Yesterday’s climate change rally (“Canadians for Kyoto”) in Toronto (part of a series that happened across Canada) was a lot of fun, and served the purpose of making it clear that environmental issues are important to Torontonians and Canadians. There were musicians, comedians, climate change experts, and (just when you thought it was safe) politicians. I spoke on behalf of the Green Party, while Maria Minna and Jack Layton spoke for the Liberals and NDP, respectively. (The Conservatives were invited, but didn’t show. Maybe they forgot to change their clocks.)

I also learned an interesting lesson about image. (Though, now that I think about it, it’s the same lesson I learned in elementary school math class.) For our three speeches, we were asked by the organizers not to attack any other political party, and instead keep to a positive message of what we wanted to see done. I respected that request (I’ll have video evidence of this fact up within a few days), while Maria and Jack, well, didn’t. The result is that the National Post reported on the rally with the headline “Tories knocked at Kyoto rally,” and the following opening paragraph:

Politicians from the NDP, Liberal and Green parties used a rally in support of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change to press political attacks against the Conservative government.

That’s just not true — I didn’t do anything of the sort. What’s interesting though, is that as far as the National Post reporter was concerned, we’d all taken the same low-road. All politicians are the same, you see. All we do is attack each other and resort to mud slinging.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not blaming the reporter. In fact, I suspect he has accurately reported the event the way most people will remember it. That’s the problem. What was supposed to be (and for the most part was) a positive, uplifting, and inspiring event got reported as if it was simply an opportunistic partisan attack-fest. The point is, politicians have that power; if we choose to, we can bring everything down to the lowest common denominator.

It’s something to keep in mind the next time you’re listening to a group of us speak. Who’s raising the level of debate? Who’s lowering it? And what’s the net result? Don’t fall into the trap of thinking we’re all the same; we’re really not.

Details below. It’s important that we get a good turn out to these events, as the only way to actually cause governments to act is to demonstrate a strong public will for action.

I’ll be speaking at the Toronto event representing the Green Party of Canada. Liberal and NDP representatives will also be there. The Conservative Party declined the invitation, presumably because they’re allergic to booing.

THIS SUNDAY, 2007 March 11, across Canada:

Halifax Race for Kyoto
Victoria Square at 1 pm

Toronto Rally for Kyoto
Nathan Phillips Square at 12 noon

London Rally for Kyoto
Victoria Park at 12 noon

Calgary Rally for Kyoto
Harry Hays Building (outdoors) at 12 noon
4th Ave and 1st St S.E.

Edmonton Climate Change Rally
Sir Winston Churchill Square at 12 noon

Lethbridge Rally for Kyoto
Galt Gardens Park at 12 noon

NOTE: Daylight Savings Time starts that day.
At 2 am Sunday morning, the time changes to 3 am.
If you forget this, you’ll arrive at the rally an hour late!

We’re asking everyone concerned about climate change to please come out this Sunday and rally for Kyoto. Bring your family, friends, children and pets. This will be a fun afternoon with speakers, musicians, comedians and other performers, but we need large numbers of people to demonstrate the breadth and strength of commitment in Canada to combatting global warming. We cannot afford to look feeble.

The Toronto rally will be hosted by Lisa Merchant of Train 48. Speakers at the rally include John Bennett, Executive Director, Climate Action Network; Keith Stewart, Climate Change Campaign Manager WWF Canada; Jose Etcheverry, Research and Policy Analyst, Climate Change Program, David Suzuki Foundation; Cameron Stiff, Founding Member, Canadian Youth Climate Coalition; Olivia Chow, NDP MP; Maria Minna, Liberal MP; and Chris Tindal, Green Party nominated candidate. Juno award winners Richard Underhill, Madagascar Slim, Matt Barber, and a very special platinum selling musical guest will be among the musical entertainers. Comediennes for Kyoto will include Deborah Kimmet, Elvira Kurt and Dawn Whitwell.

Canadians for Kyoto is a newly formed non-partisan coalition of Canadians dedicated to combatting climate change. We are supporting rallies in cities throughout Canada on this Sunday, March 11. Learn more about us — and what’s happening in all the cities — here:

ttp://www.canadiansforkyoto.com/

Global warming is threatening to have catastrophic consequences unless emissions go down worldwide. The Kyoto accord, the only international climate change treaty we have, was supposed to be an easy first step to reducing emissions. Instead, through years of inaction, we’ve allowed Canada’s emissions to rise to levels that make meeting our Kyoto requirements an enormous challenge. Canada, once a world environmental leader, is now an environmental pariah, partly because our emissions are among the highest in the world and partly because our government has stated that not only will we not meet our Kyoto requirements but that we will instead do so little that our emissions will rise at an increasing rate. In 2008, Canada will have an opportunity to legally withdraw from its Kyoto obligations. We cannot allow our government to believe this is acceptable. Let’s send a strong message to Ottawa that Canadians demand a recommitment to our Kyoto obligations and immediate and meaningful measures to dramatically curb our emissions.

Please download these posters and put them up at your work, school, local shops and community centres:

ttp://www.canadiansforkyoto.com/volunteer/torontoposter1.pdf
http://www.canadiansforkyoto.com/volunteer/torontoposter2.pdf

Please forward this email widely.

We’re looking forward to seeing you at the rally this Sunday!