Around 50 people in Calgary gathered for a climate protest in the northeast. This event was part of a national day of action on the climate crisis, with similar protests happening in 32 locations nationwide.
The protest happened as the Trudeau government appears to be caving to Big Oil’s pressure and backing away from its commitment to cap the oil industry’s carbon emissions.
In Nov. 2021, Trudeau received high-fives from around the world when he used COP26 summit in Glasgow to announce that Canada wouldi mpose a hard cap on emissions from the oil and gas sector.
However, in the 18 months since his announcement, the draft regulations have been delayed three times, Canadian companies have launched a multi-million dollar campaign to weaken or delay a cap, and rumours are circulating that Trudeau’s Liberals are caving to Big Oils’ demands.
Ronnie Leah helped organize the Calgary protest, which took place in Prairie Winds Park. The protesters expressed their concerns about the future and the environment.
“We want our children, our grandchildren, and their grandchildren to have a planet where they can live and play and work free from fire, smoke, and floods,” Leah told CTV News.
The protest happened near Calgary Skyview MP George Chahal’s office. While the Liberal MP declined their invitation, the organizers handed over a petition to his staff.
The petition asks federal politicians to stop supporting the fossil fuel industry and create a better plan for transitioning to renewable energy.
“We really want to see workers and their families and communities moving towards a 100 percent renewable energy future,” explained Leah.
The protesters also criticized the provincial and municipal governments. Steve Bentley from the Calgary Climate Hub emphasized the need for more ambitious plans and a city council that understands the seriousness of the climate crisis.
“There are Calgarians that care about this and that are watching this, and we’re gonna show up,” he said.
The timing of the protest coincided with heat warnings in southern and northern Alberta.
Specifically, Environment Canada has issued heat warnings for Fort McMurray, Fort Chipewyan, High Level, Calgary, Cochrane, Claresholm, and Olds.
In the southern and northern regions, temperatures as high as 29°C are expected until this weekend.
According to a meteorologist from Environment and Climate Change Canada, these warnings are expected to occur more frequently as the climate continues to warm.
“We expect to see increasing frequency of heat events and increasing intensity of heat events when they do occur…A lot of this is par for the course with a warming climate,” said Sarah Hoffman, the MLA for Edmonton-Glenora.
Despite claims of being “turned down,” a spokesperson for George Chahal explained that he wanted to attend the event but couldn’t.
In a statement, Chahal highlighted the efforts of the Liberal government in empowering Canadian workers for a net-zero economy and reducing emissions.
The climate protest in Calgary reflects the participants’ concerns about the planet’s future and the need for stronger actions from governments at various levels.
