Toronto350 members are appalled by the ongoing invasion of Wet’suwet’en territory, the unlawful arrests made by militarized RCMP and the continued violation of Wet’suwet’en jurisdiction and law. The prioritization of Coastal Gaslink and a fracked gas pipeline at the expense of Indigenous sovereignty, internationally recognized human rights, and the protection of the local and global environment, is immoral and unconscionable. 

Those of us standing on the grounds of Queen’s Park on November 6th (N6) were there to ask for Climate Justice now Real Action @ COP26 as climate negotiations by political leaders in Glasgow went on with deferred promises, delay strategies and false solutions that continued to miss the mark on climate justice. 

Photos throughout by Dawn Pearson

Join TO350 as we call for Climate Justice Now! Real Action @COP 26! on the November 6 Global Day for Climate Justice.

October 29th will be a global day of action against fossil fuel financing. In so-called Canada, the action will focus attention on RBC’s funding for the Coastal GasLink pipeline which is currently being forced through Wet’suwet’en Territory against the wishes of hereditary leaders.

 As members of Toronto350 who are either descendants of earlier colonialists or more recent immigrants, we acknowledge that we are settlers on the historic territories of many Indigenous peoples. We also recognize that “Canada” is made up of lands that were stolen from different Indigenous Nations. The Colonial powers wanted the lands.

On Wednesday September 8th, TO350 and People’s Climate Movement Toronto led an on-the-ground "Canada's Still on Fire" action at Queen’s Park. The event was one of 60 held across the country in a nationwide effort initiated by 350Canada to make it clear that climate must be front and centre this election. 

Climate justice refers to the idea that the climate emergency is not only an environmental issue, but also a political and ethical issue. Climate change will increasingly be a defining experience for all life on Earth in the near future since the changing climate will lead to disruption of fragile ecosystems around the world. Global average temperatures have already increased by 1°C above pre-industrial levels in 2017 and are likely to increase by 0.2°C every decade unless immediate action is taken to stop emissions as well as remove greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the atmosphere [1]. The IPCC (United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Global Warming of 1.5°C report details the various effects of a 1.5°C rise including sea-level rise, intense heat waves, water and food insecurity, extreme weather events, among others. The most extreme impacts of climate change will largely be borne by populations who have historically benefited the least from fossil fuel extraction and use [2].

Lytton, B.C.

Our hearts go out to the residents of Lytton, B.C.  Record temperatures, wildfires, a town destroyed and residents devastated.  This is the climate crisis in real time.

We can begin our help here.

Photo by Dave Hoefler on Unsplash

Climate’s Role

It is evident the change in our climate played a role in the heat-related deaths and wildfires in B.C.  These northern areas were hotter than the Middle East.  Scientists fear this indicates a new dimension of the global crisis.

Johan Rockström of the The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research stated the recent extreme weather anomalies were not represented in global computer models that are used to project how the world might change with more emissions. The fear is that weather systems might be more frequently blocked as a result of human emissions. “It is a risk – of a serious regional weather impact triggered by global warming – that we have underestimated so far”, he said.  

It is clear that the Climate Emergency created this crisis and it is time to act.  In Canada the fossil fuel industry is the biggest source of impact on the climate. As residents of Toronto, we need our electricity production and home heating to be free of fossil fuels.  Now is the time to commit to doing this.

What needs to be done

There is a global movement calling for national governments to negotiate and ratify a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to stop the further expansion of fossil fuel production, phase out fossil fuels, and ensure a global just transition for all. 

Toronto350 has endorsed this treaty along with hundreds of other organizations including the Cities of Vancouver, Los Angeles, Barcelona, as well as seven other cities and sub-national governments. As Canada’s most populous city, it is time for Toronto to add our name and endorse this treaty.  By endorsing it, Toronto is committing to a fossil free future, and sending a message to our provincial and federal governments to stop investing in oil and gas, and use funds to transition away from them.

What can you do?

Consider any or all of the following actions:

1. Add your name to the petition for Toronto Council to endorse the FFNP Treaty. 
2. Send a letter to Mayor Tory and all city councillors asking that they endorse the treaty. Use this tool to make it easy!
3. Phone your councillor and leave a message asking them to endorse the treaty. You can find your councillor’s contact information here.
4. Personally endorse the treaty at https://fossilfueltreaty.org/#endorse 

Join the over 12,000 individuals including over 1300 scientists, academics, and researchers, and over 480 world wide organizations who are working to make this treaty a reality!

Today, on July 1st, TO350 members would like to acknowledge the horrific findings of childrens' remains at the former residential school sites across Canada and express our support for Indigenous communities. This is a time of mourning, not a time to celebrate.

If you are a survivor of Indigenous residential schools, or someone who bears the intergenerational trauma of them and you need support, call the Residential School help line: 1-866-925-4419. If you are looking for local social supports anywhere across Canada, call 211.

Today, on National Indigenous Peoples’ day, it is a good time to mention that Bill C-15 has passed and royal assent is coming soon. To quote the bill’s summary, it will require that the government of Canada “take all measures necessary to ensure that the laws of Canada are consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP),” a human rights instrument focused on Indigenous rights.

Photo by Andisheh A on Unsplash