The issue of climate change was invoked in the election campaign on Sunday, at the dawn of a week of climate that will culminate in the big demonstration on Friday in the presence of activist Greta Thunberg.
If curator Andrew Scheer will not be there, many of his opponents have announced their presence in Montreal, where several events will be held as part of Climate Action Week.
Scheer said a busy election calendar, but said conservative candidates will march for the climate next Friday. "Personally, no, I'm in another part of the country," he said Sunday, campaigning in Canoe Cove, Prince Edward Island. He insisted, however, that he has "always supported groups that want more action on the environment".
An election issue
In the process, he criticized the plan of Justin Trudeau, which he says, regress Canada. He reiterated that "the carbon tax does not work". This instrument is the Liberals' main measure to achieve the goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30% by 2030 compared to the 2005 level.
On Sunday, a report released on the eve of a UN climate summit indicates that the global average temperature for the 2015-2019 period is expected to be the highest ever recorded.
For Justin Trudeau, his party is the "only one with a credible plan to fight climate change and protect our environment for future generations." He has also confirmed his presence in Montreal in addition to promising major announcements this week.
Preventing crises, says the NDP
Passing through flood-hit Gatineau, New Democrat Jagmeet Singh acknowledged that there is a "climate emergency" and argues that his environmental plan is "strong", unlike the Liberals, which has " criteria so limited.
He lamented that previous governments have "failed to take responsibility for helping families". He believes the Trudeau government has let down the disaster while the "Conservatives do not understand that there is a climate crisis. They do not want to act, "he said, adding the need to" take concrete action "to deal with climate change.
Jagmeet Singh believes that Ottawa needs to provide more funding for municipalities and promises to invest $ 2.5 billion, which will allow them to have adequate infrastructure to withstand floods and other extreme weather events.
For its part, the Bloc went back on its proposal for a new "green" equalization formula, which will replace the current program that "endorses the exploitation of western oil," according to its leader Yves-François Blanchet, who campaigned in Mauricie.
As for the Greens, they are calling for a complete ban on the production, distribution and sale of all non-essential, single-use, petroleum-based plastics by January 2022.
Mr. Blanchet and Elizabeth May also confirmed their presence in Montreal next Friday.