“Defend our Climate” Protest Held in Calgary

There was a peaceful protest in Calgary this past Saturday to demonstrate opposition to Stephen Harper’s government’s stance on climate change. The gathering, which was held outside the Enbridge location at Fifth Avenue place, was called “Defend our Climate,” and it was one of many peaceful protests that took place in different cities across the country. Many individual groups that represent different environmental concerns, including the oil pipeline construction, banded together to organize these peaceful protests and send a unified message to the government.

Chantal Chagnon, a spokesperson for the Green Party of Canada, said that the protestors do not want to halt use of fossil fuels immediately because the groups recognize how dependent the country is on them. Their aim is to get the expansion and construction to slow down, so that it is planned in a smart and safe manner.

“We’re seeing the effects of global warming and we can’t keep denying it because obviously something is happening,” Chagnon said.

“We have to take advantage of our knowledge at this point and really change our behaviour, change our way of development.

“We can’t keep developing infinitely on a finite world.”

The environmental groups feel that the current government is not taking meaningful action in regards to climate change. Saturday was strategically picked for the protests, which were held as leaders from around the world congregated in Poland to discuss climate change and how the international community can work together to do to something about it.

On The Web:
Dozens gather to ‘Defend Our Climate’ in downtown Calgary
http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/dozens-gather-to-defend-our-climate-in-downtown-calgary-1.1546475