Dear Mr. Prime Minister, and all those it may concern,
(I’ve written a letter a week since December without fail. I apologize that this letter was late. It took me a lot longer to write than many of the others.)
My name is Amelia Penney-Crocker and it’s been half a year since I started writing you a letter every week. One letter about climate change a week, for 26 weeks. In those 26 weeks, a lot has happened. A pandemic, and subsequent closure of our economy. Because of that there is an economic crisis and thousands of people in need of government money. On top of that the race tensions in the USA have finally broken and protests are raging in that country as well as many in our own country. This was not what I expected out of 2020 and I’m sure you didn’t see this coming either, but here we are. Political tension is so high in this country and around the world and there is so much that divides us. But there is one thing everyone has in common. We all stand on this earth. We need air and water. Historically however we have been more concentrated on our own advancement than the environment, even though it is the foundation of life. Perhaps recent events can teach us about what matters most. Perhaps we can be a wiser society. Perhaps…
I spend a lot of time hoping. It’s all I can do at this point. But perhaps (there is that word again) you can make some of my hopes truth. As we begin to lift COVID-19 restrictions and maybe see a second wave, as protests against racial inequality and police brutality continue, and hopefully see results, we can unite behind the environment and a green new deal. Many people and groups in Canada and around the world have petitioned for something called Just Recovery. It’s an economic recovery plan from COVID-19 that doesn’t bring the world back to what it used to be but instead makes it better. One of the principles of Just Recovery is to put people’s health first. It’s important to say that police brutality is a health issue and by extension the issue of racism is a health issue. However I will not talk at length about this now, instead I challenge you to look deeper into the Just Recovery principles and racism on your own time.
So, it’s been half a year since I started writing to you. What has changed?
Not enough.
That is why I continue to write. Why I will write 26 more letters if that’s what it takes. I know that being Prime Minister is hard and there are so many problems you need and want to spend your time on, but climate change doesn’t care that you don’t have time for it. Climate change doesn’t care that we’re not in a good economic place to radically cut carbon emissions. Climate change already kills 150 00 people annually and we keep killing them no matter how hard you beg it not to. Police brutality will keep killing. Domestic abuse will keep killing. Climate change will keep killing and that is why it is never enough.
Next week my letter will talk about defunding the police. I am White so I don’t feel right writing to you about the issue of racism. My thoughts on it are not the ones you need to listen to. However the question of defunding the police is a social issue and one I feel I can speak to it. Look for that letter in a week’s time.
Before I end this letter, I’ll leave you with some homework: Look at Just Recovery, and seriously commit to it. It’s not only good for the environment, but good for so many aspects of Canadian communities. I also want you to look at your own racial biases, something all White people must do. But you can’t only look internally and change your own practices because you’re our Prime Minister. You need to speak for this county and call out Trump for his un-democratic crack down on peaceful protestors. You probably don’t want to do this because it could sour our relationship with our biggest trading partner, but really it’s only going to sour our relationship with Trump who hopefully won’t be President after the November election. By calling out Trump, you are defending democracy and the rights of Black Americans and their fellow peaceful protestors, so please do that. Also, (this is a lot of homework, I apologize), please address Jason Kenney’s Critical Infrastructure Defense Act. I don’t know what your powers are on this front, but you can at least talk to him and his government and tell them that this is not the time for expanding the powers of the justice system, especially since this bill will affect mostly Indigenous anti-pipeline protestors.
Lastly, I ask you to not forget about the climate. With everything you do as Prime Minister, remember its impact. With every bill you pass, remember its impact. As we begin to recover from the pandemic, think about rebuilding an economy ready for the future. As we take down racists systems, think about building new ones that are ready for the future. Because the world is ready for the future. Are you Mr. Prime Minister?
I hope you are having a wonderful day!
Amelia Penney-Crocker