emergency this spring, as have over 400 jurisdictions in Canada. A new cross-Canada poll by Abacus Data shows that over 80 per cent of Canadians believe that the climate emergency is a danger to their grandchildren and support changing to clean renewable energy and 75 per cent support massive investments by government to see this happen.
In order to ensure that the government elected this fall reflects these facts we need a separate dedicated leader’s debate on the climate emergency during the coming election.
Paul J. Boos, Nanaimo
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The views and opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the writer and do not reflect the views of Black Press or the Nanaimo News Bulletin. If you have a different view, we encourage you to write to us or contribute to the discussion below.