Climate change and forest fires. The focus for Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau as he campaigned in Vancouver on Wednesday.
There have been almost six thousand forest fires this season across Canada. The ten-year average is 4,506.
Trudeau promised if re-elected, the country would be better prepared for next year’s fire season.
“A re-elected Liberal government will invest $500 million ahead of the next fire season for the firefighters and equipment that provinces need,” says Trudeau. “To begin with, we’ll train at least one thousand more firefighters in communities across the country that can mobilize right away when a major burn starts. We know communities could have used more hands this year. So when next year comes around, this training means teams will be ready and complete.”
Trudeau went on to acknowledge the severity of climate change and the detrimental effects it has had on Canadians.
“When the interior of BC is burning up, when families are losing their homes to floods, farmers are losing their crops to droughts, we know we are facing a climate crisis, and we have to take even more action.”
Climate change is a focal point of this election. Many say it will play a significant role in who is elected on September 20.
All four major parties have released plans to tackle the climate crisis, including each one supporting carbon pricing in some capacity.
