Greta Thunberg comes to town

Credit to Author: Nick Eagland| Date: Sat, 26 Oct 2019 02:13:42 +0000

Climate-change activist Greta Thunberg warned world leaders that “change is coming whether you like it or not” during a Vancouver climate strike that featured First Nations activists from across Canada.

Thunberg, 16, spoke from the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery during the ninth climate strike organized by the Sustainabiliteens. The Metro Vancouver youth group has been staging Fridays for Future events inspired by Thunberg, who began going on strike from school on Fridays to protest government inaction to deal with the climate crisis. (Read the full text of her speech.)

The Swedish teen travelled to North America by sailboat in August and has been criss-crossing North America in an electric car to speak with leaders and support local climate activism. Police estimated that about 12,000 people gathered outside the art gallery by the time Thunberg took the stage.

The event was billed as a “post-election” climate strike and followed a similar event on Sept. 27, when an estimated 100,000 people gathered outside Vancouver city hall.

Thunberg expressed her amazement as she looked over the crowd from the gallery’s north steps following an earlier rally and march downtown.

The teen was surrounded by First Nations climate activists, many of whom travelled across Canada to join Thunberg in calling for government to act against climate change.

Chief Judy Wilson of the Neskonlith First Nation, near Kamloops, gave Thunberg a scarf adorned with a hummingbird, which the teen wore while speaking for about 10 minutes.

Approximately 15,000 people outside the Vancouver Art Gallery to protest the state of the global environment and listen to speakers, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. Jason Payne / PNG

Thunberg told the crowd that the millions of people participating in Fridays for Future events had given her hope. She then ripped into world leaders for ignoring warnings from scientists about climate change for decades.

The teen cited a report by the Global Carbon Atlas, which found that global carbon dioxide emissions increased by about 65 per cent between 1990 and 2018.

“It is the year 2019 and the people in power are still acting as if there was no tomorrow,” Thunberg said. “We young people are telling them to stop doing that, to stop ignoring the consequences of their actions and inactions, to stop leaving their mess for someone else to clean up. Because we do not want to do it for them.”

Thunberg said that by working together, climate strikers are an unstoppable “wave of change” that will constantly remind world leaders to act in response to the science. They will also hold the people responsible for the climate crisis accountable, she said.

“And if you feel threatened by that, then I have some very bad news for you,” Thunberg said. “This is just the beginning. We will continue. Because change is coming whether you like it or not.”

Marchers protest the state of the global environment and listen to speakers, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, in Vancouver on Friday. Jason Payne / PNG

First Nations speakers earlier in the day included Musqueam activist Audrey Siegl, Secwepemc activist Kanahus Manuel of the Tiny House Warriors, and Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, head of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs.

Phillips said he had stood on the steps of the art gallery countless times in four decades of fighting climate change, and never seen such a large crowd.

“We absolutely know, and it was proven in the last election, we cannot rely on governments to protect the land and the people,” he said.

“For the sake of our grandchildren, our children, and those generations yet to come, all of us — as grandparents, as parents, as aunts and uncles — we must take our power back. We can no longer afford to delegate that power to governments that do not listen, that continue to cater to the corporations, continue to devastate and destroy Mother Earth. That must stop.”

Thunberg also said she stood in solidarity with 15 young Canadians who had earlier in the day announced they are suing the federal government, alleging climate-change related harms.

An 18-year-old plaintiff, Sophia Sidarous, of the Metepenagiag First Nation in Quebec, told the Vancouver crowd that the climate crisis threatened her way of life and the existence of the Mi’kmaq people. Local salmon populations have almost disappeared and moose populations have declined sharply, she said.

“We have worked so hard to regain our cultural practices and heal our communities, only for the Canadian government to take actions that once again put us in danger,” Sidarous said. “That is why I fight for my people, my culture and for our continued existence on our land.”

David Suzuki addresses protesters at the Friday climate strike in Vancouver. Jason Payne / PNG

The court challenge calls on Ottawa to stop conduct that violates their charter rights and to implement a plan that reduces Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions “in a manner consistent with what best available science indicates is needed for the federal government to protect young Canadians, do its fair share to stabilize the climate system, and avert the catastrophic consequences of climate change.”

Rio Masse, 12, who is home-schooled, said she participated in two previous climate strikes. Masse said she felt hope after seeing so many young people join and said she was inspired by Thunberg’s speech.

“I think she’s going to help us by changing the government’s mind, so they change laws to help our environment and our world,” Masse said.

Maya Helman and Teanna Byard, both 14-year-old students at Samuel Robertson Technical Secondary School in Maple Ridge, said they believe Thunberg’s visit will have a lasting impact locally.

“I’ve seen her on the TV and on the internet, but it was crazy to see her in person and to know that she did all this just by striking by herself,” said Helman, adding that she got choked up with emotion several times during Thunberg’s speech. “To experience it and to see how many people who showed up for her, it was amazing.”

“I think it’s definitely going to help the movement,” said Byard. “It was really inspirational to see her. I think it’s going to move a lot of the youth here to start making a change.”

neagland@postmedia.com

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