Photo by Abdul Pirani
The Council of Canadians Montreal chapter attended a town hall meeting on climate change held by Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia on June 18.
Scarpaleggia’s promotion for the town hall stated, “You are invited to a Town Hall with Francis Scarpaleggia, Member of Parliament for Lac-Saint-Louis and Chair of the National Liberal Caucus, on the pressing issue of climate change. This public consultation is being held as part of Environment Minister Catherine McKenna’s initiative to engage Canadians nationwide in the conversation on Canada’s approach to climate change and clean growth. …This will be an opportunity for citizens to discuss solutions to the challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions as the federal government works with the provinces and territories to develop a pan-Canadian approach to combating climate change by putting a price on carbon and investing in green technologies.”
Chapter activist Abdul Pirani tells us, “At the town hall I made a point that while the Council of Canadians was appreciative of the government’s action for Syrian refugees and on Indigenous rights, they have a long way to go on climate change and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. I mentioned that exploitation of the tar sands and fracking are incompatible with climate justice, and that we are also concerned about the Site C dam, Lelu Island and LNG terminal development that poses a great risk and threat to BC waters and climate, as well as the way of life of Indigenous communities.”
Pirani highlighted that the federal government’s upcoming decisions on Site C, LNG development and the Energy East pipeline are all pivotal in relation to their promises on climate change.
After the event, Scarpaleggia posted on Facebook, “Great town hall this morning in Pointe-Claire on climate change. Thank you to all who came to express their support for climate action and to share their ideas and preferences for specific policy responses to this challenge. Wonderful to see (and hear) the Raging Grannies sing their profound concern for the future of our planet.”
The Council of Canadians supports the People’s Climate Plan initiative which says, “The Trudeau government plans to put forward a new national climate strategy for Canada before the end of 2016. We already know that oil lobbyists are gearing up to try and weaken any attempts to take bold action, and it’s up to us to make sure the voices of the people are heard first. That’s why, as Members of Parliament hold nation-wide public consultations on a national climate strategy this spring, we’ll be there every step of of the way, showing up and speaking up in support of a way forward that works for our communities and the planet.”
The three main Peoples Climate Plan demands that are being made to MPs at town hall meetings are:
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We want a plan that aligns with the science of climate change. Bold climate action ensures Canada meets its commitments to a 1.5°C world by keeping its fossil fuels reserves in the ground. -
We want a plan that builds a 100% renewable energy economy. Bold climate action ensures Canada transitions to a 100% renewable energy economy by 2050, creating over a million clean, safe and rewarding jobs. -
We want a plan that is justice-based. Bold climate action enshrines justice & reconciliation for Indigenous peoples, ensures no worker is left behind in the transition to a clean energy economy, and takes leadership from those hit hardest by the climate crisis.
Council of Canadians campaigner Andrea Harden-Donahue attended a town hall in Ottawa Centre hosted by federal environment minister Catherine McKenna on April 28, our Prairies-NWT organizer Brigette DePape and members of the Winnipeg chapter were at Liberal MP Terry Duguid’s townhall in Winnipeg (that also featured McKenna) on May 25, campaigner Daniel Cayley-Daoust attended the Ottawa South town hall with Liberal MP David McGuinty on May 25, and our NWT chapter is calling on Northwest Territories Liberal MP Michael McLeod to hold a town hall meeting in Yellowknife.
For more about the Peoples Climate Plan, please click here.
