MPs join online rally against pandemic bailout for oil companies
Student climate strikers hold online rally, deliver more than 56,000 signatures to parliament
In what may be the first event of its kind, MPs from three political parties logged on to speak with constituents at a digital rally Friday. Laurel Collins (NDP), Elizabeth May (Green), and Nathaniel Erskine-Smith (Liberal) accepted a spreadsheet containing thousands of petition signatures from Canadians. Each vowed to oppose any government bailout that put oil & gas corporations ahead of workers and communities hit hard by COVID-19.
920 people attended the lunchtime meeting on Zoom, with thousands more viewing a livestream. The event was emceed by teenage climate strikers Sam Lin and Emma-Jane Burian. It’s the first Friday climate rally since the Coronavirus pandemic shut down schools Canada-wide and ended in-person gatherings for the foreseeable future. You can watch the full video here (stick around for the chants at the end!)
Dear @JustinTrudeau – no bailouts for Big Oil!
Photos from today's massive online rally – we may be physically distanced, but we're united on this! #peoplenotpolluters @sustainteens, @dogwoodbc, @standearth, @ourearthvic pic.twitter.com/G9znK4mCPD
— Leadnow (@leadnowca) April 3, 2020
As speakers Kukpi7 Judy Wilson, Tzeporah Berman and Alexandra Woodsworth reminded the crowd, the current health crisis does not replace the housing crisis, clean water crisis or climate crisis. Instead it calls us to fight for investments that protect public health and accelerate a clean energy transition, while tackling the inequities that make us vulnerable in the first place.
Kukpi7 Judy Wilson spoke today at the #PeopleNotPolluters digital rally, one of the first of it's kind: "We cant have the government continue on the destructive colonial path they are on, we need new ways." @leadnowca @dogwoodbc @sustainteens @standearth @ourearthvic pic.twitter.com/CCpSJjzBKd
— UBCIC (@UBCIC) April 3, 2020
Here are some more highlights from the #PeopleNotPolluters rally!
MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith: I'm completely opposed to a TARP-style bailout. We need to support workers in re-skilling, and invest incredible public dollars in the clean transition. This is an opportunity on the way out of this pandemic to invest in our future. #PeopleNotPolluters pic.twitter.com/JtDILUSMnY
— Dogwood (@dogwoodbc) April 3, 2020
So great to speak at the #PeopleNotPolluters Digital Rally & to see over 600 people online! We talked about the need for immediate relief for workers & communities and to #BailoutPeopleNotCorporations.
Rewatch the rally here: https://t.co/x2duURqTNd#DigitalStrike #GreenNewDeal pic.twitter.com/tIiLi9Z64H
— Laurel Collins (@Laurel_BC) April 3, 2020
I stand corrected – 900 person virtual rally! #ClimateStrikeOnline #GPC @beynate @Tzeporah @EJburian https://t.co/RGinibjFN6
— Elizabeth May (@ElizabethMay) April 4, 2020
What an amazing experience to speak at the first online rally today. History is made by those who show up and today you showed up to make sure our elected officials know that we want taxpayers dollars to go to building a cleaner, safer Canada. #cdnpoli #peoplenotpolluters https://t.co/lN5KWpwgpo
— Tzeporah Berman (@Tzeporah) April 3, 2020
You love to see it.#peoplenotpolluters pic.twitter.com/YkXMCUJ4Ne
— All Eyes on Wet’suwet’en! (@Amrit_HxH) April 3, 2020
Social studies today was participating in a zoom protest to pressure the government not to bail out Big Oil #PeopleNotPolluters #ClimateStrike #pandemichomeschool pic.twitter.com/3czwAnZ2Rw
— Kate Haxton (@haxton_kate) April 4, 2020
Many thanks to organizers at Sustainabiliteens, Our Earth Our future, Leadnow, Dogwood and Stand.earth for pulling this event together. See you next time!
I certainly stand in solidarity with you all!
I’m betting we could have even more people join the next time. Well done all! So glad to have had this low carbon footprint alternative to rallying on Parliament Hill.
Governments have reduced environmental protections during these times – protest all you want but this is not going to happen. Huge bailouts will happen – and it will be glorious for my RRSP!! Would be political suicide to not bail out an industry which employs so many Canadians. Liberals already don’t get any seats out of Alberta … would be writing off the prospect of any in the coming election if they didn’t bail them out.