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We are in the middle of an election, in the middle of a pandemic. Many of you are confined to your homes or have lost jobs. Many of you are worried each day you send your child to school. Many of you are worried about your health and your future.
I’m worried too. I’m a mother and a teacher, and my focus has always been on making a positive impact on future generations. For the past 23 years in British Columbia, I have had the privilege of watching a generation of students, including my own children, become hard-working young adults. Unfortunately, I am sad to see the state of the world they are inheriting.
In 2003 my children, then five and seven, were playing in our front yard in Kelowna when, suddenly, in the intense heat of late August, they ran inside to tell me that it was snowing. Horrified, I realized that they were playing in ashes. We were evacuated the next day.
The Okanagan Mountain Park Fire displaced us, but our home was spared. We were the lucky ones. And then it happened again. And again. And again. Each year we break a new record. More homes are destroyed, and more forests are gutted. The fires burn faster and hotter than ever before, stunting the ability of the land to recover.
Climate change is imperilling the future we are leaving for our children. It is impacting their health and chances for prosperity. B.C.’s emissions are reaching new highs and these numbers don’t account for the massive emissions caused by wildfires. If we don’t take immediate and drastic action, our children will continue to experience worsening wildfire seasons.
Seasonal water shortages will become the norm. Drastic heat waves will cause excess deaths among the sick and elderly. Crops will become unreliable. There will be an increase in vector-born disease. All of these factors and more have been outlined in report after report. All of these factors will disproportionately harm women and people of colour. Canada is warming at twice the global average and we are running out of time.
I am imploring you to think carefully about who you vote for in this provincial election. Many of our children are not yet old enough to vote. We have a responsibility to vote with their future and best interests in mind. The political parties will focus on COVID-19 and economic recovery. They will say they will reinvigorate the tourism and hospitality sectors, but let’s be clear: without climate action, these sectors will become sunset industries.
I have encouraged my children and my students to be the change they want to see in the world. I have explained to them that if they aren’t part of the solution, they are part of the problem. The same is true for adults. Look at the climate plans that the BC Liberals, BC NDP and BC Greens offer us. Become informed. Bring integrity back by making an educated decision with your vote. This is not a criticism or plug for any particular party. It is simply a request that you take the time to learn about each of them, and if a party does not have a climate plan that prioritizes the survival of future generations over corporate profits, they do not deserve to be trusted with your vote.
I also tell my students to stand up for what they believe in. I believe in them and their futures. Do you? ![[Tyee]](/design-article.thetyee.ca/ui/img/yellowblob.png){kind=small}
Read more: BC Election 2020, Environment
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