MP Richard Cannings will host a town hall about his party’s Green New Deal in Penticton on Thursday.
Also attending will be MP Peter Julian, who put forward the first motion in Canadian parliament that calls for a Green New Deal.
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The motion is inspired by similar legislation initiated in the United States by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Ed Markey. Law makers in countries around the world are currently looking into introducing similar legislation.
The Green New Deal is the call for a government-led mobilization to make the investments necessary to stop climate change and income inequality, reads a media release. It calls for public investments in renewable energy, building retrofits and electric vehicles to drastically reduce our carbon emissions while creating well-paying, unionized jobs.
“We are at a critical moment. We must act now, and we must act boldly. It is a time when we all have to face the climate crisis for what it is—a crisis—and work together across borders and across party lines. The Green New Deal is a chance to tackle the issue of our time,” said Cannings.
“The Power to Change plan is not only about addressing climate change, it is also about making sure that all Canadians, including the workers in fossil fuel industries, can easily transition to good jobs in our new green economy.”
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Cannings is hosting Julian for the town hall from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 1 at the Penticton Public Library Auditorium. The two members of parliament invite community members to discuss their vision for a Green New Deal in Canada which aims to make the economy fairer and ensure that no one is left behind.
The town hall comes on the heels of increased environmental mobilization in Penticton through groups such as First Things First Okanagan and Penticton Rising.
“It is inspiring to see communities gathering to fight climate change, but we as legislators need to be leading the charge and ensuring governments are taking up this battle,” Cannings said.
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