Five people have been arrested and are facing mischief charges for splashing pink paint on the Prime Minister’s Office and blocking a road on Wednesday.
Last Generation Canada demands that the government establish a national firefighting agency that employs and trains 50,000 firefighters to combat wildfires it contends are being caused by the “climate crisis.”
“In addition, the group demands the government implement legally-binding citizens’ assemblies to tackle the climate and ecological crisis within two years,” said the organization in a press release.
Firefighting is a provincial responsibility in Canada; however, Ottawa can send support when requested.
Last year, some Canadian Armed Forces members were sent to the Northwest Territories to support firefighting efforts.
Canada had 126,000 firefighters in 2022, according to the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs’ report. 90,000 of these firefighters were volunteers, and only 36,000 were considered career firefighters.
Last Generation Canada confirmed in its press release that five of its members were arrested for blocking Wellington St. and painting the PMO, which followed a symbolic burning of a stroller on Tuesday.
This incident comes on the heels of another provocative protest on Tuesday, where a supporter set an empty stroller on fire on Parliament Hill to “illustrate the consequences and urgency of government inaction on the climate crisis.”
Spokesperson Laura Sullivan says that more disruptions can be expected throughout the week, according to the Globe and Mail.
“We are a non-violent civil resistance campaign,” she said.
In 2023, when the climate action group was formerly known as On2Ottawa, it staged numerous acts of vandalism and protests.
Two members of the group were arrested last year for a similar protest involving pink paint at Trudeau’s office. The group is once again demanding the federal government do more to deal with climate change
The acts involve pink paint because “it’s a bold and eye-catching colour,” said Sullivan.
Some monuments targeted with pink paint last year include a mammoth replica at the Royal B.C Museum in Victoria, a Toronto sign in Nathan Phillips Square, and a Tom Thompson painting at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa.
Casey Hatherly, an On2Ottawa protester, pleaded guilty to trespassing and paid a $600 fine after being arrested at the 2023 Juno Awards in Edmonton for walking onto the stage topless with climate protest statements written on her torso during an Avril Lavigne performance.
The press release quoted one of the protestors who sprayed paint on the Prime Minister’s Office.
“200,000 Canadians had to evacuate their homes last summer,” said Ben Holt. “Entire communities were burned to the ground. And yet, our government has done nothing to mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis.”
True North previously covered that arsonists set Canada on fire, not climate change. For example, one man pleaded guilty to 14 counts of arson in Quebec that forced many communities from their homes.
The Ottawa Police Service confirmed the arrest of the five individuals for mischief, noting that further charges might be laid as the investigation continues.
