The climate emergency is beyond politics
On Tuesday, the day after the federal elections, I took to the streets again as part of my work with the international civil disobedience movement Extinction Rebellion (XR).
The federal elections are irrelevant compared to the dire emergency of climate breakdown that we are in, which has worsened over the past 30 years, regardless of elections and whoever is in power. Obviously, the whole political system needs a complete overhaul. We need citizens’ assemblies or some kind of direct democracy to deal with the climate crisis. This is what XR demands and this is why XR is non-partisan, serving people across the political spectrum.
When I disrupted traffic on Tuesday, I received some abuse from the public. That is to be expected when the government is lying to them about the severity of the climate crisis. However, I also received some support, including from a police officer who knows me well by now. He patted me on the back and said, “good job!”
The worst abuse I received was from a woman with her young son who said I was scaring him with my noise, which was to draw attention to the climate crisis. It was her who called the police. (I wasn’t arrested). Maybe this woman was covering over her guilt over not taking more action – I don’t know.
People have criticized XR for upsetting the public, but the upset from the climate crisis will be far worse, and already is for many people around the world. It is time we all woke up. Sometimes shock, horror! – I even use swear words in my frustration that people are not waking up. Why aren’t more people on P.E.I. joining me out on the streets? You tell me. Canada is warming twice as fast as the global average. Aren’t you worried?
It is even more frustrating when people think the Greens are going to save the day. They are not. So, the Greens are relatively big in P.E.I., but the Irving’s fossil fuel empire still reigns, our water and air are still polluted by pesticides, and if things are changing for the good, it is at a snail’s pace, which is useless in the face of the climate emergency. Global emissions are still going up, year on year, and Canada is one of the worst.
It is time we overcome the culture of politeness in our conservative P.E.I. society.
It is time we take to the streets and demand our leaders to let the people decide on what to do about the climate emergency, as politicians are clearly too scared or too invested in their own careers to make the right decisions, which must be quick decisions.
The science is there for all to see. Who has the courage to act on it?