The Edmonton Journal reports that, “Climate-change activists who occupied Labour Minister Rona Ambrose’s constituency office in a peaceful protest Wednesday were issued trespassing tickets after a conversation with the minister failed to resolve their concerns. …The group was there to demand the federal government commit to combating climate change. …Ten people walked into the west-end office at 11 a.m. Nine were ticketed seven hours later.”
“The protesters are not affiliated with any particular group, said Martin Tweedale, one of the people who sat in chairs and on the floor in Ambrose’s office. Although the group consisted mostly of younger people, Tweedale, a University of Alberta professor emeritus in philosophy, is in his 70s. …Tweedale said they want the government to take a much more aggressive stance on the problem of climate change. They also want it to acknowledge the justice of the claims of affected communities around the world.”
“’People in my generation have been partying on fossil fuels for the last 60 years,’ Tweedale said. ‘Now we’ve trashed the house and it looks like we expect the next generation to clean it up. I feel very bad about that, especially when I think of my own grandchildren.’”
As many of you will know, Martin is also a long-time member of the Edmonton chapter. Martin’s partner Maureen, University of Alberta chapter activists Keely Kidner and Kevin Force, and Prairies administrative assistant Denise Ogonoski were also present for the protest.
The full article can be read at http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/cityplus/story.html?id=41b40e1e-7874-4aa1-ac7f-e1aef6deb14d.
