A group that tracks records of environmental leadership have given their endorsement to South Okanagan – West Kootenay NDP candidate and incumbent MP Richard Cannings.
GreenPAC claims to be a non-partisan, non-profit organization that works to elect and support environmental leaders of all major parties running for office. They have selected 25 candidates from across Canada that they believe will champion environmental issues and push for bold policies.
“Our panel is looking for political leaders who know how to get things done when it comes to the environment. We are not looking at campaign promises or platforms or whether a candidate can spout back the right words on an issue. Rather, candidates are assessed on what they have accomplished on environmental issues” the organization wrote in a news release.
Cannings, who is an award-winning biologist and natural history author, introduced a private member bill in 2017 that resulted in improved timeliness policies around the Species at Risk Act.
READ MORE: Cannings introduces bill for species at risk
Cannings served as founding director of the Okanagan Similkameen Conservation Alliance, a member of the BC Environmental Appeal Board and co-chair of the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.
“I’m proud to once again receive an endorsement from GreenPAC for the upcoming federal election. I received this endorsement in 2015 as well and truly appreciate their confidence in my strong advocacy for science and the environment,” said Cannings.
“I entered politics to provide an experienced voice for the science and the environment. Climate change is the issue of our time and I want to continue my work across party lines to create bold government action on that front. The NDP has been effective before to create meaningful change in Canada, from universal health care to pensions, and we can be the catalyst again to meet the challenges facing us today,” he added.
GreenPAC said their list of candidates that they endorse comes after months of outreach and consultation with political parties, environmental organizations and sustainability experts. Other candidates who received endorsements include Green Party leader Elizabeth May; Joan Phillip, NDP candidate in Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola; and Wayne Stetski, MP for Kootenay-Columbia. In total, GreenPAC endorsed seven NDP, seven Liberals, six Greens, four Conservatives and one independent.
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