Lessons From Bolivia: Building a Global Movement for Climate Justice (Teach-in, Toronto)

Event Page on Facebook: Lessons From Bolivia: Building a Global Movement for Climate Justice
Facebook Group: Toronto Bolivia Solidarity

Saturday, November 13, 9:30am - 5pm
Sidney Smith Hall, 100 St. George St., Room 2118
Registration 9:30 a.m. (Please pre-register so we may order your lunch; write boliviaclimatejustice@gmail.com)

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AGENDA

10:00 Welcome and introduction by chairpersons

SESSION 1

10:15 The Cochabamba Declaration

Theme: In April 2010, the government of Bolivia convened a conference of social movements on global warming in Cochabamba, Bolivia. More than 30,000 participants charted a path toward climate justice and defending the rights of Mother Earth. Presentations to plenary followed by workshops.

Speakers:

•    Marcelo Saavedra (Bolivia Action Solidarity Network, Ottawa): Our Obligations to Mother Earth
•    Ian Angus (Climate and Capitalism: Kemptville) Structural Causes and Climate Debt
•    Teresa Turner (Eco-Socialist International, Guelph): Cochabamba: A People’s Conference
•    Judy Deutsch (Science for Peace): The Time Factor in Climate Change

12:00 Keynote speaker: Erika Dueñas (Bolivian Embassy, Washington D.C.)


12:45 Lunch (provided)


SESSION 2

1:30 Environmental (In)Justice in Our Communities

Brief presentations by resource persons for workshops on several areas of current climate justice activities (water, mining, tar sands, anti-racism, workers), followed by workshops on each of these themes.

Speakers:

•    Tara Seucharan (Council of Canadians): Water rights and climate justice
•    Megan Kinch (Toronto Community Solidarity Response): Mining, extractive industries
•    David Vasey and Maryam Adrangi (Environmental Justice Toronto): Tar sands and pipelines
•    Louise Casselman (Public Service Alliance of Canada, Ottawa): Environment and the world working class
•    No One Is Illegal: Environment, migration, and racism

SESSION 3

3:15  Building a Climate Justice Alternative

Presentations by Michel Lambert and Judy Rebick, followed by introductions on the People’s Assembly for Climate Justice and the People’s Referendum and workshops on each of these two topics.

Speakers:

•    Michel Lambert (Alternatives): Climate justice initiatives in Quebec
•    Judy Rebick (Toronto Bolivia Solidarity): Solidarity with peoples in struggle for climate justice.
•    Julien Lalonde and Brett Rhyno (People’s Assembly for Climate Justice): Toronto solidarity with the Cancún people’s intervention. Brief introduction.
•    Raúl Burbano (Toronto Bolivia Solidarity): Toward a people’s referendum. Brief introduction.

Adjournment: 5:00 pm



Endorsers (partial list): Alternatives (Québec, Barrio Nuevo, Bayan, Canada Bolivia Action Solidarity Network, Center for Social Justice, CERLAC, Climate and Capitalism.com, Common Frontiers, Community Solidarity Response Toronto, Council of Canadians, ecoSanity.org, Educators for Peace and Justice, Greenspiration, Health for All, Independent Jewish Voices, Indigenous Environmental Network, KAIROS, Latin American Trade Union Coalition, Latin American and Caribbean Solidarity Network, Migrante, No One Is Illegal, NION, Jews Opposing Zionism, OPIRG Toronto, People’s Assembly for Climate Justice, Protest Barrick, Science for Peace, Public Service Alliance of Canada, Solidarity Response, Students for Free Tibet, Toronto & York Region Labour Council, Toronto Bolivia Solidarity, Toronto Climate Campaign, Toronto Haiti Action Committee, Venezuela We Are With You Coalition