The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) Manitoba Chapter released responses to its all-party provincial election questionnaire April 13.
The questionnaire, made up of questions developed with input from CPAWS members, focuses on four topics of relevance to the boreal forest that covers 80 per cent of Manitoba: the health of Lake Winnipeg, threatened woodland caribou populations, community-led land-use planning and protected areas.
“A 2015 Probe Research poll shows 88 per cent of people in Manitoba want the majority of the boreal protected from industrial developments,” said Ron Thiessen, executive director of CPAWS Manitoba, in a press release. “Also, as recent voter polls have shown the environment to be top of mind, it is key that citizens know the perspectives and plans of political parties for the boreal of Manitoba, part of the world’s largest intact forest ecosystem.”
Three of Manitoba’s four major political parties – the Greens, Progressive Conservatives and NDP – responded to the questionnaire and their answers can be seen at www.cpawsmb.org/upload/responses.pdf. The responses are also being distributed to more than 100,000 Manitobans via social media and hundreds of people signed an online petition in support of the request for party responses.
“There is a growing wave of rightsholders and stakeholders that support the scientist-based recommendation for large-scale protection of the natural infrastructure that we all depend on,” said Thiessen. “The boreal region offers the province’s best opportunity for long-term planning for a balance of conservation and the development of prosperous economies. We’re hopeful the party that forms government on April 19 will make Manitoba the Canadian leader in boreal protection and sustainable economic development.”
CPAWS encourages citizens to review the questionnaire and contact candidates in their area for responses and public election commitments concerning Manitoba’s boreal forest.
