The youth-led #ClimateStrike is taking the world by storm. Council of Canadians Chapters supported rallies across Canada today in solidarity with the powerful movement sparked by Greta Thunberg.

Happy International Women's Day from Council Chapters — a day to recognize women's achievements and acknowledge the challenges they continue to face in the quest for gender equality.

Check out these fantastic events #CouncilChapters have planned for the month of March. Be in touch if you are interested in getting involved in a chapter near you.

The South Shore chapter hosted a screening of the visually-stimulating documentary Anthropocene: The Human Epoch this past Friday in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, with 150 people in attendance. The film as described on their website: “At the intersection of art and science, ANTHROPOCENE: The Human Epoch witnesses in an experiential and non-didactic sense a critical moment in geological history — bringing a provocative and unforgettable experience of our species’ breadth and impact.”

The Comox Valley Chapter of the Council of Canadians is co-hosting a public forum to look at the future of LNGs, pipelines and fracking in the province. People will have a chance to hear from local speakers about the impacts of LNG projects and everything that happens on the way to the export facility.

As noted on the Facebook event page, people are invited to “come learn more about Fracking for LNG and its impact on Northern B.C. and the First Nations who live there. As well as the natural gas we burn, there’s a local connection with the (now ‘on pause’) Kwispaa LNG project proposed for Barkley Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island.”

Council chapters are made up of volunteers who work with local community groups, organized labour and others to promote the Council’s campaigns to protect water and public health care, work for fair trade, climate justice and democracy as well as other issues of social and economic concern. Check out some of our chapters’ recent actions below and be in touch if you are interested in getting involved in a chapter near you.

In a recent article, NOW Toronto examines how social justice organizations, labour, environmental groups and others are coming together in new ways to fight Premier Doug Ford’s regressive austerity agenda in Ontario.

With new cuts announced every week, including recent leaked documents that reveal Premier Ford’s plan for significant health care privatization, the Ford government’s threats to Ontario’s social programs are constant, as is the need for groups to collaborate.

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently told us we need to do more – quickly – on climate change, but our provincial government is trying to get away with doing even less.

More than a year ago, the Saskatoon chapter of the Council of Canadians asked its city council to consider becoming a Blue Community, including banning the sale of bottled water in city facilities. The request prompted a review of the city’s ability to provide public tap water in municipal facilities ­– and the results were not positive.

Saskatoon municipal staff recently delivered a report rejecting the proposal to ban bottled water, revealing that municipal facilities such as arenas and recreation centres do not have adequate water fountains and refilling stations to meet users’ needs. The Saskatoon chapter’s request put a clear spotlight on the question of access to public water.

Council of Canadians supporters and chapter activists have been taking part in solidarity actions from coast to coast to coast, and there are many more planned.Find an upcoming event near you here, and find more ways to stand in solidarity via the Wet'suwet'en Strong Supporter Toolkit that has been released.