Seniors for Climate

“Seniors for Climate” is a Canada-wide campaign that will use the energy and influence of older Canadians to press for urgent action in response to the global climate crisis.

The campaign involves a variety of local activities to be undertaken by older adults in communities across the country. They will all take place on October 1, 2024, which is Canada’s National Seniors Day and the UN International Day of Older Persons.

As part of this campaign, a group of volunteers at the Saskatchewan Environmental Society have created a statement of concern and a call for action that will be published in a large display ad in the Saskatoon StarPhoenix and the Regina LeaderPost on October 1, 2024. The statement will carry the signatures of Saskatchewan seniors (65+) who have asked their name to be added to the statement. Copies of the ad will then be sent to all Saskatchewan MLAs and MPs.

Here is the wording of the statement of concern:

“Today is National Seniors Day, a day which acknowledges and celebrates the contributions by Canada’s older adults to the well-being of our communities.

We, the undersigned, are Saskatchewan seniors whose joint contribution today is an urgent appeal to our province’s leaders to recognize and respond to the overwhelming threat of climate change.

We are seniors who care about the future we are leaving for our children and grandchildren and for young people everywhere. The climate crisis threatens their very existence. The evidence that climate change has become an environmental and public health emergency is now overwhelming. Extreme floods, crushing heat, intense forest fires, and severe drought caused by carbon pollution are clearly associated with the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas.

We are seniors who believe in climate solutions. We must quickly shift our energy supply away from these fossil fuels to safe renewables. We must take advantage of Saskatchewan’s great, economically efficient wind and solar resources, and we must invest in development of energy storage systems to support these options. And, as a community, we must ensure that energy is used much more efficiently. We know it can be done. 

We are seniors. Seniors care. And seniors vote.”  (followed by signatures)