June 14, 2023
With federal by-elections slated for Monday, June 19, CPAWS-Manitoba surveyed candidates from all parties in the Winnipeg South Centre riding with a questionnaire on nature and wildlife conservation, collecting responses related to protecting 30% of Manitoba’s lands and waters by 2030.
CPAWS-Manitoba sought answers from federal by-election candidates on the following questions:
- Do you, as a federal candidate in the June 2023 by-elections in Manitoba, commit to supporting the protection of 30% of Manitoba’s lands and inland waters by 2030 for future generations?
- Will you work with the next Manitoba government as it prepares a 30×30 action plan that permanently protects Manitoba’s habitat for polar bears, caribou, ducks and endangered wildlife?
- Will you support a 30×30 action plan that preserves peatlands, wetlands and forests which clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, control flooding and fight climate change by storing carbon?
- Will you commit to supporting Indigenous-led conservation which will help protect 30% of Manitoba by 2030 in the spirit of reconciliation?
The Responses
There was no response from the Conservative and Rhino parties. Written responses were delivered by the New Democrat Party, Liberal Party, and Green Party candidates in Winnipeg-South Centre, and here are their responses:
Julia Riddel, New Democrat Party
The NDP supports the goal of 30% protection of our land and water, including oceans. As an MP I will commit to continue to supporting that goal, by or before the 2030 deadline, which is only 7 years away.
Protection of wildlife in Manitoba is an important part of the 30×30 goal. As a Federal MP, I will work with partners at the provincial level to see how we are best suited to help them achieve that goal as well. We cannot achieve 30×30 nationally if any province falls behind.
The goal of protecting peatland specifically, in concertation with Indigenous communities, is one that we also agree on. The NDP is committed to implementing all 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We support 100% of the Calls to Action, which includes CTA #92, calling upon the corporate sector to adequately consult and apply Indigenous principles when managing Indigenous land.
Ben Carr, Liberal Party
Do you, as a federal candidate in the June 2023 by-elections in Manitoba, commit to supporting the protection of 30% of Manitoba’s lands and inland waters by 2030 for future generations?
Water is Canada’s most precious natural resource, and protecting our region’s water is a high priority for me, and for the Liberal team. It was the Liberal government that set the goal of conserving 30 percent of Canada’s land and water by 2030, and as the Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South Centre, I will work with our Liberal team to continue protecting our precious water resources.
The Liberal government also knows that protecting our environment also means tapping into the green economy and creating more good middle-class jobs. Our Liberal team is moving forward to create the Canada Water Agency, which will have its headquarters right here in Winnipeg, that will create good middle class jobs, and enable us to work with all levels of government and Indigenous communities. Part of the reason Winnipeg was chosen as the new headquarters is because of the generations of leadership in our province to protect freshwater, and I will work with our Liberal team to ensure that leadership continues into the future.
Will you work with the next Manitoba government as it prepares a 30×30 action plan that permanently protects Manitoba’s habitat for polar bears, caribou, ducks and endangered wildlife?
Since 2015, the Liberal government has been working with the Government of Manitoba to support water and environmental conservation in our province. Just last year, the Liberal government jointly announced $42 million in funding for four water projects that will improve system efficiency and protect local communities and their environments in Manitoba. Similarly, this year, the two governments reached a conservation agreement to protect Boreal caribou and ensure the species’ recovery and protection.
The Liberal team in Ottawa has worked collaboratively with the Government of Manitoba, and they’ll continue to work to protect Manitoba’s ecology for years and decades to come, and as your next Member of Parliament, I will be an outspoken advocate for protecting our environment and delivering real climate action.
Will you support a 30×30 action plan that preserves peatlands, wetlands and forests which clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, control flooding and fight climate change by storing carbon?
Yes, absolutely. The Liberal government knows the importance of protecting different habitats, and that’s why the government is taking action to protect them. Whether it’s protecting and preserving wetlands home to many kinds of species that also help protect against flooding, or our work to plant 2 billion trees across the country, our Liberal team will continue to take real climate action. As your next Liberal Member of Parliament, I will work to support the government’s plan for biodiversity conservation to deliver clean air and protect our environment, and I will be a strong advocate for the 30×30 plan in Parliament.
Will you commit to supporting Indigenous-led conservation which will help protect 30% of Manitoba by 2030 in the spirit of reconciliation?
Indigenous Peoples are key partners on the path to halting and reversing biodiversity loss in Canada, and have a deep traditional and cultural understanding of land management and conservation. The Liberal government recognizes this and is fully committed to working in partnership with Indigenous communities, like through the Indigenous Guardians nature conservation initiative, to help ensure lands, waters, and ice are protected for generations to come.
As the Vice-President of Indigenous Strategy Alliance, I know first hand the importance of walking down the shared path of reconciliation, together. And as your next Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South Centre, I will work closely with Indigenous communities to support Indigenous-led conservation efforts that protect our natural environment.
Douglas Hemmerling, Green Party
As the federal Green Party candidate for Winnipeg South Centre, I fully support CPAWS in all of your initiatives to protect 30% of Manitoba’s lands and waters by 2030 as laid out in the Kunming-Montreal Global Targets. If I get elected as the MP for the area I will cooperate with all levels of government to ensure we provide the necessary resources for protection of our biodiversity in Manitoba.”