Dogwood News This Week: 100 per cent legitimate

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Published on Sunday, 29 November -0001 16:00

Written by editor

Email Template r1 Your place for news and action Saturday, October 15 is municipal election day. Do you know who you’re voting for?

Whereas most folks rely pretty heavily on the track record and platform of political parties in provincial and federal elections, free-floating candidates in municipal races can be a little tricky to suss out. In bigger cities, the dozens of names on the ballots can be pretty overwhelming.

But don’t let that stop you! There are ways to identify... folks who share your values and will stand up for the issues you care about. Important decisions are made by municipal governments, not least of which are climate action measures like reducing pollution from buildings, housing and transportation, park and tree management, extreme weather response and more.

You can find a list of the candidates running on your district or municipality’s website. See if any friends or family know a few. Check if they’ve had an impact on your community through their work, as a volunteer, as a member of a parents’ group or sports club. If they have contact info, reach out and ask for their platform.

Do as much or little as you can, then get out and vote a week from today: Saturday, October 15.

And speaking of political parties… the BC NDP leadership race continues. The deadline to submit nomination papers has passed, which means the party is now vetting candidates — and, as it turns out, new memberships.

If you recently joined the BC NDP, you may get a call from the party. It can be a little disturbing to have someone call up with probing questions about your intentions, your previous political donation history or your allegiance to the NDP’s constitution. But remember: joining the governing party to have a say in how it makes decisions that will shape all our lives in B.C. is 100 per cent legitimate.

New member vetting is standard practice during leadership races, but some veterans say this time feels different: part of a wider pattern of party insiders and corporate lobbyists trying to protect their own power. The next few weeks will tell us a lot about the state of democracy within B.C.’s New Democratic Party.

Whatever happens, we’re grateful to everyone who’s stepped out of their comfort zones and stepped up to participate in the messy political process. Our democratic institutions are no doubt flawed, but there’s no way we’re going to win the changes we’re fighting for if we sit on the sidelines.

All the more reason to show up and cast your ballot on October 15. Read on to find more municipal election info and resources below.

• Revealed: the federal government knows Trans Mountain will never be profitable, but it’s fudging the numbers to hide the truth from Canadians – and preparing to write off $17 billion of debt. -National Observer
  
  
• The BC NDP are calling and e-mailing their new members, asking probing questions like why did they sign up, how did they hear about the race, and have they ever supported a different party? So… is this political party due diligence, or voter suppression? You be the judge. -The Maple
  
  
• Coastal GasLink’s parent company, TC Energy, regularly notes it has agreements with 20 First Nations along the pipeline route. But it’s more complicated than that. The Narwhal does a deep dive to map the tensions, and new threats on the horizon.
  
  
• The provincial government was in B.C. Supreme Court this week, facing allegations that they’ve broken their own climate change accountability law. -Vancouver Sun
  
  
• …something Premier Horgan certainly did not mention as he signed a climate deal with the Governors of Washington, Oregon and California. Critics point out that until B.C. stops expanding oil and gas, we’ll continue to be the climate laggard of the west coast. -Vancouver Sun
  
  
• The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment have filed a complaint against the false advertising tactics of Canadian gas companies, including Fortis. They accuse the companies of misleading the public about so-called natural gas and the danger it poses to people’s health. -National Observer
  
  
• Here’s a question: who is going to pay the spiraling costs of climate-driven disasters? Or, more to the point, who is currently paying their fair share and who are the deadbeats? -National Observer
  
  
• Heartbreaking video footage emerged from Heiltsuk territory this week, where record-low rainfalls have killed off thousands of migrating salmon. The story is happening across the province. -CBC
  
  
• Finally, a tipping point to celebrate: globally, jobs in clean energy now outnumber those in the fossil fuel sector. -We Forum
  
  
• Both Sun Life and Manulife insurance companies have promised to transition to net-zero by 2050. But the two major investors (surpassing a combined $3 trillion CAD in assets) put more money into coal this year than the last. Sun Life to the tune of $13.5 billion USD as of June, up 14 per cent from the $11.8 billion recorded last year. -National Observer
  
  
• “Why is the burden on us to prove to anyone, under threat of incarceration, why we were on our own territories conducting ceremony? Why have neither the Courts, the Province or the RCMP never had to prove their title and justification, legal or otherwise, for being here; for taking away and murdering our children; for polluting our waters and killing off our salmon?” - Secwepemc matriarch April Thomas, on trial and facing jail time for defending her territory from Trans Mountain construction.
  
  
• 77 Members of Parliament from four political parties stood up in the House of Commons and voted in favour of lowering Canada's voting age.

Get ready to VOTE in B.C.'s local elections!

Municipal elections are just around the corner: Saturday, October 15.

Local governments have a big role to play in tackling climate change, especially when it comes to cutting pollution from our homes and public buildings, and keeping people safe when catastrophes strike. Read more about why municipal governments matter on climate in the Tyee and from our friends at Wilderness Committee.

Your local paper is often the best source for candidate profiles and notices for all-candidate forums, not to mention speaking to friends, family or neighbours who may know candidates personally. And you can check your local municipality or regional district’s website for information about when and how to vote in advanced polls and on voting day.

Here are a few more resources that may be helpful:

- A climate report card for Vancouver City Council from the Tyee

- A profile of Vancouver’s ten political parties by the CBC

- A deep dive on Capital Regional District candidates’ stances on key issues, including climate by Capital Daily

- A map of climate champions running across B.C. according to the West Coast Climate Action Network climate (PLEASE NOTE: This map includes endorsements from local climate action groups and candidates who have put their own names forward for inclusion. Dogwood has not vetted or endorsed the candidates on this map ourselves and encourage you to do your own research)

- A general explainer from Capital Daily on what the heck mayors, councillors, regional district directors and school trustees actually do.

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Take action

This week a new report revealed that the federal government has been fudging the numbers on Trans Mountain’s balance sheet to prevent the truth from coming out: this pipeline will never be profitable.

The only way a buyer will come anywhere near this toxic project is if the government writes off $17 billion of Trans Mountain’s debt, and sticks taxpayers with the bill.

This would be a massive gift to oil companies already raking in unprecedented profits, and an insult to Canadians struggling in the face of the skyrocketing cost of living. It would also make a mockery of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s promise to cut off the flow of public money to Trans Mountain.

Don’t let them get away with it. Tell the Liberals to stop spinning lies, stop throwing good money after bad and put Trans Mountain out of its misery.

Even if you’ve sent a message in the past, send one again. The government needs to know we’re paying attention and aren’t going to fall for their accounting tricks.

Thank you for reading Dogwood News This Week If climate action, democracy and social justice matter to you, please become a monthly donor. Your support is greatly appreciated!
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