Ahead of Friday’s climate march, organizers expressed their dissatisfaction with Quebec’s political parties. They say Quebec Solidaire and Parti Quebecois are the only ones with a clear climate plan.
“Even those two parties are not up to the demands that we stand for and that we are here today to fight for. So all parties must do more than what they are currently promising,” said Francois Geoffroy, a spokesperson for Travailleuses et travailleurs pour la justice climatique.
Community groups, student associations and workers want Quebec to stop using oil and gas by 2030, and tax the 1 per cent.
“The link is clear that the climate crisis we’re living, the first people who are impacted are the most vulnerable and the poorer people. And this the same all over the world. It is the same we’re seeing in Quebec,” said FRAPRU community organizer, Catherine Lussier.
Organizers say if politicians do not support their demands, they are not welcome at the march. But it didn’t stop any party from attending.
Environment minister Benoit Charette says the CAQ agrees to carbon neutrality by 2050. The candidate and his fellow party members were booed by the crowd and left before the march started.
Meanwhile demonstrators marched alongside members of Quebec Solidaire and the Liberals.
“Quebec Solidaire has put forward the most complete, the most rigorous, the most transparent plan for climate change in the history of political parties in quebec,” said Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, Quebec Solidaire’s co-spokesperson.
Liberal leader Dominique Anglade changed her schedule to be at the march.
“I think it’s really important to do this. And I was clear with the team, this is something I’m going to do,” she told reporters.
The younger crowd hopes after parties see the mobilization of thousands of people, they put more of a focus on the climate.
“I really haven’t seen any adequate change in recent years and its been very disappointing and disheartening to see the lack of information and lack of communication from all the parties about anything tangible,” said Noah Sparrow, who’s 19 years old.
“We are the next generation. We are the future of this planet in general,” said 17-year-old Venessa Philips, “if we don’t start taking care of it right now we’re going to destroy it and were not going to have the opportunity to live.”
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