Rita Bijons's blog

by David Burman

“We might not make it.” Hearing these words, I felt a wave of shock through my body. After 30 years of environmental and Indigenous rights activism, that phrase struck home like nothing before.  Back in the 1990s I had heard Thomas Berry[i] say “I don’t think the human is a viable species.” Pretty outrageous then, it was meant to wake us up to the destructive path we were following, to change our story, our operating assumptions of constant growth and the illusion of progress.


On May 6th, a coalition of over 60 organizations across Canada launched the Pact for a Green New Deal to push for more ambitious climate action ahead of the coming elections. Scientists, artists, youth, indigenous leaders and people across Canada have signed on, and we invite you as an individual to sign on to this broad call to develop a plan to meet the science of climate change, see the full implementation of UNDRIP, FPIC and the TRC recommendations, and fix our broken economic and social systems.

Come support the motion to declare Climate Emergency in Ontario! Monday, May 13, come fill the public gallery at Queen’s Park, from 1:30 pm onwards! Bring a piece of photo ID, and come earlier in time to go through security.

At the end of March, Greenpeace launched a new campaign in Toronto, urging City Council to explore joining the growing global wave of climate litigation. Impressive work has been accomplished in B.C. By West Coast Environmental Law.

On October 12, 2018, Diana Beresford-Kroeger led a medicine walk in High Park. You may view the video here.

And be sure to watch the wonderful documentary film featuring Diana Beresford-Kroeger, Call of the Forest . Copies are available through the Toronto Public Library.