The University of Montreal offered an update on how Kelowna Lake Country feels about climate change.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/UnMontreal.com
October 09, 2019 - 5:30 PM
KELOWNA - A day rarely goes by without the topic of climate change being raised, but is it what you're thinking about?
A study recently released by the University of Montreal offered some insight into how Canadians view climate change on a riding by riding basis, and their findings included Kelowna - Lake Country.
Researchers created a geographic and statistical model is to downscale national public opinion results in 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 a 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, 83 per cent of Kelowna - Lake Country residents said yes, which was en par with the national average.
Around 59 per cent of Kelowna Lake-Country 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, 56 per cent in Kelowna - Lake Country said yes which is lower than the rest of the province, at 61 per cent and higher than the 54 per cent nationally.
To see all the results see the University of Montreal page.
While climate change is one of the issues facing all Canadians and addressed in party platforms we feel it's important to find out more about the candidates in your riding.
Given that there’s still time to decide, we want to offer you a bit more insight into what these candidates have to offer so we tried to ask something a little more personal.
So much of what we learn about candidates is from the highlight reel of accomplishments. We’d like to know a little more. So we asked candidates to give us one example of a hardship they faced in their life and how they overcame it.
Conservative Candidate Tracy Gray
In August 2003, my family and I were evacuated from our home due to the Okanagan Mountain Park fires. I had just opened a new business, Discover Wines, less than a month earlier. We cancelled our grand opening and one-third of Kelowna was evacuated while water bombers flew over head. Friends lost their homes and we had close friends who were firefighters. Our young son was drawing pictures of the fire in the sky and he thought every cloud was smoke.
My in-laws took us and two other families into their home for a week. We all supported each other. We took one moment, one day at a time. Even though we were out of our home, my husband and I volunteered to help others.
I needed to be strong for my family and employees. I dealt with a number of business issues that arose from our slow start. Discover Wines seemed to become a gathering place for people to tell their stories and connect with one another. This time showed me the importance of empathy, family and a community coming together.
NDP Candidate, Justin Kulik
Up until 2006, my mother and father had a restaurant called “The Laughing Moon” in the Mission. The building was bought and sold during our lease, so once it expired, the new owner decided not to renew our lease.
With the restaurant closed, we decided it was time to get somewhere else: Rossland, BC. Our new restaurant, “The Lovin’ Oven” was not as successful as in Kelowna, especially given the recession of 2008-2009 hitting at the same time. It wasn’t too long until my parents decided to separate, and we were no longer all living together under the same roof.
Naturally, it was a bit of a stressful period of time. I used those feelings in a productive manner, through the practice of the martial art of Taekwondo.
There are multiple paths one can take to cope with adversity, but for me, practicing resilience with productive outlets has been successful, and I had the pleasure of achieving my first degree black belt In November 2016.
Of course, I had help along the way – in the form of friends, teachers, and role models. I can truly say that without martial arts and other productive outlets focused on my physical, emotional, and mental health, I don’t know how I would face adversity.
LIberal Stephen Fuhr, the Green Party candidate Travis Ashley and the PPC candidate John Barr have yet to respond to their questionnaire. Independent candidates Daniel Joseph and Silverado Socrates will be on the ballot on Oct. 21 and were recently confirmed on the Elections Canada website. We will be reaching out to them.
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