▁the ▁ 4 2 nd ▁Canadian ▁Parliament . ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁that ▁position ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁Canadian ▁federal ▁election ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁Democratic ▁Party . ▁During ▁that ▁parliament ▁he ▁spons ored ▁three ▁private ▁member ▁b ills : ▁one ▁to ▁promote ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁wood ▁in ▁federal ▁public ▁works ▁projects , ▁one ▁to ▁add ▁various ▁la kes ▁and ▁rivers ▁to ▁N avig able ▁W aters ▁Prote ction ▁Act , ▁and ▁another ▁to ▁a ▁Minister ▁of ▁Environment ▁to ▁respond ▁to ▁a ▁Committee ▁on ▁the ▁Status ▁of ▁End anger ed ▁Wild life ▁in ▁Canada ▁report . ▁C ann ings ▁was ▁appointed ▁the ▁N DP ▁Crit ic ▁for ▁Post - Second ary ▁Education ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁Deput y ▁Crit ic ▁for ▁Natural ▁Resources ▁in ▁the ▁ 4 2 nd ▁Canadian ▁Parliament . ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁being ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁parliament , ▁C ann ings ▁un success fully ▁sought ▁election ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁legisl ative ▁assembly ▁of ▁British ▁Columbia ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁BC ▁election . ▁Prior ▁to ▁his ▁invol vement ▁in ▁politics , ▁C ann ings ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁bi ologist ▁special izing ▁in ▁birds , ▁taught ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁British ▁Columbia ▁for ▁ 1 7 ▁years , ▁author ed ▁numerous ▁books ▁about ▁birds ▁and ▁natural ▁history , ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Committee ▁on ▁the ▁Status ▁of ▁End anger ed ▁Wild life ▁in ▁Canada ▁for ▁ 8 ▁years . ▁He ▁is ▁an ▁al umn us ▁of ▁Memorial ▁University