A Climate Justice Analogy by Tony Rapoport

Photo from ZimArt Sculpture Garden

I can come up with a lot of words to describe Friday the 27th, the day of the Global Climate Strike, but like the grounds of Queens Park, they just aren’t big enough. They cannot contain all of the power, excitement and promise of the day.

The official numbers from police are 15,000 for the rally and 20,000 for the march, but calculations from a Fridays for Future tweet, put the number closer to 80,000 and Greenpeace Canada estimates 50,000-100,000. The message of the day was broadcast loud and clear - we are in a climate emergency, our house is on fire and we need swift action from those in power, to douse the fast rising flames.

The Week for Future, chock-full of climate actions, begins on September 20th with a youth-strike teach-in at Hart House Circle. It is followed by a concert at the Tranzac. Check https://climatechallenge.ca for an event calendar. See a list of select event highlights below this graphic....

written by Isabella, Climate Striker and member of Fridays for Future Toronto.

For the first time in history, people around the world are faced, with varying levels, the same threat regardless of gender, race, age, socio-economic status, religion or culture. From September 20-27, the climate crisis will be put front-stage internationally as millions of climate justice supporters rally, strike and support.

Join in on a week of climate actions, September 20 - 27th. This Global Week of Climate Justice Action is being led by youth Climate Strikers and here in Toronto, it begins with a youth rally and teach-in on September 20th and ends with a global strike that, to quote the Fridays for Future event page, involves all of us - "unions, workers, parents, grandparents, every single one" of us. 

This is the first part in a series of posts on “Low-Carbon Luxury” by Matt Lie-Paehlke, Climate Pledge Collective Co-Founder and Member of Toronto350.

As I hurried across the road towards Queen's Park at 12:30 on May 24, my heart sank. Instead of the familiar sight of a crowd waving signs and the familiar sound of a voice coming through a loudspeaker, I was met with silence and emptiness. Had everyone run out of steam after that huge National Strike on May 3 (over 2,500 people)? Did they all stop caring?

Once again, with great disappointment, TO350 responds to the news that the TMX has been green-lighted by the federal government. 

Our first Climate Picnic had sun, music, flags, blankets, napping and lots of networking amongst people who are both experienced with and completely new to climate organizing. 

We have more coming up – one on June 1 in Ottawa (Climate Picnic - June 1) and one near Eglinton West Station on June 8 (Climate Picnic - June 8).

But what we really want is for EVERYONE reading this to host their own picnic – Maybe on July 1^st. So, here is a how-to guide for hosting your own climate picnic!

Toronto350
Extinction Rebellion Toronto
FridaysForFuture Toronto/GTA

Divestment and youth movements converge on Toronto office of Barclays Bank over fossil fuel finance

Friday May 24, 12:30 pm
333 Bay St, Toronto

On Friday May 24, climate activists from Toronto350, Extinction Rebellion Toronto and Fridays For Future Toronto/GTA will join a global action targeting Barclays Bank, Europe’s largest financer of fossil fuel industries. A rally outside 333 Bay Street, which houses Barclays’ Toronto business office, will be joined by youth-led Fridays For Future, who will march down Bay Street towards Union Station. The Barclays Bank rally is one of 37 taking place Friday and Saturday, in the UK, Frankfurt, Madrid and Toronto, coordinated by Momentum UK. The Fridays For Future march is one of over 1,200 school strikes in 107 countries to be held on Friday, as part of a Global Strike for Climate (photo by Orville Cummings).