Dear friends,
It is time to wrap up our Fast and Vigil on Parliament Hill and head home. We have all started eating again. After a fast, it’s good to take it easy and let your digestive system re-adjust. It is a time to appreciate the privilege of having food easily available, and having a choice in what we eat.
We have accomplished a great deal in our time in Ottawa, with your active support from all across the country. The MPs are hearing us. And we need to continue.
PARLIAMENT AND SENATE SUPPORT – 42 MPs, 2 leaders, 13 senators
At the time of our closing vigil on Oct 2nd, Gandhi’s birthday, we had 20 MP signatures on our sign board, 17 NDP, plus Green Party Leader and MP Elizabeth May, who signed and joined us in the Fast, Bruce Hyer (Independent) and Joyce Murray, Liberal. Others told us they were waiting for the caucus meetings to sign on. So several of us stayed over for Wednesday, the day of caucus meetings. Sylvia prepared 2 scrolls with a mini-photo of the pledge board and a place for MPs in the Liberal and NDP caucuses to sign.
At about 12:30 after the caucus meetings Joyce Murray returned the Liberal scroll to us with 35 signatures – 22 MPs and 13 Senators including Bob Rae’s signature as Leader. There are 35 Liberal MPs so the signature total includes about 65% of the MPs.
Earlier in the week Joyce Murray invited us in for a half hour meeting with her. She is the only MP to do so. Joyce is considering a run for the Liberal leadership based on her record as Environment Minister for three years in BC. She has written a thesis on climate change and understands just what is at stake. Kirsty Duncan, the Liberal Environment Critic who served on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), provided steadfast support all week, visiting several times and attending our closing vigil. Carolyn Bennett also came to visit. You can view the names of all the MP and Senator who signed our pledge at http://www.climatefast.ca/mps-and-senators-sign-pledge-boards
The NDP did not return their scroll to us so the list only includes the MPs who came to sign the board when we were on the Hill. We anticipate picking the scroll up at a future date. Meanwhile we are appreciative of the 18 NDP signatures we have received so far, 17 on the pledge board and one, Peter Julian, on-line. We are grateful for the many visits, including Linda Duncan, Peggy Nash, Megan Leslie, Olivia Chow, Alexandre Boulerice, Andrew Cash, Libby Davies, Matthew Kellway, Craig Scott, Alex Atamanenko, Dennis Bevington, Philip Toone, Francois Pilon, Robert Chisholm, Marc Andre Morin, Paul Dewar, Nathan Cullen, Niki Ashton and Nycole Turmel.
We did not hear from the Bloc Quebecois yet, and have been in touch to encourage them to follow up on our invitation. We did not hear from any Conservative MPs. The Environment Minister was a no-show. This was not a surprise!
We collected more than 750 signatures on 30 petitions, on four different aspects of climate impacts, to be read in the House, and more than 320 pledges on-line, so we know that hundreds of letters have been sent to MPs.
CLIMATE LEADERSHIP IN THE HOUSE – AND A CALL TO ACTION
Megan Leslie and Dennis Bevington called for an emergency debate in the House of Commons on Arctic melting. This was refused by the Speaker, and this refusal needs to be challenged. The speaker, Andrew Scheer, can be reached at:
Hon. Andrew Scheer
Speaker of the House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
Tel: 613-992-4593 / Fax: 613-996-3120
Email: andrew.scheer@parl.gc.ca
Let him know that you consider this a very reasonable request and that you consider Arctic melting an emergency that our MPs should be talking about. (Megan’s letter is posted on our website, http://www.climatefast.ca/blog/ms-megan-leslies-letter-speaker-house)
BUILD THE MOVEMENT
The Climate Fast and Vigil has been an amazing experience for me. It shows what can be done when we are willing to stand up publicly and speak out for the leadership we need. Our group supported each other very well. We were just enough people to make it work – to keep the banner up all day, to do some communication work, to give people an occasional break.
We are part of a movement, a climate justice movement that is growing across the country. We understand the urgency of action, and we know that It goes far beyond party politics. It is an issue of our survival on the planet, and the health and well-being of future generations and of our companion species. We are shocked at the escalating toll of extinctions, and by the prospect of temperature rise that is out of control. We know that action can make a difference and we need to act – fast.
If you have not done so yet, please listen to Dr. James Hansen’s TED talk, it’s the top resource in our resources page: http://www.climatefast.ca/resources-view
During this week I was part of a court case arising from the sit-in on Parliament Hill last Sept 26 against the Keystone XL pipeline. We had not paid our fines as our position was that it was essential for us to be protesting on Parliament Hill. Graham Saul did amazing organizing and media work, and the lawyers provided pro-bono work. After a day and a half of court time, the case was dismissed for lack of evidence. It was a relief! Read more here:
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/Court+tosses+fines+environmenta… Court tosses fines for environmentalists. 13 took part in 2011 peaceful Hill protest
CONTINUE THE STRUGGLE
Please continue your actions where you are. If your MP has signed, please express your thanks. If your MP has not signed, please encourage them to do so.
Thank Liberal Leader Bob Rae (bob.rae@parl.gc.ca) and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May (elizabeth.may@parl.gc.ca), and urge Thomas Mulcair, NDP party leader (thomas.mulcair@parl.gc.ca), and Maria Mourani, Bloc Québécois MP and member of the All Party Climate Caucus (Maria.Mourani@parl.gc.ca), to sign. (BQ Leader Daniel Paille does not sit in the House.)
Although no Conservatives have yet signed on, it is still worthwhile writing them. They are not all climate deniers. Michael Chong (Chong.M@parl.gc.ca) is a member of the All Party Climate Caucus. And you may wish to keep Stephen Harper (pm@pm.gc.ca) and Peter Kent informed of your views (peter.kent@parl.gc.ca).
Sometimes people don’t want to take action against fossil fuels or nuclear power because they aren’t confident that renewable and conservation will be enough to meet our needs. If you live in or near Toronto you are invited to hear Mark Jacobson. Mark has published a study through Stanford University showing that within 20 – 40 years the whole world could meet its energy needs from renewable power. He is giving two talks on Monday, October 15.
4pm, University College, room 140, 15 King’s College Circle in the University of Toronto
Admission is free. Register online: http://www.scienceforpeace.ca/a-plan-to-power-100-percent-of-the-planet…
7:30pm, Bahen Centre, room 1180
40 St. George Street in the University of Toronto
Register online for $6 (including fee): http://www.eventbrite.ca/event/4423013352
Please consider registering for PowerShift, October 26 – 29. Power Shift is especially geared toward youth, so please pass on this information to all the young people you know who are concerned about their future. A powerful voice for youth is essential in this struggle. http://www.wearepowershift.ca/
OUR THANKS
We are thankful to all the Fasters:
Dewan Afzal, whose vision of a fast started us on this path, for your vision commitment and inspiration (‘If Gandhi can fast, we can fast’)
Adriana Mugnatto-Hamu, who came with her son Loren (age 10) to be part of this action
Sylvia Grady (for her humour, listening, caring spirit, and hard work)
Raven Courtney (who opened and closed our days together with traditional ceremony, an opportunity for expressing gratitude and honouring the sacred)
Ken Billings (for his practical support, calm presence, and coordination of our Cimate Refugees event)
Rita Bijons (for getting our banner together, assistance with French, and all the details needed to keep us all together!)
Sharon Howarth (leafletter extraordinaire, for your wonderful energy)
Betty Muir (designer of our candle graphic, and t-shirt, your warm support)
Audrey Redman (thank you Audrey for your grounding energy and bringing music to our circle)
Sue-Lynn Manone (one of the Occupiers also present on Parliament Hill this past week, for her contribution to outreach)
Frances Deverell (Chair of Canadian Unitarians for Social Justice who did so much to welcome us, providing billets, bringing warm tea, and serving our meal to break our fast)
Kathrin Winkler (for joining us on the Hill, bringing your wonderful art, and making our pledge board)
And the many who joined us all across the country to fast for a day, and to Elizabeth May who fasted for four days and MP Kirsty Duncan who joined us for one day.
And to our hosts in Ottawa:
Sybil Grace, Frances Deverell, Colin Stuart, Ken Billings
And to Patricia Warwick for website design, Amelia Rose Khan for her contributions to our website, and to Vincent Pang for his work all week documenting our stay on the Hill. For both of you, your warm presence and support has been greatly appreciated..
We are grateful to the peace week organizers for including our forum on Climate Refugees in their program, and to our speakers, from OXFAM, USC Canada, and Paul Beckwith, of the University of Ottawa.
And to the Public Library and Ottawa Friends Meeting for providing space for our evening programs. And to Sybil and Colin for hosting us in your homes.
And to the RCMP officers who treated us with respect all week.
To Council of Canadians Brent Patterson and Maude Barlow, for providing support encouragement and office space (Maude’s own office!) And the Sierra Club for providing communications support. And to Joe Gunn and others from Citizens for Public Justice, who arrived early on our first day to welcome us to the Hill.
And to all our endorsing organizations for helping us get out the word about the Climate Fast.
We thank Karl on Parl (rabble.ca) and Mark of Earthgauge (radio program) and other media for covering our Fast. We thank the organizers of solidarity vigils in Salt Spring Island, Toronto and Halifax. And we thank Jan Slakov for finding high-profile endorsers, providing French translation, for outreach, including writing an article for publication on Salt Spring Island. www.gulfislandsdriftwood.com/opinion/171356001.html
We thank the organizers of solidarity vigils in Salt Spring Island, Toronto and Halifax. Angela Bischoff and Angela Orellana Schwalm, in Toronto, and Sandy Greenberg and Tamara Lorincz of Voice of Women in Halifax and Jan Slakov on Salt Spring Island The Toronto vigil was reported on in Rabble: http://rabble.ca/podcasts/shows/john-bonnar-audio-blog/2012/10/toronto-…
We thank Physicians for Global Survival for circulating a letter of support to all the MPs.
And as for the weather, we had some sunny days and some rainy days. I am proud of the way our fasters stayed every day, all day, no matter the weather, to make this essential witness on Parliament Hill. We thank the Earth for providing us with our water and air, and the ground to stand on. We acknowledge the land as the traditional territory of the Algonquin people.
We had a wonderful closing vigil with the sounds of the indigenous drummers and singers, invited to join us by faster Audrey Redman. The strength of those drums and the closing prayers led by Raven Courtney, in a circle surrounded by candlelight, on the lawn on Parliament Hill, this was powerful. We, friends, are powerful – when we organize, we can change the world.
“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.” “Things can change in a day.” - Arundhati Roy,
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead
Lyn Adamson
EDITORS NOTE
Lyn is too modest to take credit for all the work she put into pulling this together, for keeping everyone motivated and for regularly writing blogs and newsletters to keep everyone else in the loop.