It is often easy to feel overwhelmed by the constant influx of bad news regarding our environment, from wildfires to floods to oil spills to climate change. But it takes more than bad news to prompt sustained political action on the environment – it takes people power. We believe meaningful change comes when people from across Ottawa (and Canada) tell their political representatives that solving environmental problems should be a priority.
The Federal government is giving us exactly that opportunity. They have initiated a consultation process across Canada to last until the end of July and are calling on all of Canada’s MPs to host climate action consultation town halls in their communities. They are also calling on all Canadians to access their online platform to submit their comments and suggestions about climate action while they finalize their climate action plan for the fall. You should definitely take a minute to go and submit your own comments and suggestions!
We are faced with an historic opportunity where all levels of government are talking about taking action on climate change, and are now given an opportunity to tell our MPs what we think these actions should include. Ecology Ottawa is pushing for these town hall meetings to happen in all of Ottawa’s ridings, and you too can get involved in Ottawa South!
A group of Ecology Ottawa supporters from the Ottawa-South riding is doing just that. They came together and have been organizing one of these consultations in their own community. On May 25th, at 7PM at the Canterbury Community Centre, join us to have your voice heard. Both MP David McGuinty and MPP John Fraser will be present to listen to what you have to say. Come to the round-table discussion to tell your elected representative that the government’s continued subsidy to the fossil fuel industry and the reported support for new infrastructure like Energy East sends a contradictory message to their mandate of tackling climate change. In their place are the economic opportunities of conservation, efficiency, and renewable energy.
Your Ottawa South organizing team also needs your help in making this town hall happen! They need volunteers for the night of the event, moderators and note takers at the tables, and plenty of people to get outreach done by phone and make sure we fill the room. This town hall is in 10 days! Get in touch with the team to get involved, and to make sure that your, and your neighbour’s, voice is heard!
This is the second consultation in the Ottawa area, and the very first one that is purely grassroots organized by constituents (quite possibly in all of Canada). On April 28th, Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna kicked off the process with the first of these consultation town halls in her own riding of Ottawa Centre. Ecology Ottawa organized its supporters to be present. In a room filled with over 300 constituents, nearly all tables of the round table discussion had at least one supporter of Ecology Ottawa to drive home the message that solving climate change requires two things; advances in the green economy but also the phase out of fossil fuels, including saying no to infrastructure projects like Energy East.
So, seize this historic opportunity to have your voice heard!
RSVP for the Ottawa South Climate Consultation here: http://www.ecologyottawa.org/ottawa_south_town_hall_meeting_climate_change_consultation
Share the event on your social media platforms with the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1715301405383929/
Help your Ottawa South Ecology Ottawa organizing team making this climate town hall a success by e-mailing the team leader, Aija, at [email protected]
Thank you,
Graham, Aija, Alex, Robb, Avery, Angela, Naomi, Greg and the Ecology Ottawa team.
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