Attention, Jagmeet Singh — young voters want a leader who will stand up to Big Oil

Sept. 19, 2021

I’m a 16-year-old high school student in Burnaby, B.C. In 2019, I joined the youth climate strikes that brought a million Canadians out into the streets shortly before the last federal election.

Now, voters are headed to the polls again as many parts of the country are still reeling from a summer filled with wildfires, droughts, and deadly heat waves. Disasters like these are going to shape my future — so my generation and I are looking for leaders who have the courage to do what it takes to face the climate emergency.

Last month, the world’s top climate scientists declared a “code red” for humanity, and they were crystal clear about what we need to do to put the brakes on climate change: stop extracting and burning fossil fuels.

Instead of more denial or delay, it's time to start listening and acting on the science. In Canada, that starts with cancelling the Trans Mountain pipeline and oil tanker project.

Right now, Trans Mountain is less than one-third built. If completed, not only will it destroy Canada’s chances of ever meeting its emission reduction targets, but recent studies have shown that very few permanent jobs will be created, and every minute the project stays alive, it makes less economic sense. To top it off, the project does not have the consent of all the Indigenous communities whose lands, territories, and other resources are affected.

If you support bold climate action in Canada, you stand — unequivocally — against Trans Mountain. Period.

Justin Trudeau’s Liberals have pitched themselves as climate leaders with policies like the carbon tax and setting a target of net-zero by 2050. But they have presided over six years of growing greenhouse gas emissions, and they are building a new bitumen pipeline that is designed to enable the expansion of the Alberta oilsands — with $16 billion of public money.

On the campaign trail, Jagmeet Singh has promised to end fossil fuel subsidies and has said he opposes Trans Mountain — but has refused to commit to cancelling it if he is elected. Meanwhile, the majority of NDP candidates in B.C. have set themselves apart from their leader, joining the 190-plus prospective MPs across the country who have signed a pledge to fight to scrap TMX.

Where does that leave the NDP in the eyes of young Canadian voters looking for a climate leader for our generation?

Singh and the NDP have the power to lead Canada’s fight for climate action. The NDP has deep ties to unions and workers, who will need to play a key role in the transition to renewable energy.

Singh has the platform and popularity to sway young voters — who, polls show, are key to NDP gains in this election. He can appeal to voters disillusioned by the gulf between the Liberals’ climate rhetoric and their actions — but only if he makes it clear how an NDP government would be different.