A group of protesters cross the street from Lethbridge City hall on Sep. 27 as part of a #FridaysForFuture rally. Over 200 people gathered to show support for climate activist Greta Thunberg and her cause.
With the federal election around the corner, climate change is one issue heavy on the minds of Canadians and people around the world.
Over 200 protesters gathered in front of Lethbridge City Hall on Friday evening, carrying signs and chanting, “The climate is changing, why aren’t we? There is no planet B!”
People around the world rallied for more action against climate change as part of the #FridaysForFuture movement.
Though the rallies, started by 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, are mostly a young-person’s protest, people of all ages showed their support in Lethbridge.
“I’m 65-years-old. I am well beyond being a student myself, but I want them to know there’s at least a few old people that support what they want to do,” said Richard Quinlan, a retired college professor.
The aim of the demonstrations, according to Quinlan, is to pressure political leaders to change the way climate change is dealt with.
James Byrne, one of the organizers of the Lethbridge protest, said he thinks the party with the best climate plan will get a lot of votes in the upcoming election. Canadian candidates vary significantly in the way they want to deal with climate change.
On Friday, after meeting with Thunberg, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau unveiled a plan to plant two billion trees over the next 10 years. This, according to the Liberal Party’s website, will create around 3,500 seasonal jobs for Canadians. The party wants to cut corporate taxes in half for companies developing technologies and products with zero emissions. It also set a goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 – this means all emissions will be offset by actions to combat climate change.
The NDP want all public transit to become 100 per cent electric and free. Other plans include: getting rid of single-use plastic, working to make zero-emission vehicle more affordable and convenient and working with First Nations, Inuit and Métis as equal partners against climate change.
Three principles guide the Conservative Party’s environmental policy. These are, according to its website: focusing on green technology rather than taxes, a cleaner natural environment and making the fight against climate change global. The party has a plan to make Canadians eligible for a 20 per cent refundable credit on their income tax for green improvements to their homes.
The Green Party wants to cancel the Trans-Mountain Pipeline and cut 60 per cent of carbon emissions by 2030. It also wants to make electric vehicle more affordable and work with indigenous leadership to solve the climate crisis.
The #FridaysForFuture movement started in August when Thunberg began sitting in front of the Swedish parliament every school day to protest lack of action against climate change. She shared her cause on social media and it quickly went viral.
On Sept. 21 the young activist attended the United Nations Climate Change Summit where she criticized world leaders for their inaction. The speech put her in the spotlight around the world. Protest signs quoting Thunberg’s criticism could be picked out of the Lethbridge crowd.
“She’s obviously fired up many young people and that’s great,” said Mary Shillington, a member of the Raging Grannies, an activist group in Lethbridge. “What are we leaving them with, if we don’t do something?”
Shillington said we need to push future representatives to do more about climate change and not just talk about it.
Thunberg is currently traveling North America and said in a tweet on Monday, she will continue to strike every Friday until Sweden’s emissions are in line with the Paris climate accord, regardless of where she may be.
