Three government leaders are set to join a virtual town hall about a green recovery Thursday afternoon on the Zoom platform.
Cowichan-Malahat-Langford MP Alistair MacGregor, Cowichan Valley Green Party MLA, Sonia Furstenau, and City of Duncan Mayor Michelle Staples will be on a call that will discuss how the firing up of the economy needs to include environmentally-friendly solutions.
“Though many are currently campaigning for a return to normal, we cannot let this happen. A return to normal is resuming a course towards climate chaos,” said Katia Bannister, one of the leaders of the Cowichan Valley Earth Guardians.
“We need a green recovery plan at all levels of government that will put us on a regenerative and equitable path moving forwards,” added Bannister.
Furstenau said the COVID19 pandemic has forced everyone to hit the pause button and now’s the time to bring environmental consciousness and sustainability to the fore.
“More of an environmental vision and a sustainable vision, but also recognizing that we want to focus on jobs and projects that provide benefit across the whole province, that make us more secure, stable and resilient,” said Furstenau.
She said, “I think one of the things that the crisis has highlighted is that we need to work on our resiliency.”
Furstenau said that resiliency comes in many forms.
“Whether that’s having a more stable supply chain so that we can have the goods that we need in BC being manufactured in BC; things like gowns, masks, and respirators, but also our food security is put front and centre, our energy resiliency,” said Furstenau.
Furstenau continued, “I think it’s just a time for us to really recognize that we want to face future crises feeling a lot more secure and prepared than we are right now.”
“This pandemic has brought home what it’s like to parent through a crisis,” said Galen Armstrong a local dad and organizer with For Our Kids, a national network of parents concerned about climate change. “I don’t want my kids going through repeated crises driven by climate change. We have an opportunity to build back better.”
The Zoom conversation goes at 3:30 Thursday afternoon and a link to register for the chat is available here.
