Fridays For Future Greater Sudbury
Fridays For Future Greater Sudbury began on November 2, 2018. They built a website with a map and with the help of many people across Canada coordinated the first national strike on December 7, 2018, and made the national news. That day, Greta Thunberg tweeted directly to them her gratitude on Twitter. This all happened before Greta was a household name.
Their work has been endorsed by scientists at Laurentian University (March 2019), the local chapter of the Canadian Association of the Physicians for the Environment (September 2019) and the Sudbury and District Labour Council (September 2019). The Rainbow District School Board, northern Ontario's largest school board also declared a climate emergency (September 2019) citing their work.
The youth have been striking regularly since November 2, 2018. In the lead up to the climate emergency vote in Greater Sudbury which was declared unanimously on May 28, 2019, they stood with signs and handed out pamphlets encouraging adults to call their city councillors in support of declaring a climate emergency.
They have continued to strike weekly during the school year since May 2019. COVID did not slow them down. The quickly mastered Zoom and conducted a series of successful online rallies with many politicians which you can see on their Facebook Video page. They welcome all ages, and all political stripes to join them. You can follow their weekly activities during the school year on their Facebook page and Instagram. As you will see, they have fun. They play, dance, sing, cosplay and make art.
Their message from Day 1 has been that everyone needs to listen to the experts and cooperate because we are in a climate emergency. For them, experts include not just scientists, economists, social scientists, communicators but also the expertise of those who live close to the land and the waters including Indigenous peoples, farmers and fisherpersons.
SPEAK UP FOR ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE: To send an e-mail to all three levels of government asking them to take the necessary action on climate change to protect our future, copy paste these e-mail lists:
Sudbury - MP Paul Lefebvre, MPP Jamie West, Mayor Brian Bigger and Council
Paul.Lefebvre@parl.gc.ca; Jwest-CO@ndp.on.ca; brian.bigger@greatersudbury.ca; mayor@greatersudbury.ca; mark.signoretti@greatersudbury.ca; michael.vagnini@greatersudbury.ca; gerry.montpellier@greatersudbury.ca; geoff.mccausland@greatersudbury.ca; robert.kirwan@greatersudbury.ca; rene.lapierre@greatersudbury.ca; mike.jakubo@greatersudbury.ca; al.sizer@greatersudbury.ca; deb.mcintosh@greatersudbury.ca; fern.cormier@greatersudbury.ca; bill.leduc@greatersudbury.ca; joscelyne.landry-altmann@greatersudbury.ca
Nickel Belt - MP Marc Serré, MPP France Gélinas, Mayor Brian Bigger and Council
Marc.Serre@parl.gc.ca; fgelinas-co@ndp.on.ca; brian.bigger@greatersudbury.ca; mayor@greatersudbury.ca; mark.signoretti@greatersudbury.ca; michael.vagnini@greatersudbury.ca; gerry.montpellier@greatersudbury.ca; geoff.mccausland@greatersudbury.ca; robert.kirwan@greatersudbury.ca; rene.lapierre@greatersudbury.ca; mike.jakubo@greatersudbury.ca; al.sizer@greatersudbury.ca; deb.mcintosh@greatersudbury.ca; fern.cormier@greatersudbury.ca; bill.leduc@greatersudbury.ca; joscelyne.landry-altmann@greatersudbury.ca