Young Canadians Are Bringing Back Friday Climate Protests After Trudeau's Throne Speech
It's a Greta Thunberg throwback. Canadian youth from all corners of the country are taking to the streets today to protest climate change and what they are calling a betrayal by the Trudeau government who "failed" to protect their futures.
The frustration comes on the heel of the Prime Minister's Throne speech in which he promises to make real changes regarding climate action in the country.
Editor's Choice: Trudeau Is Starting To Do Daily Addresses More Often Now That COVID-19 Is Getting Worse
Of the promises, he said the country still plans to meet and potentially exceed Canada's greenhouse gas emissions target for 2030.
The following day, Trudeau talked to the nation in a separate address in alliance with the United Nations.
In that speech, he touched on steering Canada in the right direction in the environmental conversation and said $100 billion dollars would be allocated to fight off climate change.
He also said that later this month the government will reconvene to discuss progress and their next steps.
The Friday protests are in keeping with the global day of climate action that is held on September 25 as well as organized by Fridays For Future.
The day was also inspired by Greta Thunberg, a Swedish environmental activist who gained global recognition for her work in climate change.
The young activist once said the Trudeau government is not doing enough to combat global warming.
In a statement issued Friday, young Canadians said they are ready and willing to challenge the government and let politicians know that youth are not stepping down until they see economic, racial and climate justice.
Although Canada has their hands full combating COVID-19, the pandemic is not occurring in isolation of other crises, they said.
According to them, they are tired of broken promises at the hands of the federal government, including the promise to phase out fossil fuel subsidies, lowering emissions and planting two billion trees.
Now they're taking that message to the streets.
Here are details for protests around the country today:
- Toronto – Bay Street & Wellesley Street West (Media area at the Northwest corner of the intersection) beginning at 12 p.m. ET and running until 3 p.m.
- Ottawa – Confederation Park beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET
- Vancouver (North Shore) – MP constituency office of the Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson (310 Esplanade E #201) beginning at 10:00 a.m. PT to 1 p.m.
- Vancouver – MP constituency office of the Hon. Joyce Murray (2112 W Broadway, Vancouver) beginning at 10 a.m. PT to 1 p.m.;
- Surrey – Holland Park (13428 Old Yale Rd.) march to office of MP Randeep Sarai (10362 King George Blvd #170) beginning at 12:45 p.m. PT with the march;
- Burnaby – MP constituency office of Terry Beech (3906 Hastings St, Burnaby, BC, V5C 6C1) and a mural on Ingleton Ave beginning at 10 a.m. PT to 12:45 p.m.;
- Halifax – Halifax City Hall (Grand Parade) beginning at 12 p.m. AT;
- Calgary – Calgary City Hall (South Side) beginning at 12 p.m. CT with a march to McDougall Centre, event concludes at 3 p.m.;
- Saskatoon – 222 3rd Ave. N, beginning at 1 p.m. local time;
- Assomption – 831 blvd. De l'Ange Gardien Nord beginning at 4 p.m. ET;
- Sherbrooke – Hotel de Ville de Sherbrooke beginning at 5pm. ET;
- Tremblant – École secondaire Curé-Mercure beginning at p.m. ET;
- Nelson - Lakeside Park beginning at 12pm PT