Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg continued to push Canada for more action on climate change on Friday — less than a week after voters returned Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to power with a minority government.
Thunberg brought her growing celebrity to Vancouver — where debate continues over whether the Trans-Mountain pipeline that is supposed to bring petroleum from Alberta to the West Coast should be constructed.
The teenage climate change promoter addressed a crowd of about 6,000 people in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery. Before she spoke, a number of First Nations activists addressed the crowd, attempting to link Native land claims with global warming anxiety. (RELATED: Alberta Government Won’t Be Welcoming Greta Thunberg When She Visits Alberta)
“The people in power are still acting as if there was no tomorrow,” Thunberg, 16, told the crowd after taking most of them on a 2 mile march around the downtown core of Canada’s second-largest city, tying up afternoon traffic.
“We young people are telling them to stop doing that, to stop ignoring the consequences of their actions and inactions.”
“This is just the beginning, we will continue,” Thunberg promised.
“Change is coming, whether you like it or not.”
The teen has become a frequent visitor to Canada. Before the Edmonton stopover, Thunberg had already visited Ottawa and Montreal. In the Canadian capitol she met with Trudeau, and told him he is not doing enough to fight climate change.