It’s Getting Hot In Here

So far, 33 communities across Canada are organizing actions for the International Day of Climate Action on December 8, timed for the midpoint of the UN Climate Negotiations. But more important than the number, is where these actions are being organized. This year, its not just the big cities of Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, etc. There’s an action in almost every provincial capital (maybe Victoria felt scooped by Vancouver?), plus 5 other actions throughout New Brunswick, 5 more in British Columbia. There’s North Bay, Ontario, which is, like it sounds, a rural Northern Ontario community. Of these, youth are among the primary organizers in about a quarter, and will be prominent in attendance at all. (You should go right now and find your rally at: www.climatechaos.ca)

It’s amazing, its absolutely mind blowing! Last year, there were 6 rallies in Canada. So why the change?  Last year, Canada had a still-new government that, while presumed to be hostile/indifferent to acting on climate change, had yet to actually declare that we weren’t even going to try to reach Kyoto targets, and we hadn’t yet joined the Asia Pacific Partnership. Since that last Day of Climate Action, the government has responded not by taking the concerns of the public and ENGOs seriously, but by changing the cabinet minister and expanding their vocabulary while continuing to slash funding to climate change programming, subsidize oil, and produce inadequate reduction plans.

So what should the December 8 plans tell you, Mr Harper? We ain’t buying it. Thousands of people across Canada have seen through your doublespeak, and we’re calling your bluff. You can’t keep saying “we believe in emissions reductions” and fund the tar sands. You can’t keep blaming China and India for using the wrong baseline year (2006 instead of 1990) in domestic federal emissions targets. You think (suddenly, yesterday) 2 degrees is a dangerous level of climate change?? — THEN ACT.  This December 8, we are.

To insure the Canadian government doesn’t miss the impact of the 33 communities who took the time to tell the government that Canada believes better, the Canadian Youth Delegation will be delivering photos for the events to the official delegation. It’s sure to be an exhilarating, empowering day, and we’d hate for them to miss it.  (And actually, we seriously are sad that the CYD is missing all the fun here!)