Penticton youth rally to demand action on climate change

Youth-led demonstrations will occcur on the last Friday of each month in Penticton, rally organizers said.

Youth in Penticton, B.C., held a rally on Friday demanding political action on the escalating climate emergency.

Approximately 50 people gathered with signs, banners and music and chanted demands for action while walking down Main St. to Gyro Park near the city’s lakefront.

“This is the fight for our future and the future of generations to come,” said grade 11 student Rosemary Tumbach from Summerland.

Tumbach announced that youth would be inviting community members from the region to join them for monthly “Fridays for Future” rallies to be held on the last Friday of each month.

“We need to lift each other up and help each other to help the Earth. When we combine our incredible differences to work together, we are so powerful. We need to make sure government hears our voices,” said Penticton grade 11 student Eden Bamford.

Penticton biologist and South Okanagan West-Kootenay NDP MP Richard Cannings was in attendance and often participates in climate rallies.

He was re-elected to a third term during the 2021 federal election on Sept. 20, while the federal Liberals won another minority government.

Cannings told the crowd that one of his key objectives in Ottawa is to “get climate change to the top of the legislative agenda.”