Only half of federal candidates attend environment forum for Halifax riding

The Green Party candidate for the federal riding of Halifax urged people at an environment forum Thursday night to "vote for what you believe in."

Jo-AnnRoberts made the comment after Liberal candidate Andy Fillmore warned that if the Conservative Party won, the country would go back to "environmental deregulation."

"Our Liberal team has a plan that is working," said Fillmore. "But if the Conservatives win, we kiss all that goodbye."

But Roberts disagrees with strategic voting scenarios.

"The only way not to get a Conservative is don't vote for a Conservative," said Roberts."If you vote for what you want, you get what you want."

Bruce Holland, the Conservative candidate for the Halifax riding, did not take part in the environment forum.

Event organizers said in an email to CBC thatthere was aconflict. Holland was scheduled to attend an event with Conservative Leader Andrew Scheerin Bedford Thursday night.

Event hosted by Ecology Action Centre

Duncan McGenn, a candidate for the People's Party of Canada, and Bill Wilson, with the Animal Protection Party, also did not attend the forum.

The event was hosted by the Ecology Action Centreand held on the Ummah Mosque and Community Centre.

It was one of 100 debates on the environment taking place across the country as part of a project coordinated by GreenPAC which, according to its website, is a non-partisan, non-profit organization focused on environmental leadership in politics.

In a news release, GreenPACreported the following turnout by federal candidates at the 100 debates Thursday by party:

• 96% of Liberals.
• 39% of Conservatives.
• 79% of NDP.
• 96% of Greens.
• 43% of People's Party.
• 100% Bloc Qubcois (for Quebec ridings only).

NDP candidate Christine Saulnier talked about an Environmental Bill of Rights that guaranteed people a healthy environment as well as eliminating subsidies to the oil and gas industry.

"I'm your climate justice champion," Saulnier said.

But Roberts questioned the NDP's plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

"They just don't go far enough," said Roberts."We've had scientists crunch the numbers."

Green support for electric vehicles

Roberts said the Green Party supports the idea of switching to all electric vehicles by not allowing any new vehicles with internal combustion engines after 2030.

Fillmore talked about the Liberal's national carbon tax and plans to create a Canada Water Agency.

But he also got the only boos of the night when he would not give a yes or no answer to a question about supporting the Alton Gas project along the Shubenacadie River.

All three candidates said they supported the elimination of single-use plastics and all of them were also opposed to fracking.