Windsor

Ask a candidate: Where do parties stand on climate change?

In a new feature to connect voters with the candidates, CBC News went out to ask local candidates a question from viewer Taryn Azzopardi
Taryn Azzopardi, a fourth-year student at the University of Windsor, reached out to CBC News to find out how local candidates planned to address climate change. (Joana Draghici/CBC)

To Taryn Azzopardi, environmental concerns have taken a back seat to issues like the economy in the federal election.

"I thought, 'Why haven't I heard about the environment in election platforms, where does the environment rank?'" she said. "One hundred years from now, Canada is going to be a very different place if we don't take action now. I want to do everything I can to make sure they have a cool place to grow up in, so they can swim in Lake St. Clair and breathe the air without getting asthma attacks."

CBC News went out to bring her question to three local candidates.

If you have any questions you'd like to pose to candidates in Windsor and Essex County, email [email protected] or post your question to CBC Windsor's Facebook page.

Taryn's question

"How are you going to help transform Canada from a petroleum-based country to a country more concerned about the environment? What kind of jobs are going to replace the jobs in the oilsands into more environmentally friendly jobs that will still keep our economy going?"

Cheryl Hardcastle — NDP Windsor-Tecumseh

"Our federal government would remove the subsidies for fossil fuels right now. Those dollars are going directly to corporations that are providing the fossil fuels."

David Sundin — Liberal Windsor West

"The answer to that is we start diversifying and looking at things like green technology and the Liberal party is committed to that. Justin Trudeau has announced a $200-million annual investment in green technology for industry-specific sectors."

Henry Lau — Conservative Windsor West

"Climate change, it's an international issue," he said. "We want to be focused on jobs and the economy, especially for Windsor."