PAYTON MITCHELL HAS GREAT HOPES FOR THE FUTURE. And they don’t include a return to the status quo, a return to the way life was before COVID-19 hit. What Payton wants instead is: “a COVID-19 response that puts people and the planet first.” It is what Payton, and a growing movement of activists, call a Just Recovery.

Their efforts to achieve it are off to a great start, as Patyon tells us in what follows.

Crisis activism

We’re in an unprecedented moment. From mass unemployment, to environmental disasters due to climate change, to a literal pandemic... we need a government we can rely on to take care of us. Canadians are out of work, out of money and out of patience, waiting for a COVID-19 response we deserve.

Despite all the changes happening to our daily lives, Canada’s left has joined together to work on a COVID-19 response that leaves no one behind.

Coming together

In the early days of the CoronaVirus pandemic, progressive groups from across Canada began to use their new-found free time to connect, they asked themselves one question,

“How can we work together to demand a COVID-19 response that puts people and the planet first?”

After meeting with over 300 people from organizations across Canada, including the labour movement, health professionals, 350, Leap and student leaders, a loose coalition for a Just Recovery started to form. The group agreed on 6 core principles essential to a fair COVID-19 response.

The goal of these principles is to guide policy decisions as we recover from the pandemic, while laying the foundation for a Green New Deal to tackle the escalating threat of the climate crisis.

What we deserve

-----[1]-----
Put people’s health and well being first, no exceptions.

-----[2]-----
Strengthen the social safety net and provide relief directly to people.

-----[3]-----
Prioritize the needs of workers and communities.

-----[4]-----
Build resilience to prevent future crises.

-----[5]-----
Build solidarity and equity across communities, generations, and borders.

-----[6]-----
Uphold Indigenous rights and work in partnership with Indigenous peoples.

How you can get involved

Achieving a Just Recovery isn’t something 300 people can do alone, it’s going to take all of us to demand a pandemic response that puts people first.  

The organization 350.org, fights for climate justice. The 350.org website includes a Just Recovery tool-kit, complete with a template to present the Just Recovery to your union, coworkers, friends or family. https://350.org/just-recovery/

We are living in a historic moment, what we do today will make a huge impact on the quality of life our children and grandchildren have. We deserve a Just Recovery and we deserve a Green New Deal that will keep us safe from the dangers of the climate crisis.  

Keep up with CLI for more updates on the Just Recovery campaign in Canada.

Our lives matter, our future matters

Endorse Just Recovery principles here.

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