The Hook

Canadian climate activists are trying to get their message to Parliament with good old-fashioned sit-ins.

Nine people are occupying the constituency office of Labour Minister Rona Ambrose today. One of them, Martin Tweedale, spoke to The Tyee from Edmonton. He said they are requesting that Ambrose push for a national green jobs program and advocate that Canada take a stronger position at the Copenhagen climate talks in December.

"We are protesting the inaction of the Canadian government on this issue over the last several years," said Tweedale, a professor emeritus at the University of Alberta.

"We intend to continue sitting here until we have talked to Ms. Ambrose and gotten a favourable response."

Tweedale said participants do not represent one organization, but are affiliated with various climate justice groups.

Police were called to the office, but an office staff member told them the protesters could stay, said Tweedale. Minister Ambrose is in Ottawa today.

Seven people were arrested on the weekend and charged with criminal mischief after Environment Minister Jim Prentice's constituency office for eight hours. They wanted a signed document from Prentice promising a commitment to reduce Canada's greenhouse gas emissions to 25 per cent below 1990 levels by the year 2020.

"You cannot claim to be representing Canadians and putting this kind of name to Canada on the world stage. . . they are blocking action on this worse than any other country," one of the protesters, Russel Charlton, told the CBC.

The Copenhagen conference on Dec. 7 has prompted various acts of civil disobedience around the world. In Australia, 100 people were detained after blocking the entrance to Parliament this week.

Late last month, hundreds of climate change protesters gathered at one of Britain's coal-fired power stations, some storming the perimeter fence.

Colleen Kimmett reports for The Tyee.