On Monday, May 13 Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson introduced Cartersa国际传媒檚 Law to the B.C. legislature.
Named for Carter Vigh, the 100 Mile House youth who passed away last summer due to an asthma attack induced by wildfire smoke, Cartersa国际传媒檚 Law seeks to amend the B.C. Wildfire Act and encourage government to consider health concerns caused by the way they manage wildfires.
sa国际传媒淭here have been times (lately) where we have incredibly high particulate levels in the air. The smoke can be so thick many of us cansa国际传媒檛 see the end of our driveways,sa国际传媒� Doerkson explained. sa国际传媒淲e know that Carter lost his life while having an asthma attack he couldnsa国际传媒檛 recover from and it happened partially because of the wildfire smoke in the air that day.sa国际传媒�
Doerkson said many throughout B.C. have asthma or other health concerns that wildfire smoke can impact. He added he has received calls from senior citizens complaining they cansa国际传媒檛 breathe. Some have gone as far as duct-taping their windows to seal the smoke out.
Cartersa国际传媒檚 Law would focus on safeguarding vulnerable populations with respiratory conditions. Doerkson said it will encourage B.C. Wildfire to not let wildfires burn for extended periods of time that they could extinguish. During summers like 2023 when more than 200 fires were burning across the province at some points, he said reducing the amount of smoke in an area in any way is important.
sa国际传媒渟a国际传媒楥artersa国际传媒檚 Lawsa国际传媒� isnsa国际传媒檛 just a piece of legislation; itsa国际传媒檚 a promise to our community to actively protect those most at risk sa国际传媒� our children and the elderly sa国际传媒� by prioritizing health considerations in wildfire smoke response,sa国际传媒� Doerkson explained. sa国际传媒淭his bill represents a heartfelt commitment to helping improve air quality management and safeguarding public health during the devastating wildfire seasons.sa国际传媒�
Watching from the gallery while Doerkson presented the bill was the entire Vigh family. Cartersa国际传媒檚 mother Amber Vigh said the trip was a bit of a whirlwind for her family who got a tour of parliament and met with B.C. United leader Kevin Falcon and speaker of the house Raj Chouhan.
Vigh said the law is just the latest in a list of incredible things happening in her sonsa国际传媒檚 name. She appreciates Doerkson naming the amendment for Carter and shining a light on his story.
sa国际传媒淐artersa国际传媒檚 Story is going so far and changing lives in so many different ways, itsa国际传媒檚 incredible,sa国际传媒� Vigh said. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 super proud wesa国际传媒檝e done as much as we have in the last 10 months and that Cartersa国际传媒檚 story has such a reach.sa国际传媒�
Vigh supports the contents of the bill. If anything she sees Cartersa国际传媒檚 Law as an important first step in protecting people like her son from poor air quality.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 just not the flames (of wildfires) that wreak havoc on our province. Even if the fire is burning 100 or 200 kilometres away from any infrastructure or human life, the smoke produced by these fires is travelling hundreds, even thousands, of kilometres and killing people,sa国际传媒� Vigh said. sa国际传媒淚 think theresa国际传媒檚 a lot that has to change in how we deal with forest fires and whatsa国际传媒檚 put into fighting them, but I think Cartersa国际传媒檚 Law is a huge step in the right direction.sa国际传媒�
Doerkson said he doesnsa国际传媒檛 anticipate any opposition from the government on the contents of Cartersa国际传媒檚 Law. If all goes well he said the bill could be voted into law during the fall legislature session, just before the anticipated provincial election.
sa国际传媒淚t will go on the order paper and then it will be up to the government to call it forward (for a vote). Sadly I donsa国际传媒檛 have control of that and of course, there is an election coming,sa国际传媒� Doerkson said.
sa国际传媒�(Presenting the bill) was an opportunity for me to explain to the legislature what Isa国际传媒檓 trying to achieve with this and an opportunity to share Cartersa国际传媒檚 story on a provincial scale.sa国际传媒�
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