Kelowna was just one of the hundreds of locations across the world to participate in the Global Climate Strike on Friday (Sept. 24).

Nearly 50 people rallied outside of city hall before marching down Bernard Avenue and delivering a letter demanding climate action to Kelowna-Lake Country MP-elect Tracy Gray乌鸦传媒檚 office.

乌鸦传媒淲e thought it was important to get out here because although climate activism isn乌鸦传媒檛 thriving in Kelowna, we乌鸦传媒檙e still here and we still gotta make some noise,乌鸦传媒� said Ben Cuthbert, a member of Fridays for Future Kelowna.

The event was a collaborative effort between Fridays for Future Kelowna, Okanagan Climate Hub, Extinction Rebellion Kelowna and 350 Canada.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 so glad the youth are here, because we乌鸦传媒檙e here for you,乌鸦传媒� said Tracey Davis of Okanagan Climate Hub.

Devon Murray, a 13-year-old student at Dr. Knox Middle School, said that she was overwhelmed by the number of people in attendance.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 so upsetting to see that we still have to talk about this, that I have to skip school, make posters and do all this work just so we can be heard, addressed and it乌鸦传媒檚 not fair,乌鸦传媒� said Murray, who credited her teacher, Ms. Dominelli, for inspiring her to take action against climate change.

乌鸦传媒淲e have it easy 乌鸦传媒� there are so many people that have it so hard. It乌鸦传媒檚 just so unfair. I乌鸦传媒檓 just so happy to have everybody here,乌鸦传媒� said Murray.

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At around 11:30 a.m., the crowd gathered outside of city hall, where they made posters with messages that included 乌鸦传媒淭here is no Planet B,乌鸦传媒� 乌鸦传媒淪mokanagan = Climate Emergency乌鸦传媒� and 乌鸦传媒淐limate Action Now.乌鸦传媒�

Short speeches were made and the crowd made their way towards Bernard Avenue at around 12 p.m. Equipped with their signs and a giant banner that read 乌鸦传媒淐limate Emergency, Act Like It,乌鸦传媒� demonstrators repeated chants as they walked, such as 乌鸦传媒淯proot the system乌鸦传媒� and 乌鸦传媒淐limate action is what we need, not billionaires and corporate greed.乌鸦传媒�

The group marched down Bernard Avenue, drawing the attention of on-lookers and halting traffic along the way. At the intersection of Bertram Street and Bernard Avenue, the crowd looped back down Bernard before turning onto St. Paul Street, where Gray乌鸦传媒檚 office is located.

乌鸦传媒淚 just want to know that Tracy understands just how seriously this emergency needs to be taken,乌鸦传媒� said Cuthbert.

乌鸦传媒淎lso, I really want to hear her acknowledge that all these crises 乌鸦传媒� Indigenous law rights, racism, sexism, unequal COVID vaccine distribution 乌鸦传媒� all these crises and issues are all tied together. You can乌鸦传媒檛 talk about one without talking about them all. I just want to hear her acknowledge that.乌鸦传媒�

While Gray wasn乌鸦传媒檛 present at her office, Cuthbert taped a letter demanding climate action on the building乌鸦传媒檚 entrance. The letter, signed by Fridays for Future Kelowna, reads as follows:

乌鸦传媒淒ear Tracy Gray, MP, This summer, the Okanagan was on fire. We can乌鸦传媒檛 go on like this. As our voice in Ottawa, will you:

• Recognize that we need to cut emissions immediately and work to end the extraction and burning of fossil fuels?
• Work for a just, global COVID-19 recovery by fighting to end IP restrictions on vaccines?
• Condemn state violence against land defenders and environmental activists, and respect and listen to Indigenous peoples?

乌鸦传媒淓verything is connected. We are counting on you to fight for our future.乌鸦传媒�

Kyle Rogers, a first-year political science student at UBCO, said that he hopes that Gray recognizes that climate change is a real issue.

乌鸦传媒淐orporations aren乌鸦传媒檛 going to do anything unless they乌鸦传媒檙e forced to. They乌鸦传媒檙e incentivized to make the most money,乌鸦传媒� said Rogers. 乌鸦传媒淎t the moment, climate action isn乌鸦传媒檛 in business乌鸦传媒� best interest. I乌鸦传媒檇 encourage her to make it so that is in their best interest.乌鸦传媒�

When reached for comment, Gray said she doesn乌鸦传媒檛 comment on correspondence received from constituents or protests but added she has 乌鸦传媒渂een clear that in Ottawa I will fight to end the Liberal乌鸦传媒檚 hypocrisy on the environment.乌鸦传媒�

Editor乌鸦传媒檚 note: This story was updated at 6:30 p.m. with comment from MP-elect Tracy Gray.

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aaron.hemens@kelownacapnews.com
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