WE NEED YOUR VOICE
CAnada risks going down the wrong path.
Most Canadians aren’t aware that in Mark Carney’s first 100 days as Prime Minister, his government is cutting $25 billion in public services, increasing military spending, and holding private meetings with oil and gas executives.
He fast-tracked a bill that overrides laws that protect people and planet against oil spills and corporate overreach, ignoring the concerns of many First Nations who raised the alarm.
Despite decades of purported climate leadership, climate action is not on Prime Minister Mark Carney’s agenda. In fact, every major climate policy of the last decade is now up for debate while he courts major fossil fuel companies.
As musicians, we’re drawing the line.
We are raising our voices to demand Prime Minister Carney deliver on the promises of his campaign and put people in Canada before corporate interests.
We’ve written this open letter below to deliver to Prime Minister Carney on September 17, and we hope you’ll join us by adding your name.
To the Honourable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada
where is climate
in your vision for canada?
Over 300 Canadian musicians and artists campaigned to keep Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives from forming government during Canada’s 45th federal election, using their far-reaching platforms to urge Canadians to stop Pierre Poilievre and in many cases to vote for you and the Liberal Party.
Canadians from coast to coast to coast were buoyed and hopeful at the prospect of a Prime Minister who ostensibly knows more about climate change than many of his global peers, is an expert on climate and energy economics, and perhaps most promising, has been hailed as an international leader on climate change.
You once pointed out that the world would need to leave the vast majority of fossil fuel reserves in the ground if we were serious about holding the increase in the planet below two degrees. We agree with this sentiment wholeheartedly.
It is thus with deep disappointment that we write today to address recent policy decisions and announcements that run counter to your long standing commitment to climate leadership and advocacy, especially in the event of unprecedented wildfires ravaging Canada from coast to coast to coast, made worse and more likely by climate change.
Your government’s mandate letter and Throne Speech were absent of meaningful climate action, Indigenous sovereignty and reconciliation, and investment in culture.
To add insult to injury, you are considering oil and gas projects under the banner of “nation building” and proposing to expedite these national interest projects under the newly passed Bill C-5's controversial Building Canada Act. We fail to understand how doubling down on the drivers of the catastrophic impacts of climate change will help our nation prosper, when we both know that they will come at a great cost to Canadians now, and in the future.
Bill C-5 sets a dangerous precedent. It allows Cabinet to pre-approve major resource extraction projects first, and then go through a cursory, shortened legislative and regulatory approval process after. This means that the federal government could pre-approve a project without fully understanding its environmental impacts, and undermine Indigenous Peoples’ right to free, prior and informed consent.
This is not the progressive agenda Canadians voted for. This is not bold leadership on such pressing issues. Increasingly this is a betrayal.
Millions of Canadians—including those who have long supported the NDP or Green Party—chose to vote strategically for the Liberal Party in good faith. We did so not out of blind loyalty, but because you offered a vision of pragmatic progress and climate leadership and the threat of a Pierre Poilievre Conservative government was one we took seriously. Progressive voters across the country put their trust in you, but that trust is now in jeopardy.
We call on you to demonstrate real leadership by making Climate, Reconciliation, and Culture central to your government's mission. They are an integral part of addressing the affordability crisis. Specifically, we urge you to:
Commit to a rapid, just transition away from fossil fuels, prohibiting new oil and gas projects from being considered under Bill C-5 and the Building Canada Act
Commit to a public-led green economy. This includes robust, fully funded and ambitious Youth Climate Corps, an East-West electricity grid powered by renewables and a green public housing program.
Centre Indigenous sovereignty in reconciliation and environmental planning, with full respect for UNDRIP, including in the process of enacting any legislation focused on national interest projects
Invest in arts, culture, and civil society as critical pillars of a democratic and resilient Canada. This includes a commitment to a 1% allocation of the federal budget (not GDP) to Arts and Culture through increases to both the Canada Council for the Arts and the Department of Canadian Heritage. This includes increasing funding to the CBC to bring it in line with other national public broadcasters.
Restore public trust by governing with the same progressive values you campaigned on. This includes cancelling Canada’s plans to balloon its military budget and an immediate two way arms embargo on Israel. We want a foreign policy based on diplomacy and peace building.
Canada is burning, and your mandate barely acknowledges the smoke. This country deserves more than rhetorical nods—we deserve measurable, structural commitments. The time for capitulating to the pressures of the oil and gas industry and loud and aggressive right wing extremists, including some Premiers of some provinces, needs to end. We need courage. We need vision. We need to proceed with attention to the coming generations. We need you to pick a path.
Music comes from a place of deep love, and as musicians, we want to use the power of music to help bring our country together in this time of poly crises. We want to use the power of music to work for peace and justice around the world.
We want art, culture and music to unite us and to help us tap into the abundance of creativity, imagination, and ingenuity we have as a country so we can invest in rebuilding crumbling infrastructure, addressing the climate emergency and making a more equitable Canada.
Signatories
Allison Russell
Tamara Lindeman (The Weather Station)
Sarah Harmer
Jenn Grant
Hannah Kim (Luna Li)
Dan Mangan
Tanya Tagaq
Chester Hansen (BADBADNOTGOOD)
Caroline Marie Brooks (Good Lovelies)
Ron Sexsmith
Terra Lightfoot
Aysanabee
Charles Spearin
Evelyn Parry
Charlotte Cornfield
Brenda MacIntyre (Medicine Song Woman)
Tim Vesely
Jason Collett
Julian Taylor
Leeroy Stagger
Bells Larsen
Ben Kunder
Desiree Dawson
Suzie Ungerleider
Samantha Parton (The Be Good Tanyas)
Sundar Viswanathan
Donovan Woods
Brighid Fry (Housewife)
Russell Louder
Aleksi Campagne
Tania Gill
Braden Lam
Ken Whiteley
Romi Mayes
Cris Derksen
Don Kerr
Donna Grantis
India Gailey
Maryem Tollar (Al Qahwa, LuA, Turkwaz, Tabiba)
Mallory Chipman
Alex Millaire (Moonfruits)
Liv Cazzola (The Lifers, Tragedy Ann)
Anita Cazzola (The Lifers)
Sébastien Sauvageau - l’Oumigmag
Burry
Jaimee Jakobczak (Neither Could Dylan)
Ali Garrison
Dan Hand (Artist Manager)
Tobi Nashak
Florian Hoefner
Olive Hersey (Olive Joy)
Rupert Hudson (Orchid Orchestra)
Emily MacDonald
Nathan Lawr (Minotaurs, FemBots)
Olivia Whitfield (Luella)
Zane Whitfield
Simon Vandermeulen Kerr (Almond Milk)
Dylan Lodge
Clara Smallman
Jordan Haines (Hospital Gossip)
Tiiu Strutt (Land Heart Song)
Devon Pelley (Mighty Machines/Group Therapy)
Leanne Sedentopf
Aquayla Anderson
Eric Bain
Avery Dakin
Ben Grossman
Joanne Szabo
Nick Wilkinson
Chris St Peters
Alexandra Kelly
Dan Heculuck
Irene Poole
Joshua Banks
Paul DiBratto
Peter Demakos (Pete Moss)
Christopher Eckart (My Friend Christopher)
Alex Samaras
Shannon Hoff
Jake Oelrichs (Run With the Kittens)
Robin Dann (Bernice)
Eve Egoyan
Joe Sorbara
Fides Krucker
Pete Johnston
Jared Brandle
Wolfgang Gray
Veronica Johnny
Michael Herring
Rob Clutton
Tim Posgate
Mark Zurawinski
Nico Dann
Louis Simão
Gregory Oh
Destiny Merasty - Spirit Trail
John Muirhead
Andrea Peloso (Drea Lake)
Susan Yee
Christine Carter
Fiona Robson
Colleen Brown (Major Love)
Sarah Hiltz
Theresa Sokyrka
Jeremy Gignoux
Sarah Jerrom
Brad McGoey
Alexandria Maillot
Nathan Turner (Red Haven, Logan and Nathan)
James Daniel Baxter
Laura Smith (Daggerss)
Liz Anthonisen
Jaimee Jakobczak (Neither Could Dylan)
Bella Frances
Scott Cook
Claya Way Brackenbury (Piner)
Lauren Dillen (Burs)
Freya Milliken
Benji Lloyd
Kylie Fox
Restless Endangerment (Brett Pruefer, Maxim Cameron and Billy Hindmarch)
Adelle Elwood - Keeper E.
Atlas Rossborough (Sound Chamber)
Willem James Cowan
Kate Blechinger
Keavy Martin
Eliana Parrado (Paxsi)
Emily Guthrie-Plouffe (Emily Nancy Guthrie)
Susan Wadien aka Susan Isaac
Ellorie McKnight
Isaac Vallentin
Veda Hille
Jessica Lalonde
Sébastien Sauvageau - l’Oumigmag
Patch Twaddle
Micah Erenberg
Claire MacMullin (Moira & Claire)
Ben Sichel (Hammer and Sichel)
Phillip Vonesh (The Spare Parts)
Eve Goldberg
Michelle Willis
Mia Sheard
Ryan Granville-Martin
Lynn Mantle
Julie Penner
Susanne Maziarz (Susanimal)
Adrian Underhill
Sheila Banerjee (MoZaic)
Ruth Minnikin
Roula Said
Nick Zubeck
Jory Nash
Hillary Watson (The Pairs)
Aparna Halpe (Solidaridad Tango)
Jennifer Johnston (Artist Manager)
Cheryl Bower (Voices Rock Canada)
Ben Sures
Dean Drouillard
Kyla Tilley
Taylor Abrahamse
Meghan Clarke (Meghan Lynn)
Bruce Havery (Soundman Productions)
Cheryl Gaudet
Christophe Elie (Political Folk)
Devin Latimer (Leaf Rapids)
Shawn William Clarke
Gabrielle Papillon
Claire Morrison
Dan Pitt
Jasmine Ohlhauser (Blue Moon Marquee)
Valentina Morelli (Moonbean)
Shannon Linton
Yasmine Shelton (Basset)
Connor Crone
Frank Mighty
Jonny Dovercourt
Erik Bleich
Naomi Macleod
Tom Meikle (Mappe Of)
Rupinder Sidhu (Ruby Singh)
Carl Rabinowitz
Janice Jo Lee
Ella Frank
Karma Lacoff Nieoczym (Executive Director, Creative Okanagan)
Chris Lobsinger
ben murray
Geraldine Hollett (The Once)
Shuyler Jansen
Nicholas Lennox (The Wilderness)
Kelly McMichael
Timothy Booth (Tim)
Nilan Perera
Daisy Radigan
Sharon Dutton ($10 Cowgirls)
Zinnia
Andrew James Barker (The Lake Vernon Drowning)
Annie Clifford (the Gertrudes)
Robert Chapman (Psiren)
Rob Wright (The James T Kirks & The Vicious Cycles)
Dave Clark
Charlie Hase
Jesse Zubot
Luther Wright
Daniela Gunn (Days of Lavender)
L Campbell (lucy fur)
Joanna Marsden
Chelsi Madonna
Mary Stewart
Sarah Frank (The Bombadils)
Meg Iredale
Emily Millard
Jenny Ritter
Amanda Blied (The Sweet Lowdown)
Marian van der Zon (Of the Sun)
Glenda Goodman (Stonecrop)
Alicia Toner (Joanie)
Scott Ritter (Old Enough to Know Better)
Keri Latimer (Leaf Rapids)
KC Zenker (KC Is Lazy)
Terra Spencer
Kylie Van Slyke (Kylie V)
Tina Farmilo
Anne Louise Genest (Annie Lou)
Hannah Epperson
Daniel James McFadyen
sandra ritter
Nico Paulo
Seamus Dempster
Melody McKiver
Brodie Conley (Fine Form)
Andrea Neumann
Jim Ryerson (Guzheng)
Tia Leschke
Noah Malcolm
David Newberry / Scratch Garden A
Allyson Rogers
Georgia Harmer
Robin Jessome
Andrea Ramolo
Sergei Kofman (measure)
Rachel Bobbitt
Simone Atenea Medina Polo ( pseudo-antigone)
Wyatt C. Louis
Alissa Arnason
Jena Gogo (Duke & Goldie)
Mariel Buckley
Liam Slingerland (Rubber Tire Peep Show)
Tamara Schwartzentruber (Tamara SunSong)
Ely Lyonblum
Emily Kennedy (Pallmer)
Keiran Placatka
Matt Kelly
Anni Valentine
Amy Blanding
Jasper Wrinch (Dil Brito)
Sam Lynch
Fontine Beavis (FONTINE)
Mia Kelly
Robbie Bankes
Rory Taillon
Amber Goodwyn (Natural Sympathies)
Ella Coyes (Sister Ray)
Felix Quastel
Taylor Jade
Annika Devlin (frown line)
Evan Redsky
Blanche Israël (TOLEDANO) T
Tegan Wahlgren (Wallgrin)
Talel McBriar
Matthew Woodley (Plants and Animals)
Matt Dickinson (Feeding Autolysis)
Julia Mcdougall (Yawn)
Hanorah Hanley (Hanorah)
Jen Yakamovich
Nikko Whitworth
Patrick Farrugia (Buddie)
Richard Garvey
Mathias Kom (The Burning Hell)
Renée Coughlin (The Pairs)
Noelle Frances Coughlin (The Pairs)
JoJo Worthington (Joanna Worthington)
Natanielle Felicitas
Quintin Bart
Dana Sipos
Éloi Le Blanc-Ringuette (Afternoon Bike Ride)
Anne-Marie Williot
Dee Landsberg (the della kit)
Gina Burgess
Lia Kurihara (Afternoon Bike Ride)
Tania Joy
Tom Savage (Dead Root Revival)
Ken Yates
Haley Blais
Kathryn Sutherland (Blue Dirt Girl)
Alison Feuerwerker
James Bunton
Layla Staats
Jill Harris
Tim Wilson
Thalia Urbani (Malaïka Urbani)
Joshua Cockerill (Animal Parts)
Alex Southey
Mimi O'Bonsawin
Dominique Matamoros (Mimi Dominique)
Lia Pappas-Kemps
Luke Wallace
Emma Rush
Joel Jeschke
Yamen Mouhanna (iamyam)
Kerry McMaster
Robyn Stevan
Michael Lalonde (Pettycache)
Fiona Cait Jones
Grace Ma
Matthew Elliott (Stephen Hero)
Jill Staveley
Alyssa Wright
Nicole Christian
Jillian Maguiire (Foghorn Lil)
Kyle Cunjak (The Olympic Symphonium)
Valeria Matzner (Solidaridad Tango)
Yolanda Tapia (Obsidiana Duo/Solidaridad Tango)
Shawn Corey
Kaitlin Milroy (Moonfruits)
Daniel Forrest (Buddie/D.L. Forrest)
Eniid Goodman (ENiiD)
Nicky Mehta (The Wailin’ Jenny’s)
Ben Caplan
Sign the letter.
If hundreds of artists from coast to coast sign this letter, it will help make our demands impossible to ignore.
You can also join us in Ottawa to deliver the open letter and participate in lobby days with Members of Parliament on September 17 and 18.
We will also be hosting a DRAW THE LINE concert in Ottawa on either September 18 or 19.
Please indicate if you’d like to participate in these Ottawa events.
An excerpt of Tamara Lindeman’s (The Weather Station)
Toronto Star oped:
“Canadians of all political stripes are people that love and care for the natural world.
We may have rejected the carbon tax — a tax which, in a cost of living crisis, felt like one more burden. But we consistently tell pollsters that we want climate action.
This past election shows us that pride and a sense of national purpose matter. Real, bold climate action offers us a path not just to greater economic stability, but to a real sense of ourselves and our identity as a country that does the right thing.
Bold climate action is necessary for a liveable future. It is also a way for Prime Minister Carney to realize his national goals all at once.”
A powerful cross-movement coalition made up of migrant, economic, climate, Indigenous justice, labour, and anti-war organizations we hosted a mass organizing call on August 14th to publicly launch the Draw the Line Day of Action and hear from inspiring movement leaders including David Suzuki, Syed Hussan, JP Hornick and Rachel Small about the importance of uniting across our struggles during this moment of overlapping crises.
Special musical performances by Jenn Grant, Dan Mangan and Maryem Hassan Tollar.
DRAW THE LINE RALLY
—
DRAW THE LINE RALLY —
SEPT 20
We’re joining forces with people and communities from all walks of life across the country to draw the line. We refuse to stand by while the government and Canada’s richest corporations hoard wealth, gut our public services, attack migrants, fuel climate collapse, exploit Indigenous lands, and prop up a genocide.
Rallies, art builds, murals — actions are happening across the country. RSVP below to join one or host your own.
Cities across Canada