48 essential proposals to integrate into the different electoral platforms
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Montreal, August 26, 2022 – With the call of the Quebec elections, Vire au vert, a coalition of environmental groups and citizens, reiterates its expectations regarding the environment and puts pressure on the parties so that they put environmental issues at the heart of the electoral campaign.
“The consequences of climate change and the decline of biodiversity are felt in all spheres of our daily lives. What concrete and ambitious solutions will the parties present in terms of mitigation and adaptation to the climate crisis and environmental protection? “, ask the groups of the Go Green initiative.
48 environmental proposals
In June, Go green asked political parties to integrate 48 proposals essential environmental issues to their electoral platform and to debate them during the next campaign. These proposals are grouped into 7 thematic groups:
1. climate and energy;
2. transportation and development;
3. agriculture and food;
4. biodiversity and natural environments;
5. eco-taxation and natural economy;
6. integrated water management;
7. equitable environmental and climate governance.
The demands of the environmental community are not only aimed at responding to strictly environmental interests, but also aim to improve the economy, public health and resilience in the face of climate issues.
The importance of debate on climate issues
The environment can no longer be treated as a parallel issue: it cuts across economic, societal, health and education issues. This is the reason why Go green also calls on the media to organize a leaders' debate focusing exclusively on solutions to the environmental crisis. Remember that during the leaders' debates of the 2018 election campaign, only 16 minutes were allocated to the environment*. The place given to the environment must increase considerably, to follow the wishes of the population: nearly 17,000 people have signed a petition to set up this kind of debate. The Quebec population has the right to know and understand what the parties and their candidates intend to present as solutions to environmental issues.
Likewise, Go green invites candidates to participate in the Debates week Go green which will take place in several ridings across Quebec from September 18 to 25. These non-partisan debates and interviews will focus specifically on environmental issues and solutions to the climate and biodiversity crisis with candidates from provincial ridings. Already around thirty groups are mobilized to organize these activities in their region.
The message from the Quebec population is clear: the government must do better on the environment
73% of Quebecers expressed last June their growing concerns about the crisis and its impacts on their health and finances. Go green encourages the population to keep an eye on the electoral platforms to ensure that they properly integrate environmental priorities.
The multidimensional impacts of the crisis require multidimensional solutions. Parties are strongly encouraged to get involved, to increase their ambition, to act quickly, coherently and inclusively, in the name of the crisis that threatens Quebec society.
The 2022 provincial elections will be most decisive for our future. The next government will have the moral responsibility to prioritize the fight against climate change and to put the environment at the center of all its decisions.
-30-
About Go green
Go green is a citizen mobilization initiative that puts environmental issues at the heart of elections in Quebec. This initiative is intended to be a space intended for citizens and elected officials to inform themselves and mobilize on environmental issues during the next elections.
Media contact
Équiterre, Mathilde Condrain-Morel, media relations
514-605-2000; mcondrainmorel@equiterre.org
David Suzuki Foundation, Charles Bonhomme, public affairs and communications specialist,
438-883-8348 | cbonhomme@davidsuzuki.org
Living in the City, Samuel Pagé-Plouffe, director – public and government affairs,
514-714-6762 | samuel.page-plouffe@vivreenville.org
Quebec Association of Physicians for the Environment (AQME), Patricia Clermont, coordinator,
438-356-2305 | patricia@cape.ca
Useful links : Book of Proposals; https://www.vireauvert.org
Social networks: Facebook, Instagram, Youtube
Notes to editors:
*Note that in 2018, during “Face-à-Face Québec 2018” organized by TVA, no segment was dedicated to climate and the environment. This was briefly discussed in the “Economy and public finances” segment, at the very end of the debate. During the same exercise
presented on Radio-Canada, “The Great Leaders’ Debate 2018”, only 16 minutes were devoted to it over the two hours.
Go green carried out a Web Survey (press release) among 1,004 Quebecers who can speak French or English. Data was collected from May 27 to 29, 2022. Results were weighted based on gender, age, native language, region, education level and presence of children in the household to ensure a representative sample of the Quebec population. The maximum and presumed margin of error on a sample taken from a panel is ± 3.1%, 19 times out of 20.
