Toward an Assembly of Social Movements on Climate Change
Peoples Social Forum 2014
Before and Beyond Ottawa
More than 10,000 people are expected at the Peoples’ Social Forum taking place in Ottawa from August 21st to 24th. This will be a historic gathering as it will be the first time that activists and progressives from French and English Canada as well as First Nations will come together to discuss the future we want. The issue of how we protect our environment is already a defined theme of the Forum and an Assembly of Social Movements on that specific theme is taking shape. Now more than ever, our movements are active on the issue.
- First Nations are at the forefront of many struggles against the petro and mining industry in Canada;
- Citizen movements have generated massive opposition to each and every attempt by the Government of Canada to export its petrol via the South, West and now East;
- Environmental organizations, targeted by the very same government, have launched new campaigns and have gained more and more support against climate change in general and extractive industries in particular;
- Scientists and institutions, also under attack, are continuing to denounce the climate obscurantism of this government and all also calling for action now.
These conditions create a momentum and we believe that together, we can achieve much more to stop climate change. Canadian industries and policies need to be changed now.
