Hundreds took to the streets of downtown Toronto Sunday afternoon to draw attention to climate change.
The protesters march through Yonge-Dundas Square and ended at City Hall for a rally, where speakers demanded world leaders take more action on the world’s changing climate.
The march was part of a global protest – called the People’s Climate March – that saw thousands turn out in cities around the globe, including Melbourne, Paris, Rio de Janeiro and Berlin. More than 40,000 people turned out in London, while the largest march in New York City was joined by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore.
The marches are meant to coincide with a UN climate summit taking place in New York on Tuesday.
While Prime Minister Stephen Harper will be in New York later this week to deliver a speech to UN General Assembly, he has been criticized for deciding to skip the summit, sending Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq in his place. Both U.S. President Barack Obama and U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron are scheduled to speak at Tuesday’s climate summit.
Among the crowd in Toronto were First Nations leaders, union representatives and politicians, including New Democrat MPP Peter Tabuns and New Democrat MP Craig Scott.
Glen Murray, who is Ontario's Minister of the Environment and Climate Change and a Liberal MPP from Toronto, attended the rally in New York.
Rallies also took place in several Canadian cities, including Montreal, Winnipeg and Vancouver.
Another view of the people's climate march at Toronto City Hall. In the crowd with @PaulaFletcher30 & @CraigScottNDP pic.twitter.com/Nh6fevTwBX
— Peter Tabuns (@Peter_Tabuns) September 21, 2014
First Nations blessing starting the People's Climate March in Nathan Phillips Sq in Toronto pic.twitter.com/BeikQHiK3O
— Craig Scott (@CraigScottNDP) September 21, 2014
People's Climate March, YYZ edition, on this unusually warm September day pic.twitter.com/aJtbgEYXY5
— Lisa Vanlint (@LisaVanLint) September 21, 2014
Nice crowd at Toronto's version of People's climate march. C'mon Cda, let's set targets & become part of the solution pic.twitter.com/XXSNWhxApi
— Jim Stanford (@JimboStanford) September 21, 2014
The beautiful marchers at @Peoples_Climate #Toronto #PeopleClimateTO pic.twitter.com/GuClARCvZs
— Puninda (@puninda) September 21, 2014
Marching down Yonge St. in #Toronto #PeopleClimateMarch #ClimateChange #PeoplesClimate @350 pic.twitter.com/UMT4QZgydQ
— Felix Whitton (@felixwhitton) September 21, 2014
Photo: In the intersection turning south now. #Toronto #PeopleClimateMarch #TOpoli pic.twitter.com/H3XW8zn6Um
— Ritika Goel (@RitikaGoelTO) September 21, 2014
"Climate change is bad for our health." Ready to go with my sign! #Toronto #PeopleClimateMarch #topoli #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/s59z54Q44G
— Ritika Goel (@RitikaGoelTO) September 21, 2014
Protest for #ClimateChange at Yongedundas square pic.twitter.com/LkMgMkobdI
— The Real CatNiss (@CathyNissen) September 21, 2014