Part Four: Pipelines, False Solutions, Indigenous Rights

(Finale to the story about the November 12th COP 27 Global Climate Justice rally in Toronto.)

Next the marchers stopped at the offices of CDEV, the crown corporation that bought the sinking Titanic of a pipeline, TMX. In fact, in a report from Climate Change Performance Index that came out during COP, Canada ranked #58 lowest of 63. One of the main reasons cited is the high level of oil and gas production. All the while Canada poses as a climate leader! 

A just transition does not include continued Indigenous rights violations and false solutions like blue hydrogen (fossil fuel production with methane and massive storage of carbon). It means reducing emissions now, directly, and putting those investment dollars into renewables and public programs that protect communities as we transition.

Part 3: Fossil Fuels, Just Transition

(The story of the November 12th COP 27 Global Day of Climate Justice action in Toronto continued.)

Marching on, with supportive honks from passing traffic propelling us, we came to a stop at Avenue and Bloor. As How-Sen, the narrator of the event livestream put it, “we’re actually going east and west across Bloor Street, stopping at various symbolic places, linking issues that have historically been thought of as separate…and bringing together people from multiple communities….building up this diverse community, building up power.”

Part One: Introduction, Impacts & Fair Shares

On Saturday November 12th, a few of us gathered early at Matt Cohen Park, Spadina and Bloor, on Dish with one Spoon and Treaty 13 territory, to prepare for the "At COP 27: The
World Calls out for Climate Justice” event. Folks worked on setting up a live video feed, unfurled and admired the beautiful hand painted banner, wheeled in the sound system, handed out megaphones and checked in with presenters. One by one and in small groups, others arrived until we had a sizable crowd and the first speaker breezed in, right on cue! 

At the same time, on the ground in Egypt at COP 27, where governments from across the world met to decide what steps to take in response to our disintegrating climate, severe human rights violations made it dangerous for civil society to monitor and protest the actions of a corrupt government.

The votes are in … except they’re not. But Ontario’s party platforms are here, and we’ve funnelled them through a climate justice filter to make it easier for you to assess them. 

With the provincial election coming up on June 2, we’re posing one question: What does the ideal climate action candidate look like for Toronto?

Forget partisanship. Forget smear campaigns. Forget voting for a candidate because their climate platform is marginally better than another. 

And forget needless bureaucratic gatekeeping — climate justice advocacy is simple when it’s specific, direct, and actionable.

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

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. 

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 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

When Toronto350 graded the federal Speech from the Throne in September 2020, we considered whether it represented an appropriate response to the interlocking health, economic and climate crises. The 2021 Budget puts funding behind the Throne Speech’s promises, and so we ask again, does this Budget support Canadians in a just recovery and a transition to a low-carbon economy?