Earth Day: climate activists march in Montreal demanding ‘sustainable future’

Thousands of Quebecers gathered at the Sir George-Étienne Cartier Monument on Mount Royal to mark Earth Day Saturday afternoon.

The community organizations behind the march are calling for more to be done to fight climate and social crises.

“We want an urgent exit from fossil fuels,” said Shirley Barnea, a spokesperson with Pour le futur Montreal. “But we also want the government to invest in the social safety net, so social services and social support by taxing wealth.

“And finally, we want this transition to a more sustainable future to be done in a way that’s just and inclusive for workers and communities.”

Barnea was one of several citizen, workers’ and environmental groups that organized the Earth Day march.

“Earth Day is traditionally a day to celebrate and fight for our planet Earth,” she said. “So we’re here today to send a clear message to our governments that we’re in a crisis. We’re in a climate crisis, we’re in a biodiversity crisis, but we’re also in a social crisis. And we need our governments to start taking those seriously.

“To our politicians, we’re really not impressed with what’s being done today. We would like to see concrete actions to take care of our environmental crises and our social crises.”

Many showed up to the march, showing their support for the cause.

“I want to advocate to stop giving money for the fossil fuels and to have climate justice for all, especially those that are marginalized,” said advocate Maude Charron.

“With all of my friends today, we are here to save the planet,” added Victor Zhu.

Barnea says it is important to protect the environment as our lives and economy depend on it.

“I think it’s also really important to understand that climate change is also an issue of inequality,” she said.

A 2015 World Bank report claims that climate change is a bigger threat to poorer populations and that the poorest regions in the world, specifically sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, will be the most impacted.

“It’s the countries of the Global South that are suffering the most,” said Barnea. “And within our societies also, it’s the richest people who are making the most money and polluting the most, while the poorest people are suffering the most from these impacts that they haven’t even caused.

“Our hope is not lost. But we really need to start taking action.”