At least 21 chapters participated in People’s Climate March related actions this past weekend. As highlighted by Council of Canadians climate justice campaigner Andrea Harden-Donahue, those chapters included Campbell River, Powell River, Mid Island/ Nanaimo, Nelson, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, London, Peterborough, South Niagara, Hamilton, York University, Guelph, Brant, Montreal, Fredericton, Inverness County, Halifax, Moncton, South Shore and Charlottetown.
The Guardian reports, “A Climate Justice March was held at Province House in Charlottetown Sunday giving Islanders a chance to join in solidarity and to voice their concerns of climate change. …The march on P.E.I. was put on by The Council of Canadians, the Island Peace Committee and Earth Action. …Leo Broderick of the Council of Canadians said he believes climate change is the issue of the century. ‘We need renewable energy and we need to stop giving billions of dollars to the oil and gas industry in this country and concentrate on renewable.’ Broderick said it can be done because the technology is there. ‘I think today is an extremely significant day around the world. It does indicate that people are very concerned about the climate change issue.'”
The Cape Breton Post notes, “The Inverness County chapter of the Council of Canadians held a climate change march in Mabou on Sunday. Organizers say about 15 people showed up to take part in the local event, one of 2808 solidarity events around the world for the largest climate march in history.”
And the Castlegar Source says, “Dubbed the ‘People’s Climate March’, more than 250 Nelson and area residents joined the world in calling for action in Canada on climate change initiatives Sunday afternoon. …Presented by the West Kootenay EcoSociety, Kootenays for a Pipeline-Free BC, Nelson Chapter Citizens Climate Lobby, Nelson United Church, Council of Canadians Nelson Chapter and Kootenay Positive Action Team, the rally offered networking tools, environmental news, inspiration and a call to action.”
Council of Canadians activists – including Board members Steven Shrybman, Tracey Mitchell and Abdul Pirani, staff members Andrea Harden-Donahue, Tori Ball, and myself, as well as chapter activists Julie Picken-Cooper, Amit Praharaj and likely others – were present at the 400,000 person People’s Climate March in New York City. Mitchell and Ball were also present at the Flood Wall Street action yesterday.
These protests came on the eve of the United Nations climate summit that starts today without Prime Minister Stephen Harper in attendance. CTV reports, “Activists say the prime minister’s decision to send Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq to the climate summit is proof that he doesn’t care about climate change. The Council of Canadians wrote on its website that Harper’s choice to miss the meeting ‘is simply not good enough’.” That quote in the CTV news report was pulled from my blog Harper will be a no-show for UN climate summit next week. To read that blog, please click here.
The Council of Canadians continues to fight for climate justice and for system change, not climate change.
Photos: Climate actions in London, Montreal, Fredericton, Inverness County, South Shore, Charlottetown, Moncton and Powell River.