Chilliwack – A year ago, a Young Swedish teen, Greta Thunberg started a movement. One year later, the 16 year old’s words have stung politicians and motivated young and old.
Friday Climate Strikes took hold all over the world. In Chilliwack, well over 400 people, young and old, packed Five Corners to hear the call that Climate Change has to be taken seriously. There were a few veiled shots at Federal Election candidate Rob Bugonovic, who is running for the People’s Party of Canada. The Chilliwack Secondary Teacher is a staunch climate change denier, following his party’s platform. One CSS Student who spoke was blunt, “I’m 16 so I can’t vote, but when I do, I will make it count”. She like many other young people, threw down the gauntlet.They want change. Another student said that we have not seen a “normal” year of weather in 30 years. To the adults that are here today, please tell us what that was like. Our generation will never know.
While students from Chilliwack Secondary and Chilliwack Middle School descended on Five Corners, there were many adults in the crowd, aged 50+, that were openly recalling the days of Greenpeace and Amchitka protests. Younger parents were simply beaming about their kids, taking and making a stand.
Chilliwack and Fraser-Cascades School Districts, like many others, allowed kids to have the day off for this protest, providing they make up the time and work.
While this was happening, at the UBCM conference with Mayors and Politicians from across BC, a resolution on climate was debated: “Therefore be it resolved that the Province of British Columbia Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy be called upon to enact legislation that holds fossil fuel companies financially liable for climate-related harms caused by their contributions to climate change.”
George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, issued a statement with respect to climate strikes happening around the province and the world:
“One year ago, Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg began a movement that has only grown more powerful as we continue to see the effects of climate change all around us. This past week, we’ve seen millions of young people and others around the world speaking out for their future. We all have a responsibility to rise to the challenge and take meaningful action today.
“The B.C. government has responded by developing our CleanBC plan in partnership with the BC Green Party caucus to reduce climate pollution and transition to a clean, energy-efficient and carbon-neutral future — whether it’s in transportation, industrial development or our buildings and homes. We want other jurisdictions to take this journey with us. While we are modelling positive action, we know we have to do more here in B.C. and across the world. Our plan ensures that we’re open and transparent about our goals and how we’re doing in our efforts to meet them. We expect to be held accountable, and we’re putting new mechanisms in place so British Columbians can do just that.
“This week, I joined international leaders gathered in New York for the United Nations Climate Change Summit. It was an important opportunity to exchange information about actions that we can take together. Those committed to change and accountability recognize that it doesn’t have to be a bleak future. It can be a future that meets the challenge of climate change and develops a new, cleaner economy that sustains both our communities and community-supporting jobs.
“Every generation experiences change in the kind of work that sustains us and our families. What’s different about today is that much of that change is being driven by the climate crisis being experienced on a global level. CleanBC is British Columbia’s response. People across multiple generations are calling us all to account and building understanding that hope is only realized through taking action and achieving results.”
