Tyler McKay | Assistant News Editor
Featured Image: Protesters gathered at Queen’s Park on Friday, Sept. 27. | Courtesy of Emily Goodwin
On Friday, September 27, the youth-led Global Climate Strike occurred at events across the globe. The purpose of these strikes was to demand immediate and meaningful action by world governments to address the issue of climate change. Strikers also campaigned for an end to fossil fuel use.
Youth were especially encouraged to participate in these strikes.
Over six million people across the globe took part in the Climate Strike. There were many strikes across Canada; 80,000 people turned up in Vancouver, 20,000 in Victoria, and 10,000 each in Winnipeg and Halifax.
Noted youth climate leader Greta Thunberg was present at the Montreal strike. She was joined by an estimated 315,000 people, making the strike in Montreal one of the most attended environmental marches in history.
The People’s Climate March that happened in New York City in September 2014 attracted at least 310,000 people.
“This is just the start of taking action to save the future,” says fourth-year environmental studies student Lyn-Aleccia Dinh. “By participating in the strike, I was doing my part for intergenerational justice, to make a better change for the generations ahead of me.”
“I went to the strike because I think climate change is the most important issue of my time and we all need to take a stand,” says first-year concurrent education student Marissa Di Taranto.
Both Dinh and Di Taranto were present at the march that occurred in Toronto that went to Queen’s Park. Thousands of people seemed to agree, as more than 15,000 people filled the streets of downtown Toronto on Friday afternoon for the climate rally. An estimated 20,000 people of all age groups participated in the march.
“I wanted to connect with others that care about the environment and future generations,” says Dinh.
“I hope this strike will create more awareness around the topic of climate change and how there needs to be something done about it now. I hope governments will hear us and take the necessary actions for climate change.”
In keeping with the theme of the strike, there were many protest signs that were constructed out of recycled materials. “I saw a lot of signs that were recycled from Amazon boxes, or paper shopping bags from brands like Wilfred,” adds Dinh.
School boards around the world supported students who chose to attend the strike.
“We honour student voice and are committed to ensuring students can express themselves individually and collectively in ways that are constructive, respectful and responsible,” said the Toronto District School Board in a news release prior to the strike.
“To ensure students receive no academic penalty for taking part in the rally, we have also asked our schools to avoid scheduling tests and other assessments on that day.”
At the York Senate Meeting on September 26, the Senate approved a motion submitted by Provost & Vice-President Academic Lisa Philipps to “declare September 27, 2019 a day of academic accommodation for which no student shall receive an academic penalty for not attending classes.”
