council of canadians

UPDATE: Police attack climate justice march

| December 16, 2009

It's noon hour and our march has just been attacked by the police. The area we are in has been declared an arrest zone ‘in the name of the queen'. The police have launched rounds of tear gas, brought in police dogs, and are hitting people.

We are all safe, but witnessing the shocking police clampdown of the peaceful protest.

Moments before the attack the announcement had come from organizers that we would hold the people's assembly for climate justice on the street.

It also looks like delegates were trying to get out of the Bella Center and join us but were stopped.

UPDATE: We are at Taarnby Station!

Brent Patterson

| December 16, 2009

We have just arrived at Taarnby Station, the gathering point for the march to the Bella Center.

The train we were on, which was packed with people also heading to this march, was delayed for about 30 minutes. An announcement had said the train was stopped because ‘activists' were blocking the tracks. None of us believe that.

In the morning news we find even more reasons to take part in this action today.

A major new report by International Upper Great Lakes Study Board has found that climate change has already caused a discernible drop in the water levels of the Great Lakes.

The Great Lakes are the primary source of drinking water for millions of people.

UPDATE: ‘Reclaim Power!’ action tomorrow morning

Brent Patterson

| December 16, 2009

It's just past midnight now here in Copenhagen and we are all getting ready for the big action tomorrow morning.

At 8:00 am (2:00 am EST) we will be joining with likely thousands of others at Taarnby Station to march to the Bella Center (where the official climate ‘talks' are taking place).

The delegates attending the summit there are being asked to walk out and join us at 10:00 am (4:00 am EST). It is known that many will do so.

Then together the plan is to hold a people's assembly for climate justice starting at 12:00 noon (6:00 am EST) outside the Bella Center for the remainder of the day.

UPDATE: Maude Barlow speaks on water and climate change

Brent Patterson

| December 15, 2009

We are at a media conference on water justice at this moment in Copenhagen.

Council of Canadians chairperson Maude Barlow is highlighting that water should be central at this summit, and that climate justice is water justice.

This is what democracy should look like!

Meera Karunananthan

| December 14, 2009

When I told my Spanish class that the government in Uruguay had gotten rid of private water services, the teacher was quick to correct me : “the people of Uruguay got rid of private water” he insisted.

In the history of Uruguay the people have used referenda several times to protect the public interest. They even used it to get rid of military dictatorship. According to Carmen Sosa from FFOSE the water worker's union, in the 90s, an era of privatization run amok in Latin America, the Uruguayan people protected public services from being privatized through a referendum. Just prior to the referendum on water, the privatization of the oil sector was also prevented via referendum.

UPDATE: Council marches with No One Is Illegal in Copenhagen

Brent Patterson

| December 14, 2009

The Council of Canadians team in Copenhagen has just participated in a 'No One Is Illegal' march to the Danish Ministry of War.

[Click here for video footage]

The message of the march - "Climate injustice is not just about CO2!"

No One Is Illegal says, "No borders. No fortress Europe. Freedom of movement for all and the right to stay without fear of militarization and climate chaos."

Maude Barlow denounces the tar sands in Copenhagen

Brent Patterson

| December 14, 2009

Council of Canadians chairperson Maude Barlow has just addressed a crowd of more than 200 people in front of the Canadian embassy in Copenhagen.

Indigenous leaders of communities impacted by the tar sands and allies stated that Canada has not kept its Kyoto commitments and has not ratified the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples because of the half-trillion dollar investments the massive tar sands development represents.

Climate talks head into second week

Brent Patterson

| December 14, 2009

Agence France-Press reports that, "If all goes well, the (climate) conference (in Copenhagen) will agree on an outline deal of national pledges to curb carbon emissions and set up a mechanism to provide billions of dollars in help for poor countries..."

The New York Times adds that, "The United Nations has said that a fund for such a purpose should amount to about $30 billion over the next three years..."

"Poor nations want pledges more on the order of $100 billion annually by the end of the next decade, and they signaled last week that short-term pledges just would not do."

"The European Union came up with a pledge at the end of the week of $10.5 billion over the next three years."

Maude Barlow comments on today's march and the arrests in Copenhagen

Brent Patterson

| December 12, 2009

Reuters reports this evening that, "Tens of thousands of climate activists marched in Copenhagen on Saturday to urge negotiators at UN talks to agree a strong deal to fight global warming in a worldwide Day of Action."

100,000 MARCH

"Estimates of the number of people in the march under chilly sunny skies varied from a police estimate of 25,000 to 100,000 given by organizers, who hope the rallies will put pressure on a summit of 110 world leaders in Copenhagen on Dec. 17-18."

UPDATE: 100,000 about to march to the Bella Centre

Brent Patterson

| December 12, 2009

The Council of Canadians march with an estimated 100,000 people to the Bella Centre, where the official climate negotiations are taking place.

[Click on image for video footage]

The Council of Canadians is in the middle of Christianborg Slotsplads (Parliament Square) right now, preparing to march with an estimated 100,000 people to the Bella Centre (where the official climate negotiations are taking place).

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