Thunberg calls for action, but doesn’t talk oilsands
Rally in Alberta met with smaller counterprotest
ED MONTON • Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg stayed away from any direct criticism of Alberta’s oilsands as she took her message to the provincial capital on Friday.
The 16-year-old told thousands of people in front of the legislature in Edmonton that the future of the planet is at stake.
“We cannot allow this crisis to continue to be a partisan, political question. The climate and ecological crisis is far beyond party politics and the main enemy right now should not be any political opponents, because our main enemy is physics,” she said.
“We teenagers are not scientists, nor are we politicians, but it seems many of us, apart from most others, understand the science because we have done our homework.”
A group of oil and gas industry supporters, some who came to Edmonton in a truck convoy from Red Deer, held a counter-rally at the legislature, but were vastly outnumbered by climate activists.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney had said his government didn’t plan on meeting with Thunberg, and on Friday he visited a power plant west of the city that is switching from coal to cleaner natural gas.
“This is the kind of real, practical, technological solution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” Kenney said.
“The truth is that the socalled climate strike movement is opposed to natural gas. They’re opposed to zero- emitting nuclear power. They’re opposed to technological solutions. They’re opposed to the entire modern, industrial economy.”
A crowd of people stretching two city blocks first marched with the teen through Edmonton’s downtown to the legislature. Edmonton police estimated the size of the crowd at between 3,500 and 4,000, but organizers said they believed it was more like 10,000.
At one point three young men tried to rush Thunberg, but organizers kept them back, said Joe Vipond with the Calgary Climate Hub. Several climate activists locked their arms around the teen during part of the walk.
The physician said he came to Edmonton with two busloads of Calgarians.
“She’s the voice of this generation,” he said.
Others at the rally said they like Thunberg’s message. Protester Saima Jamal came with her 12- year- old son from Calgary to show that people in that city also care about Thunberg’s cause.
Before the rally, Thunberg was confronted by media outlet Rebel News. In a video posted to Youtube, the Rebel employee asked Thunberg’s associates whether it’s appropriate to exploit a child with a mental illness.
“I don’t have a mental illness,” Thunberg laughed in the video.
The questioner asked whether she’ll disclose who funded her trip to Canada during an election campaign.
“I have not spoken about politics,” Thunberg said.
“Climate change is politics, is it not?” the Rebel employee asked.
“No. It’s science.” Thunberg responded.