Canadian Social Movement Leaders Pledge Support for Historic Act of Climate Civil Disobedience

Fourteen prominent social movement leaders in Canada have gone public today with their support of climate change demonstrations planned for outside of 24 Sussex Drive, happening from November 5-8.

"There are less than 40 days until the Paris climate talks, and it's past time that Canada was on the right side of history when it comes to climate change," said Clayton Thomas-Muller, 'Stop it at the Source' campaigner with the global climate change campaign 350.org. "We think Justin Trudeau can step up and lead on this, but to do it he needs to take bold, ambitious action."

The letter's signatories, who include prominent authors, activists, students and youth leaders, as well as Indigenous activists and community organizers, lent their support to the "gentle, but serious" civil disobedience actions being called "Climate Welcome". The actions are being organized to call for a freeze on tar sands expansion and a commitment from Prime Minister-Elect Trudeau to build a justice based, clean energy economy, something the letter states is "the most reasonable first step to getting Canada on track when it comes to climate change and rebuilding our relationship with First Nations and Metis Indigenous peoples." The letter continues to state that "simply put, the tar sands are big enough" and that "it now falls to Prime Minister Trudeau to dig this country out of the hole that we're in on climate change. When it comes to holes the first rule is: when you're in one this big, stop digging."

Momentum for the Climate Welcome sit-ins has been building since early October, and organizers are estimating that it could be the largest action of its kind in the history of Canada's climate movement.

The sit-ins also come a few short weeks before Trudeau is scheduled to appear at the international climate summit in Paris.

Signatories of the letter include:

Signed;

Clayton Thomas Muller, 350.org

Michel Lambert, Alternatives

Joanna Kerr, Greenpeace Canada

Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, Dominic Champagne, Eric Pineault & Jerome Dupras - Elan Global

Bilan Arte & Anne-Marie Roy, Canadian Federation of Students

Kiki Wood, Canadian Youth Climate Coalition

Scott Vrooman, Toronto Star Columnist & Comedian

Marie-Josee Beliveau, Mur de Femmes Contre les Oleoducs et les Sables Bitumineux

Eriel Deranger, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation

Tzeporah Berman, BA MES LLD (honoris causa), Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University

Ron Tremblay - Wolastoq Grand Council