Responses to environmental candidate survey for the 2019 Manitoba provincial election.

Full question: Peatlands are climate powerhouses covering only three per cent of the world’s surface while sequestering 30 per cent of the world’s carbon. As one-third of Manitoba is covered in peatlands, will you commit to a protected areas goal for peatlands?

Green Party of Manitoba

The Green Party of Manitoba central office sent a response on behalf of most of their candidates. See exceptions below.

The Green Party of Manitoba policy is to ban peat mining.

Liz Clayton, Green Party of Manitoba, Agassiz

Our policy calls for a ban on peat mining.  

Martha Jo Willard, Green Party of Manitoba, Notre Dame

Peatlands are critical protectors of our carbon.  Burning of peat releases not only carbon dioxide but also methane (which is 34x more damaging than carbon dioxide to our atmosphere’s warming).  These lands must not be disturbed in order to minimize release of carbon to the atmosphere.

Janine Gibson, Green Party Manitoba, Steinbach

Peatlands are climate powerhouses covering only three per cent of the world’s surface while sequestering 30 per cent of the world’s carbon. As one-third of Manitoba is covered in peatlands, I am strongly committed to protected area goals for peatland. I have worked to educate Manitobans on this issue in the past and continue to do so.

Andrea Shalay, Green Party of Manitoba, Union Station

The Green Party of Manitoba policy is to ban peat mining.

David Nickarz, Green Party Of Manitoba, Wolseley

[Peat mining] Never, anywhere in Manitoba.  

PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE PARTY OF MANITOBA

No response. 

Manitoba NDP

The Manitoba NDP central office sent a response on behalf of all of their candidates.

“We support a coordinated, comprehensive approach to protecting peatlands in Manitoba. We supported the moratorium on peat extraction from peatlands that was first instituted in 2010 and are committed to working with stakeholders to developing and implementing a protected areas goal for peatlands in our province.”

Manitoba Liberal Party

The Manitoba Liberal Party central office sent a response on behalf of most Liberal candidates. See exceptions below.

As part of our Manitoba Liberal Green Plan, we understand the role that peatlands and forests play in the role of carbon storage. Manitoba’s peatlands and forests store massive amounts of greenhouse gases, preventing them from negatively impacting the rest of our world. Manitoba Liberals will improve Manitoba’s land management policies to optimize carbon storage in the environment by partnering with stakeholders, and providing incentives for wetland restoration and enhancing forested areas.

Dr. John Gerrard, Liberal Party, River Heights

I believe we need a stewardship plan for the boreal forest region of Manitoba and the associated peatlands.  This plan needs to be developed with varied stakeholders including First Nation and Metis and Inuit people in Manitoba.  This plan needs to take into account the reality of global warming and its impact.   The plan needs to look at options for storing increasing amounts of carbon in the boreal forest and peatlands of Manitoba and the results of the studies in this respect need to be shared with the people of Manitoba, and especially the people currently living in and the people currently visiting in the boreal forest.  The challenges of stewardship in the context of global warming are substantial.   We do need a goal in terms of protecting peatlands.  I suspect we need to start by determining the area of peatlands which is currently in "protected area" status.