PRESS RELEASE
SOURCE : COLLECTIF POUR LA SUITE DU MONDE
Montreal, September 27, 2024 -The Pour la suite du monde movement, made up of some fifty groups representing more than two million people, is launching a vibrant appeal to all Quebecers to take part in demonstrations in every region of Quebec to demand a clear commitment from the Quebec government to address the climate, social and biodiversity loss crises: it's time to act!
We're fed up with bad government decisions because we know that, together, we can build a safer, greener and fairer Quebec. Demonstrations are taking place today in Baie-Comeau, Drummondville, Gaspé, Joliette, Lebel-sur-Quévillon, Montreal, Nicolet, Quebec City, Rimouski, Rouyn-Noranda, Saguenay, Saint-Hyacinthe, Saint-Jérôme, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Shawinigan, Sherbrooke and Victoriaville. The rally for the big Montreal demonstration is at 6 p.m. at the George-Étienne Cartier monument.
For a Quebec that lives up to its ambitions
Quebec is increasingly suffering the aftershocks and effects of the climate crisis and the collapse of biodiversity. Just recently, the Quebec population was hit by flooding following the passage of storm Debby, which thus became " the most costly climatic event in Quebec's history ". Last year, Quebec experienced historic forest fires, and heatwaves are occurring with increasing frequency. All these climatic events are having a major impact on an already difficult context, with a housing crisis, rising living costs and growing socio-economic inequalities. We refuse to stand idly by while our future, and that of future generations, is at stake. The population is ready for action and is already working on solutions that the government is ignoring.
Our demands are very simple: we must implement an energy, ecological and social transition for the benefit of Quebecers, and include the people of Quebec in the decisions for a real social dialogue! The monde movement is rooted in these demands.
That's what they say
Union sector
"The ecological transition cannot be made in opacity, to the detriment of the general interest, of those who build our society and of vulnerable people. Workers' experience, know-how and knowledge of the realities on the ground are invaluable assets in devising sustainable and equitable solutions. Initiatives taken without their voice are doomed to failure and risk leading to job losses, precarious working conditions and ever greater inequalities." - Luc Vachon, President of the Centrale des syndicats démocratiques (CSD)
Environmental sector
"The Quebec government is failing to meet its climate targets. The environmental measures proposed are not sufficient to compensate for the increased damage caused by the climate crisis and the loss of biodiversity. The government is sailing without proper planning or clear direction. It allows the environmental situation to deteriorate to the point where community resilience is at risk. Solutions supported by science and driven by civil society exist to protect the health of populations and ecosystems. But the government still needs to listen, be open to dialogue and be prepared to take serious action. The door is always open on our side, because it's the future of our society that's at stake." - Alexandre Huetresponsible for citizen mobilization in Quebec for the David Suzuki Foundation
Community sector
"Human rights and our living conditions are intimately linked to the future of our ecosystems. It's inconceivable that, even in 2024, our decision-makers are still giving priority to the private interests of major industries rather than fighting social inequalities and protecting the environment. This orientation inevitably harms the common good and further affects the most disadvantaged in our society." - Valérie Lépine co-coordinator of the Mouvement d'éducation populaire et d'action communautaire du Québec (MÉPACQ)
Youth sector
“ Young people cannot and must not bear the burden of the climate crisis alone. What they want is to live in a fair and healthy world. Faced with governments that ignore us, it's time to express our displeasure, whether we are listened to and heard.es! It is crucial to remember that the countdown has begun and that it is the responsibility of governments and institutions to initiate the transition. The time to act is now! "Marie Maltais, student, youth sector representative
Health sector
"The growing climate and biodiversity crisis continues to demonstrate how environmental health affects human health across Quebec, and even more so for the most vulnerable among us. In so doing, it also has economic effects that need to be brought into sharper focus: increased costs for our overburdened healthcare system, vulnerable people and communities trapped by their health problems by being all too often unable to cope with them, and health inequalities linked to living and working environments.
The government must use the products that collective intelligence and the harnessing of civil society have produced in recent years, for the full health of Quebec." - Patricia Clermont, organizer and PhD, Association québécoise des médecins pour l'environnement (AQME)
Economic sector
"The planetary and social limits have been reached, and our current economic system only works for a minority of individuals, to the detriment of the majority. A transformation of our economy is therefore essential, but above all possible. In Quebec, economic models that take care of both people and the planet exist and are already well established - let's support them!" - Béatrice Alain, Executive Director, Chantier de l'économie sociale
Citizen sector
"The window of opportunity to curb global warming is closing fast. The current government is using the pretext of pseudo-energy transition to decide, without legitimacy, to dismantle our social gains by privatizing and squandering our electricity and ransacking our territories. Quebec society as a whole is suffering the losses of these false solutions. We call on the population to reject this dispossession of our common good and to get involved: citizens' voices must be heard in decisions concerning the future we want." - Francis Waddell, citizen group Demain Verdun
Regroupement d'élues municipaux
"At present, the energy transition is dictated from above, following opaque and undemocratic principles. At the municipal level, democracy is in bad shape, and citizens and the common good are paying the price. Decisions that affect the future of our communities must be made with and by the people, not against them. Vent d'élus is pursuing its efforts to put participatory municipal democracy back at the heart of the decisions that impact our living environments, to ensure a fair and viable energy transition for all." - Isabelle Clément, Hérouxville town councillor and member of Vent d'élus.
For further information:
About Collectif pour la suite du monde
We are a movement that brings together trade unions, environmental, health, community, youth and economic organizations, as well as citizens' groups and elected representatives, around a democratic vision of environmental and social transition.
Through various actions, we are mobilizing to force our governments to implement democratic solutions that bring social and environmental justice.
Our movement brings together some fifty organizations, representing over two million people..
Organization of the Pour la suite du monde movement
Aile Jeunesse du Chantier de l'économie sociale
Alliance of professional and technical health and social services personnel (APTS)
AREQ (CSQ) - The CSQ retirees' movement
Quebec Association of Physicians for the Environment (AQME)
Attac Quebec
Centrale des syndicats démocratiques (CSD)
Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ)
International Center for Workers' Solidarity (CISO)
Chantier de l'économie sociale
Coalition intersyndicale du Suroît (COTON 46)
QLAIM Coalition
Coalition Québec meilleure mine (QMM)
Coalition Verte / Green Coalition
Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN)
Cyclo Nord-Sud
Tomorrow in Verdun
Emergency Water
YOUTH ENVIRONMENT
Equiterre
Autonomous Federation of Education (FAE)
Québec Federation of Labour (QFL)
Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec (FECQ)
Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec-FIQ
David Suzuki Foundation
Monique-Fitz-Back Foundation
Fondation Rivières
Common Front for Energy Transition (FTCE)
Greenpeace Canada
The Assumption in transition
The planet invites itself to Parliament
The forgotten bus
MARE (Regional Environmental Action Movement)
Mothers at the front
Popular Education and Community Action Movement of Quebec (MÉPACQ)
New Democracy Movement (MDN)
Nature Quebec
Oxfam-Québec
For an informed choice in Nicolet-Yamaska
Climate reality Canada
Regroupement vigilance énergie Québec
Environmental Women's Network
Réseau québécois de l'action communautaire autonome (RQ-ACA)
Réseau québécois des groupes écologistes RQGE
SNAP Quebec
Solidarity Environment Sutton
Quebec Public and Parapublic Service Union (SFPQ)
Syndicat de professionnelles et professionnels du gouvernement du Québec (SPGQ)
Workers for climate justice
Union étudiante du Québec (UEQ)
Elected representatives
GMO monitoring
Find out more about our past mobilization events, click here.
