This map was created as part of a study by the University of Montreal. It shows how different ridings within Canada view global warming and climate change.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED / University of Montreal

KAMLOOPS - A study released by the University of Montreal offers insight into how Canadians view climate change, on a riding by riding basis, including Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo.

The aim of researchers was to create a geographic and statistical model is to downscale national public opinion results to the province and riding level.

With the study findings, researchers were able to  estimate and visualize differences in opinion across the country, allowing a clearer picture of the diversity of Canadian perceptions, attitudes, and support for policy to come into focus.

For instance, they estimate that nationally, 83 per cent of Canadians perceive that climate change is happening. Meanwhile, only 60 per cent in the Souris--Moose Mountain riding in Saskatchewan share this view, compared to 93 per cent in the riding of Halifax.

When asked if the earth getting warmer, 84 per cent of Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo residents said yes, which was one per cent higher than the national average.

Around 58 per cent of Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo residents said the Earth is getting warmer mostly because of human activity compared to 60 per cent nationally and 61 per cent in B.C.

When asked if they would support increased taxes on carbon-based fuels, 57 per cent in Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo said yes which is lower than the rest of the province, at 61 per cent and higher than the 54 per cent nationally.

It is clear that the majority of Canadians fear global warming will create issues and hardships in the coming years. Of those questioned, 42 per cent said they believe climate change will personally harm them in the future, and 66 per cent said the province has already seen negative effects of climate change.

While everyone had climate change on their mind this election cycle, we wanted a bit more personal information so we asked the candidates in the Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo about a hardship they have already faced, and their answers ranged from job loss to relationship and housing issues.

Kira Cheeseborough, Animal Protection Party of Canada

I have lived experience of homelessness, but I feel that story has been shared a lot already or can be easily found online. What I haven't talked about is my recovery from attempted suicide. I will spare the details as it may be retraumatizing for anyone reading with similar experiences, but finding a sense of purpose, hope, and meaningful connections were key components to my recovery.

Mental health has been an increasingly talked about issue, moving us towards the destigmatization of some illnesses, but not all. I can vividly remember my thoughts of desperation, the lonely emptiness I felt, and my previous traumatic experiences shaping my worldview of unworthiness and hopelessness. There was a period of regret after I had gone too far, but I had left it in the hands of fate to determine my worth to live. Luckily, I was given a second chance. My recovery was supported through counselling, seeking empowerment by taking ownership of my story and truth, sharing it with others on Twitch (a live streaming platform), and hosting charity events for suicide prevention/awareness organizations such as Project Semicolon and To Write Love On Her Arms. This afforded me a sense of control over my experiences that I felt was lacking. It helped me heal while bringing awareness on mental illness, engaging with thousands of other people internationally, and advocating for change.

Iain Currie, Green Party

I went through a separation and divorce in 2009 and this was definitely a low point for me. I got through it with the love and support of family and friends, and by learning -- after many setbacks and mistakes -- the importance of self-care and the necessity of building resilience.

Peter Kerek, Communist Party of Canada

I was wrongfully dismissed from my employer, the BC Government and Employee’s Services Union, in 2006, after I made a very public speech which was significantly critical of the NDP. Most of my colleagues and supervisors were active members of the NDP so I expected some backlash, but, I didn’t expect to be terminated entirely from a job I was very good at, from an employer whose very job was to protect the rights of workers. The President of the BCGEU at that time was George Heyman, who subsequently became an NDP MLA and Minister of the Environment. Mr. Heyman appears to have been rewarded by his willingness to do the dirty work of the NDP and quash any dissenting voices among his own staff and union membership.

This firing resulted in a complaint through the BC Human Rights Tribunal and I succeeded in getting a substantially favourable outcome because the employer had so obviously violated my rights, but, the Tribunal process does not limit the employer’s right to permanently end one’s career, regardless of cost, and they did as much shortly after the settlement was implemented.

I can’t say that I’ve fully overcome the financial penalty I’ve paid as a result of the loss of that very well-paying job as I’ve spent a number of years since then living below the poverty line.

None-the-less, I’ve continued fighting for the rights of working people and have been even more committed to the cause after seeing from the inside just how undemocratic and repressive employers are in Canada. I suppose the other good thing that came from all that was a realization that we really do need to fight a lot harder to defend the rights that our predecessors fought so hard to gain, and, we need to end the abuse of workers that the powerful distribute in Canada with relative impunity.

The Conservative, Liberal, and NDP candidates did not answer the questions by the time of publication.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Jenna Wheeler or call (250) 819-6089 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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