{"id":25037,"date":"2019-09-10T10:00:10","date_gmt":"2019-09-10T14:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/?p=25037"},"modified":"2025-07-02T04:12:56","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T08:12:56","slug":"a-call-to-go-on-strike-for-the-climate-on-september-27th","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/press-release\/25037\/a-call-to-go-on-strike-for-the-climate-on-september-27th\/","title":{"rendered":"A call to go on strike for the climate on September 27th"},"content":{"rendered":"

Montreal, September 10th 2019 –<\/b> Rising up to the climate crisis, unions, students, non-governmental groups, health professionals and environmental groups are calling on mass civil society across Quebec to participate in the <\/span>Global Climate strike<\/span><\/a> on September 27th, 2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The demonstrations on the 27th of September will wrap up a\u00a0 global week of international climate action which is coordinated by Earth Strike and dozens of groups including the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Greenpeace, <\/span>350.org<\/span><\/a>, and Fridays for Future.<\/span><\/p>\n

As governments from around the world gather to meet at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York\u00a0 on September 23rd, they will be greeted by increased citizen pressure to address the global environmental emergency and pushed to take much needed actions and more ambitious measures that should meet the scale of\u00a0the climate crisis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>And so, at the invitation of La Planete S\u2019Invite Au Parlement, the internationally renowned climate activist Greta Thunberg has accepted to spend the last day of this international week of mobilization with us in Montreal. Every Friday, for the past year, the young Swedish lady has been on strike from school to denounce the irresponsible inaction of our governments in the face of the global climate crisis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c <\/span>Because if everyone knew how serious the situation is and how little is actually being done, everyone would come and sit down beside us. We have no political manifesto or demand but this one : \u201clisten to the science\u201d (…) If carbon emissions must stop, then we must stop them.<\/span><\/i>\u201d –Greta Thunberg<\/span><\/p>\n

Now or Never<\/b><\/p>\n

September 27th is the moment to send a strong message to our governments by shutting down work for 24 hours and freeing all workers so they can demonstrate. We are calling on businesses to close their doors, on the unions to go on strike and on the students to leave their classrooms. We are calling on all of Quebec to join us in the streets on Friday 27.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In Qu\u00e9bec, 7 unions and over 400 community organizations have adopted a mandate to join the global strike for the climate. Even more unions have announced their intention to vote on joining the strike. The students have been mobilized since February and will be voting on whether to join the strike in the coming days. This new intergenerational movement calls on all Quebecers to join us.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We also bow to the efforts of the central unions of Quebec who endorse this mobilisation. Their participation on the 27th is a stupendous and symbolic gesture of support that translates a strong alliance and brings about the progress that our society needs and that the climate crisis desperately demands.<\/span><\/p>\n

This new climate movement began with the youth and the time has come for it be intergenerational. The survival of the human species cannot rest on the shoulders of students alone. Today we hear the call of those striking youth. Our way of life has got to change in order to halt the climate crisis. The IPCC 1.5 degree report (released last October) was clear:\u00a0 without a global reduction of 45% of greenhouse gases by 2030 (from the level of 2010) and a 100% decrease by 2050, our children will have no world to inherit. The science is clear, so we demand that our governments adopt laws to impose and respect those targets.<\/span><\/p>\n

The movement to stop climate change is turning to strike action because there is so little time left to act. Unless we act quickly and decisively the damage to the global environment will be permanent and severe. Taking immediate action to address climate change will be far less expensive than the collapse of ecosystems, the widespread extinction of animal species and the devastating and frequent natural disasters which wait for us in a warmer world. Governments continue to justify their inaction by pretending that a wealthier economy needs such sacrifices, but there is no wealth, and even less jobs,\u00a0on a dead planet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We say to the youth, loud and clear: you are not alone. We are with you in this fight. We understand the emergency that we face, and we will continue to take all necessary actions to force governments to act on climate and\u00a0 to take their responsibilities for the safety of their citizens and the only planet that we can live on.<\/span><\/p>\n

-30-<\/b><\/p>\n

Quotes :<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are calling on all workers. To be clear: we are very well aware of the limits of the right to strike in Qu\u00e9bec which stops us from striking for political ends. And yet we are calling on people to disobey. We are calling for democratic strike votes across all unions, in respect and with knowledge of all legal consequences. We bow to the unions for all they have done so far. We hope their courage will bring others to go forth.\u201d <\/span>–Fran\u00e7ois Geoffroy, spokesperson of <\/b>La Plan\u00e8te s\u2019invite au Parlement.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201c Climate change is the largest public health threat of the 21st century. It also happens to be the one opportunity to better the wellbeing of entire populations if we operate a radical and systemic transition that respects the limits of our planet.\u00a0 As health professionals, we collectively encourage higher ambitions from our politicians et and we support this global strike movement.\u201d <\/span>–Dre Marie-Jo Ouimet, La Plan\u00e8te s\u2019invite en Sant\u00e9.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cQuebecers understood that fighting climate change is no longer the environmentalists\u2019 fight alone. They realized that climate change is also a social and economic issue. Real systemic changes are needed in order to break free from the omnipresence of the fossil fuels industry. The only strength that can break the status quo and their control is the force of number with people mobilizing and demanding change. The climate action movement will continue to grow as long as politicians don\u2019t match the leadership of the youth and the students.\u201d<\/span> — <\/i><\/b>Patrick Bonin, spokesperson of the represented NGOs\u00a0 including Greenpeace Canada, \u00c9quiterre, la Fondation David Suzuki, Projet de la R\u00e9alit\u00e9 Climatique Canada and Oxfam.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cCommunity organizations feel strongly about the climate crisis and the loss of biodiversity since they affect people already living injustice. The right to health, to food, to a shelter, to a decent wage, to a clean environment are threatened more than ever before. We believe that the community sector has a responsibility to work with those people to give them a place in the democratic processes and public conversations around those issues.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Caroline Toupin, <\/i><\/b>spokesperson<\/i><\/b> for\u00a0 la Plan\u00e8te s\u2019invite dans le communautaire<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\u00ab Last spring, the youth promised that the next time we would take on the streets, we would not be alone. Students cannot be the only ones striking, that\u2019s why we need every member of society with us. Student strikes will intensify and multiply during the upcoming year, because today it is clear that we are no longer alone and we can no longer wait. It\u2019s now or never. \u00bb<\/span> Louis Couillard, spokesperson for <\/b>La plan\u00e8te s\u2019invite \u00e0 l\u2019Universit\u00e9<\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/b>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information, please contact:<\/b><\/p>\n

Diego Creimer, 514-999-6743, <\/span>dcreimer@davidsuzuki.org<\/span><\/a> \u2013 Fondation David Suzuki<\/span><\/p>\n

Rosemonde Gingras, 514-458-8355, <\/span>rosemonde@rosemondecommunications.com<\/span><\/a> \u2013 La Pacte<\/span><\/p>\n

Leonard Leclerc, 514-586-7233, <\/span>leonardleclerc2@gmail.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Additional information<\/b><\/p>\n

List of protests across Qu\u00e9bec: 17 cities are organizing protests across the province.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gatineau\/ Ottawa\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/503480300409640\/<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/a>Montr\u00e9al\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/684365575321446\/<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/a>Qu\u00e9bec <\/span>
\n<\/span>https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/973317869679985\/<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/a>Sherbrooke\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/711564562615678\/<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/a>Trois-Rivi\u00e8res\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/671379840026915\/<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/a>Joliette <\/span>
\n<\/span>https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/392102454769464\/<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/a>Abitibi-T\u00e9miscamingue\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/879134872458470\/<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/a>Laval <\/span>
\n<\/span>https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/719492471902438\/<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/a>Victoriaville <\/span>
\n<\/span>https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/535880143619845\/<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/a>Rimouski <\/span>
\n<\/span>https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/418900368719680\/<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/a>Saint-J\u00e9r\u00f4me <\/span>
\n<\/span>https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/624633891397182\/<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/a>Chicoutimi <\/span>
\n<\/span>https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/522573858554431\/<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/a>St Jean sur Richelieu <\/span>
\n<\/span>https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/297018911165027\/<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/a>Mont-Laurier\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/685354155276616\/<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/a>St-Jovite\/Mont-Tremblant <\/span>
\n<\/span>https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/683663592120116\/<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/a>Alma <\/span>
\n<\/span>https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/472344723343418\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Protests round the globe<\/b><\/p>\n

1001 cities in 84 countries\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.fridaysforfuture.org\/events\/list?fbclid=IwAR0ewOHAELb1a96pPJrIPdTYdI0xuE5zzBGj2RtX1cv_D6_FwWlelLl5XgA<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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