Greenpeace’s campaigns don’t exist without people power. Our Green and Just Recovery campaign is no different, but it is very special because of the uncertain circumstances we are facing. COVID-19 makes campaigning even more challenging, currently restricting our ability to gather in public spaces.
But once again, you showed up and thanks to your mobilisation, we are building a better tomorrow. You are making this movement bigger and more powerful than ever. Here is what your contribution helped achieve (so far!).
You stopped government from granting Big Oil’s bailout wishlist
In mid-march, when the COVID-19 crisis hit Canada, 30,000 of you raised your voices to ask the government to bailout people and not oil companies. And you had an impact! While some funding has been announced for the oil sector, they’ve gotten much less than what they asked for, and the government has committed to attaching some significant environmental and social conditions on companies receiving funds.
You convinced MPs to speak up for a green and just recovery
Over the last month, we have invited you to share your vision of what the recovery should look like with your Member of Parliament (MP) — because it’s time to make sure MPs are listening to you. We launched a day of action for a green and just recovery, because we believe that YOU can influence politicians to make the right decision.
As always, you came through again, and successfully moved MPs to get more vocal about supporting a green and just recovery.
More than 3,300 people visited our page on May 27th, answering our call to tell key Liberal MPs to speak up publicly in favour of a green and just recovery.
Rachel Bendayan, Outremont MP in Montreal, and Joël Lightbound, Louis-Hébert MP in Quebec city, have both answered your call by the end of day. Check this out!
Joël Lightbound’s response on Facebook.
Rachel Bendayan’s response on Facebook & Twitter.
The day after, Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, MP of Beaches-East York in Toronto, joined them in calling for a green and just recovery. He thanked Greenpeace supporters for reaching out to him and emphasized his desire to put the energy transition at the heart of the recovery. He also took the time to respond to everyone who tweeted at him individually.
On June 30th, we hosted a second day of action and more than 2,200 people visited our page, tweeting, emailing and calling key liberal MPs to speak up.
Alexandra Mendès, Brossard MP, and Élisabeth Brière, Sherbrooke MP, in Quebec have both spoken up for a green and just recovery!
In Ontario, after engagement from Greenpeace supporters and other groups like LeadNow, we’ve seen MP Julie Dzerowicz speak out too!
Your support is putting a just recovery on the agenda in Parliament
With their tens of thousands of supporters behind them, more than 150 Canadian organizations launched Six Principles for a Just Recovery, and our elected representatives are paying attention. Montreal NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice stood up in Parliament on May 25th to ask a question about the green recovery. He said that the economic recovery has to deal with climate change and inequality (like investments in public transit), adding that we can’t go back to the way things were before. This is the kind of political conviction we need our MPs to show! See for yourself:
NDP MPs are also hosting townhalls:
If you want to participate in such events, google your MP and subscribe to their lists. Or check out this guide about telling your MP to speak up about a #JustRecovery.
We have begun sharing some policy ideas with MPs – feel free to pass these along or give us some feedback on what you see as priorities.
You want to get involved? Add your name here and take action!
Discussion
This is a great opportunity to reset the economy towards the Green solution in sustainable One stop helping the polluter.
We are all watching to see what will be in the Throne Speach and expecting that there will be an action plan for a greener Canada and more justice for indigenous and other under-represented people. Corona has been a wake-up call for all of us and a reminder that the world "needs more Canada", a greener, fairer and respectful nation.
Time for change