Environment tops Earth Day election campaign agenda
Last Updated: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 | 7:58 PM PT
CBC News
B.C. NDP Leader Carole James says it was necessary to take an aerial view to see examples where environmental protection is being overlooked in B.C. (CBC) The B.C. NDP was ridiculed Wednesday for taking its election campaign to the skies on Earth Day amid its emphasis on reducing carbon footprints.
NDP Leader Carole James spent more than two hours in the air on a float-plane tour of independent power projects near Squamish, halfway between downtown Vancouver and Whistler's high alpine.
Back on land, James faced questions about how she could justify a tour that burned an estimated 330 kilograms of aviation fuel.
"It was important today, on Earth Day, to see some examples where environmental protection isn't being looked after," James said.
The New Democrats have renewed their call for a moratorium on independent power projects in the province, but James stopped short of advocating an outright ban, saying some small run-of-river hydro projects may be environmentally acceptable.
B.C. Liberal Leader Gordon Campbell says his party is committed to building business opportunity while helping restore the environment. (CBC) Proper environmental assessments are needed when the power projects cover large pieces of land, she said.
"It really struck me how important it is that we… put a proper environmental process in place, that we make sure we take a look at the cumulative impact of those independent power projects on rivers," James said.
B.C. Liberal Leader Gordon Campbell, scoffing at the NDP's way to observe Earth Day, said the Liberals grounded their campaign airplane Wednesday to reduce their carbon footprint.
The Liberals took their campaign to the Burrard Inlet for a boat tour of the water perimeter of Vancouver's new convention centre. Campbell said his boat trip consumed 90 per cent less fuel than the NDP's plane tour.
Campbell highlighted his party's commitment to "green" economic development projects — a commitment he said is lacking in the NDP environmental platform.
"If you look at their record, they're one of the most anti-environmental parties in the country," he said.
"It's important for us to think about the things that we can do to build economic opportunity as well as help restore the environment."
Green party criticizes NDP
Jane Sterk, leader of the Green Party of B.C., told hundreds of people at an Earth Day rally in downtown Vancouver to shy away from the NDP.
Sterk and 14 other Green Party candidates attended the afternoon rally at the Vancouver Art Gallery. She called the NDP a party that's out of touch with voters.
"I have much more respect for voters than the NDP does," Sterk said. "They're concerned that some of their traditional voters that they've taken for granted for years… are now saying the NDP is not living up to my expectation on climate change [and] on electoral reform.
"I'm personally tired of the argument that our votes belong to the NDP. They, of course, don't belong to the NDP; they belong to the people who choose to vote for us," Sterk said.
The B.C. provincial election takes place on May 12.
