A Greenpeace employee climbs a flagpole in front of the B.C. legislature the morning after a deal is reached between the NDP and B.C. Green Party to form a minority government. Black Press Photo

Golden is just one of 150 towns that are hosting a Green New Deal town hall conversation.

The town hall meetings are intended to help shape the vision for the Green New Deal of Canada, which would put environmental impacts near top priority for a federal government.

People from all walks of life are invited to join in on the conversation on Thursday, May 30. The location is yet to be determined, but participants can stay informed and register for the even at www.gndgolden.ca. Once a location is secured, it will be posted on the website.

The discussions will cover topics including cutting global warming pollution, seeing full implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the right to free prior and informed consent, and the truth and reconciliation recommendations, creating millions of green jobs, and making sure nobody gets left behind.

“It’s just gathering people’s thinking, and trying as much as possible to listen to what everybody has to say and identify areas that we can come together and start moving forward” said town hall host Kathy Simpson. “Helping people think about what’s really important to them.”

Simpson is co-hosting the event with Scott Weir.

The Green New Deal is described by a handful of organizations as a way to create jobs while working to overcome climate change, shifting Canada into a more environmentally friendly industry, while taking care of those who work in fossil fuel and energy sectors.

“I’m really concerned about it. I think almost everybody is concerned about what is happening,” Simpson said.

The Green New Deal is organized by Leadnow, a Canadian non-profit, multi-partisan citizens’ advocacy organization. Leadnow was founded in 2010,and was created by a group of young people who cared about a wide range of issues and wanted to create a new way for people to effectively participate in democracy.

After the discussion at each of the town hall meetings, organizers will gather all of the information and conversation topics, and put them all together to get a good picture of what environmental and Indigenous topics are important to Canadians.

“It’s just gathering the right messages from the ground, instead of this fighting back and forth between parties” Simpson said, adding that this is a way for regular people to have a voice, instead of relying on political leaders to make the right decisions.

With a federal election fast approaching, Simpson hopes the Green New Deal will become an election priority.

“There have been some changes in the way the government is going to manage,” she said. “We definitely will be inviting the existing government that we have… not to come and speak, but to come and listen and get a good understanding of what people in this community find important.”

Register for the Green New Deal town hall event in Golden, hosted on May 30 at 7 p.m., by visiting www.gndgolden.ca.