Gavin MacRae photos
Comox Valley climate strike draws thousands to Courtenay march
Comox Valley residents joined millions of people marching worldwide on Sept. 27 demanding that governments step-up their efforts to tackle the climate emergency.
From Antarctica to the Arctic, Kathmandu to Vancouver, an estimated seven million people have taken part in thousands of demonstrations in the last week, including 800,000 Canadians.
About 3,000 Comox Valley residents rallied at Simms Millennium Park before starting a march through downtown Courtenay, according to Mackai Sharp, a leader of the group Youth Environmental Action, which organized the event.
Jessie Everson from the K’omoks First Nation opened the event by drawing a parallel between the quickly receding Comox glacier and the fate of humanity if the climate crisis is not averted.
“The glacier is a standing testament to the environmental degradation of the Comox Valley, said Everson. “If that glacier is to go, we will go too.”
Youth Environmental Action speaker Sienna Stephens was no less direct: “Learning about climate change and what it really means for my future has completely changed my life,” she said.
“There is no more time to wait around. We must lead by example and show [political leaders] what is expected,” Stephens said. “So please look at your own life and decide where you can make change. Even if it’s hard, be informed about the climate crisis. Start these important conversations with your family and friends. Be aware of who your money is going to each time you make a purchase.”
Protesters then marched a loop around Courtenay’s downtown core and back to Simms Park. Police halted traffic as the blocks-long procession took to the road.
Youth Environmental Action leader Emma Faulkner gave one of the final speeches.
“This is just the beginning of a conversation we are so ready to have,” she said. “History has always been shaped by the power of youth.
Over 200 climate strikes were held across Canada Friday. In Vancouver over 100,000 people attended, in Victoria over 20,000, in Ottawa up to 20,000 and inToronto up to 50,000, according to estimates by Greenpeace. Montreal outdid them all with 500,000 demonstrators – or one in four residents – turning out for the event.
“It’s far exceeded what we expected, everywhere,” said Cam Fenton, campaigner for international climate group 350.org, which organized many of the events. “It’s the largest mass climate mobilization in history.”
Swedish teen climate icon Greta Thunberg is largely credited as the inspiration behind the climate strike movement. Thunberg began by striking every Friday, by herself in front of the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm, only 13 months ago.
Young people will live to see the effects of climate change worsen significantly if the burning of fossil fuels is not curtailed. Those effects include more frequent extreme weather events, droughts, fires, sea level rise and reduced food security.
Gavin MacRae is assistant editor of the Watershed Sentinel and a contributor to the Comox Valley Civic Journalism Project. He can be reached at gavin@watershedsentinel.ca
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My generation has contributed to climate change, but Canadians won’t have much of an impact on Global emissions -even if we are zero. Eight Billion people are most of the issue. However we need to recognize that the BC NDP government contributed to more fire fighting resources this year and hit fires “hard and fast”, preventing another health and environmental , community crisis. Thank you for leadership on this issue, Premier Horgen .
Is it too late to save the wild salmon? Likely. Our Governments , for many decades, have failed to protect this resource. Locally, the BC Hydro project of 1955 on the Puntledge River almost decimated the Tyee Pool run . It is sad, but the resource is now dependent on the hatchery. Are there any more “wild” salmon? Likely, no.
Salmon-Canaries in the coal mine of our impact on the environment.
BC students are used to being out of class, after many years of labor strife. This strike seems to have more merit and this generation of students have much more awareness than the generation who destroyed the salmon. Yes ,it is only a short 7 decades since BC Hydro and logging destroyed wild salmon stocks in the Puntledge. Irreversible, as the elected folk decline to deal with the messy problem of predators-sea lions and seals and logging.
So- our generation has failed on salmon. The present generation are more aware, but politics has not changed, at any level.
The carbon tax will hit lower income folks already struggling with out of control housing costs. BC Hydro surcharges
add to the pain. Absolutely zero impact on global emissions.
So instead of continuing days out of class, our very aware students of today should be lobbying to save the salmon. Dramatic action on preditors and clear cutting our watershed. Keeping the lake full and water for salmon .
Wild salmon are the Canaries of efforts on climate change.
This was one of the most inspiring and hopeful things I’ve experienced in a while. All ages from babies to grannies were present in force. Leaving aside the issues central to this rally, imagine how much the students, who organized and led the entire event, learned! They had to learn about climate change, cause and effects; about organizing…getting the word out, permits, cooperation and community; about levels of government…and on, and on. If nothing else, it was a huge, positive learning experience. But I think it was much more than that, and I think the event brought together and empowered a group of bright, articulate change makers. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Glad the kids enjoyed a day off school.
They probably learned more at this rally than they would have learned in school.