Thomas Trappenberg has been running in various elections for the Green Party for the past sixteen years and he says the time to make meaningful change to the environment is running out.
The Dalhousie physics professor is seeking a seat with the federal government this time around as he aims to claim South Shore- St. Margaret’s for the Green Party.
“We are battling to prevent absolutely disastrous climate change and we are making surprisingly little progress,” Trappenberg says.
He recognizes that other issues like healthcare, housing, and indigenous reconciliation are dominating this election but he would like to see more focus put on the environment.
Trappenberg says the three major parties have failed previously on climate change and they need to start taking real action. The NDP say the environment is a priority but they still support a carbon economy, the Liberals always have big plans but rarely follow through and the Conservatives couldn’t even agree that man-made climate change is real,” Trappenburg says.
Trappenberg says Canada needs to move towards creating a green economy that is less reliant on carbon-based fuels. “We need to collaborate, all three parties say they have the solution but as I scientist I know we aren’t on track to find a way to make the necessary changes in time and with multiple parties in office there needs to be a more collaborative approach to finding solutions.”
The Greens are open to working with whoever ends up forming the government but he says unless the parties can get together to find a solution together rather than pointing fingers at one another the consequences will be dire.
On the issue of housing, the Green Party and Trappenberg support increasing the supply of affordable housing and they also plan on increasing wages to help Canadians earn a livable wage for today’s society.
