Le français viendra sous peu.
We recently asked a member of our community to write about their experiences taking direct action for the climate. As governments continue to not only fail to respond appropriately to the climate emergency, but in fact exacerbate it, the question of whether—or how best—to increase outside pressure increasingly presses. In our present political atmosphere, however, such action often involves disproportionate punishment and significant consequences, and these consequences must be weighed thoughtfully.
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Why did I get myself arrested protesting climate inaction by the federal government? What possible impact could this have? Was it worth it blocking traffic for 20 minutes on a Friday morning during rush hour? Didn't I just piss people off and only make them resent climate activists, thereby hurting the cause?
Ever since I was a kid, I identified and cared greatly about other animals and their habitat. I joined Greenpeace as a 12 year old after reading the Rainbow Warrior - I was a converted environmentalist because I loved nature. As I grew up, I watched as the powerful adults in society did everything in their power to dominate and exploit the natural world. Then loomed the climate crisis, and the severity of the situation hit home hard. I shot a stop motion film based on my grief and rage at capitalism's insatiable greed and ongoing colonial enterprises. Land theft, resource extraction and pollution were principally experienced by Indigenous peoples and disadvantaged communities in sacrifice zones; we are all now facing ecological collapse.
In 2023, I heard about a group willing to engage in direct action in Ottawa. They were planning the Extinction Rebellion–like actions in the summer as a response to the wildfire devastation wrought by climate change and the lack of government action in making policies aligned with real climate action.
I had earlier been involved in a group helping fight the Coastal GasLink pipeline in BC, standing with the Wet'suwet'en. I knew the seriousness of climate collapse. It has been Indigenous Land Defenders, like those at Standing Rock, who have actually slowed down the steady march of the resource extraction industries gobbling up the planet. Land Defenders using their bodies to block industry has had dramatic impacts. After reading Chris Hedges’ "Wages of Rebellion" and "America the Farewell Tour," as well as Arthur Manuel's "Reconciliation Manifesto," I felt that I needed to contribute. I had just watched George Monbiot's coverage of the Extinction Rebellion actions in Britain. I had attended a few non-violent civil disobedience workshops over the years, and it seemed like it was time. So, as August progressed, after much thought, I joined up by going to one of the training talks.
At the end of August, I was arrested for blocking traffic on a major road during morning rush hour. I sat down with three others and waited for the police to arrive. Drivers were not happy with the road being blocked. I did not feel very safe - there only being four of us. One driver drove their SUV on the sidewalk to get around us. Other people got out of their cars and dragged us off the road, only for us to walk back and sit down again. After about 20 minutes, police arrived and asked us to get off the road. We refused. However, when they said I was under arrest, and lifted me up, I rose cooperatively, and was handcuffed and escorted to a waiting police car and put in the back seat.
I was offered a quick release if I agreed to certain release terms, including not going to Gatineau until my court date. I could not agree, because this would restrict my capacity to visit my mother (whom I assisted weekly) until my court date, which was projected for December. I was summarily taken to the local jail for the day, photographed and finger printed, until I could speak to a judge later that day to request a change in my travel restrictions to the Quebec side. The judge refused my modification request, and I was released. There was a van with someone from the group there to collect me and return me to the morning meeting point where I had parked my bike.
I had a lot of time to think as I sat in my cell. I was able to see and feel what it was like to be detained and get an inkling of a feeling for what people less privileged than me must endure on a regular basis. Initially, I really didn't know if my one action had much of an impact. I chose to hire a personal lawyer to fight my case, as the organization's lawyer was not trained in Quebec law. I found a very capable one recommended by a human rights lawyer that I knew in Ottawa. I also wanted to take on these costs personally, as the organization already had many more challenging cases to defend over the next number of months.
I was able to get the travel restrictions lifted finally before Christmas, and I continued with a court appearance in the winter where the charges of mischief and obstructing police were outlined. My lawyer worked hard, and I was able to get a conditional discharge in the spring based on completing 100 hours of community service. This was important to me, as my employment situation might have been impacted by a criminal record. I did the community service for local charities and environmental organizations that I believed in; I was grateful that I was able to choose, within certain parameters.
Was it worth it? In many ways, it was. The community hours created very positive experiences that I might not have had if I had not been arrested. Part of me thinks it was an important step in training for the kinds of civil disobedience actions that have become necessary as corporations continue to disregard public health and environmental integrity. My family knows what I did, including my nieces and nephews, so that down the line, when their lives are difficult due to global heating, they may remember that their uncle tried to do something at some point.
However, sometimes it feels like the personal cost didn't achieve a thing. The Liberal government still went ahead with fossil fuel subsidies and building pipelines while talking of climate action. No national firefighting force was created. The new Carney regime is just upping the ante and spending massive amounts of public funds in fossil fuels and fast-tracking project approvals in the name of national security, all while we are experiencing the worst wildfire and global heating season yet.
Another part of me thinks that this is the nature of struggle and resistance. One can never know the impacts of small actions. Apparently, in a 2018 study published in Science by Damon Centola on "norm formation," once 25% of a population pushes for a change, it has reached a critical mass that cannot be stopped. How do you get to that 25%? There is the three degrees of separation effect of Cristakis and Fowler, where 150 people connect with 150 other people, and each of those connect with another 150 people = 150 x 150 x 150 = 3.375 million people. That is how you can get to that 25% of the population to create change.
Overall, I do see that civil, human and labour rights were never given willingly by the powerful. These only came about by civil resistance. In the days, months and years ahead, only mass movements can stop the wealthy and powerful from carrying out genocide and ecocide in pursuit of their money making games. It is a matter of coordinating mass movements to stop them. These movements always start out small - handfuls of people.
As more people fall into dire straits with nothing to lose, they will act. The problem with ecological collapse may be that when it is too dire to ignore, it may be too late. I prefer to think that it won't come to that.
When I saw the elders from the EV Caravan recently get arrested in their attempt to give their MPs documents about their concerns over the climate collapse, I was reinspired. Before, I had believed that success was in the act of resistance itself - the refusal to bow down to cynicism, the refusal to despair - now there is science to show that we only need 25% of people to give a damn and things change.
This blog post’s author, who wishes to remain anonymous, is “a wannabe activist and artist living in the National Capital Region.”
