Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has been hot on the campaign trail for the past two weeks, and tomorrow’s trip will drop him right in the centre of the Global Climate Strike rally in Victoria.
Singh’s campaign announced on Thursday that he and his team will be taking to the streets in Victoria to participate in the nation-wide climate strike marches happening on Friday, September 27th.
See also: NDP “New Deal” plan for BC will focus on protecting coastlines and affordable housing
While millions of people across over 150 countries took to the streets to kick off Global Climate Strike week on September 20th, the largest national climate mobilization in Canada is slated to happen this Friday.
In Victoria, the rally will take place between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the Legislature Buildings and feature music, speeches, and mural painting.
The movement, spearheaded by teenage Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, invites everyone to join the protests which so far have seen millions of people worldwide leaving work and school in a mass exodus of support for the cause.
Thunberg will be marching in Montreal tomorrow, alongside Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May.
Among other things, youth strikers are demanding that governments immediately legislate net greenhouse gas emission reductions of 75% over 2005 levels by 2030, in addition to committing to UNDRIP (United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples) in full.
New Democrats across Canada will be taking to the streets tomorrow for the #ClimateStrike – including Jagmeet and our team in Victoria. Join us tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/570T9gwyCh
— NDP (@NDP) September 26, 2019
Singh so far
Earlier this week, Jagmeet Singh was in Burnaby to announce his platform’s focus on climate action and combatting the housing crisis in British Columbia.
He stressed the importance of protecting the province’s coastline and criticized Trudeau’s Liberal government for failing to do so.
“[Trudeau] said he’d do something about climate change – but he’s let big polluters off the hook and bought a $4.5 billion pipeline,” said Singh.
See also: Victoria post-secondary institutions show support for students participating in Climate Strike
To tackle the housing crisis, Singh plans to create a dedicated RCMP unit to weed out money launderers, create a national registry to identify individuals and companies attempting to profit from real estate, and impose a new 15% national foreign buyers’ tax for non-Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
In an announcement in Campbell River on Thursday, the NDP leader also promised to introduce rental subsidies of up to $5,000 per year for families who have to “make a tough choice between groceries and rent, or medication and rent.”
However, Singh will not be making any pledges or proclamations during his time at the Climate Strike in Victoria.
“If he does, it could be detrimental to his campaign and to our work,” strike organizer Emma-Jane Burian tells Victoria Buzz.
Last year, Singh participated in the Victoria Pride Parade and Festival along with local MPs Murray Rankin, Randall Garrison, and Alistair MacGrego.
Global Climate Strike: March and Street Party
- When: Friday, September 27th, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
- Where: Parliament Buildings, 501 Belleville Street
