Quebec mothers demand climate justice at premier's Montreal office for 20th week
For the twentieth consecutive Sunday, members of the Mothers Step In (Mères au front) collective will gather outside Premier Francois Legault's Montreal office to demand that the government "respond to climate justice."
Andréanne Grimard is one of the mothers and grandmothers who have been demonstrating with their children every Sunday since April 4.
To ensure that the premier and his entourage take note of their presence, she explained that the children who accompany their mothers draw and write messages in chalk each week on the pavement in front of the Sherbrooke St. building.
"We want concrete action for the environment" was one message on the sidewalk, accompanied by a drawing of the sun and the names of several children.
"On Monday, when the premier's staff from the executive council come to the office, they see the signs. They see that we've been here for another week," said Grimard. "Science tells us that we have eight years to reduce (greenhouse gas) emissions by more than half. I've signed petitions, I've participated in the marches, the annual demonstrations, I'm working on the subject as well.
"But we don't have the luxury of waiting a year for the next demonstration, for the next report, for the next strategy, for the next budget; we really have to start today. We should have started decades ago."
The group is asking the Quebec government "that all decisions be screened for their impact on the environment and intergenerational equity."
DECENTRALIZED QUEBEC GROUP
Sometimes there are only five or six people demonstrating in front of Legault's office, and other times there are as many as 20.
Mothers Step In is a decentralized movement of about thirty groups active in different cities and villages in Quebec that has given itself the mandate to "break the inaction on climate change and protect life on Earth."
In Rouyn-Noranda, for example, Mothers Step In is involved in the Horne Foundry issue.
They have organized demonstrations in the downtown area and recently called a meeting of the Rouyn-Noranda municipal council to pressure Mayor Diane Dallaire and her councillors regarding arsenic emissions from the Horne smelter.
On May 8th, Mother's Day, the Mothers Step In of Quebec organized a demonstration, which brought together thousands of people, according to some media estimates, in front of the National Assembly.
Climate justice' was at the heart of the demonstrators' demands, but they also voiced their opposition to the third link.
The proposed highway tunnel between Quebec City and Levis is, moreover, a subject on which the mothers intend to draw public attention during the provincial election campaign that will begin in a few weeks, Grimard told The Canadian Press.
For the demonstration on Sunday, mothers are expected in Montreal, and the press release of the organization indicates that "colorful activities" are planned, without however specifying the nature.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 14, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Poilievre kicked out of Commons after calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko'
Testy exchanges between the prime minister and his chief opponent ended with the Opposition leader and one of his MPs being ejected from the House of Commons on Tuesday -- and the rest of Conservative caucus walking out of the chamber in protest.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
Sword-wielding man attacks passersby in London, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring 4 others
A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers in a northeast London suburb Tuesday, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring four other people, British authorities said.
Conservatives push motion calling for Carney to testify, say it's about 'accountability'
The federal Conservatives made good on their promise to push for former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney to testify before MPs, resulting in a heated political debate in Ottawa on Tuesday.
Freeland previews omnibus budget bill, proposed capital gains tax change left out
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
WATCH Arnold Schwarzenegger spotted filming in Elora, Ont.
The name of the project has not been officially released although it’s widely believed to be the Netflix series FUBAR.
London Drugs stores remain closed, 'cybersecurity incident' may have breached personal data
London Drugs says it is working with third-party security experts as the company tries to reopen dozens of stores across Western Canada that were shuttered by a cybersecurity incident Sunday.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.