SCAN! KINGSTON
Who We Are …
The Kingston SCAN! group held its first meeting in late November. A couple of dozen of us assembled at The Spire, a community centre cum United Church downtown. We soon got wind of the imminent arrival of Steve Clark in town. Doug Ford’s Municipal Affairs Minister is the hatchet man for Bill 23, the attack on wetlands, Conservation Authorities and so much else. He was scheduled to help cut the ribbon on a new bridge.
Together with other locals outraged by the Ford government’s ongoing efforts to fry the planet, we showed up on a lovely sunny day at the venue. Clark didn’t. Our rally is pictured on the SCAN! homepage.
We also helped organize a January 21 rally at Clark’s Brockville office. The Kingston & District Labour Council generously offered to subsidize a bus from Kingston.
Future plans include a sub-committee to plan protests against the Royal Bank. Several of our members have already joined Queen’s students in a sidewalk action (much chalking) in from of the RBC’s main Kingston branch. The headline ran CLIMATE ACTIVISTS CONFRONT FOSSIL FUEL FRIENDLY BANKER. For more details …
Want to know what some SCAN! members in Kingston think about RBC’s involvement in the oil and gas industry?
Click on each image to see the video!
ALAN
JUDI
DAVE
GAVIN
VICKI
JAMIE
“Kingstonians of all ages gather for climate rallies”
Global News Reports on the Rally
A “Sidewalk Sale”!
On September 9, SCAN! Kingston ran a booth at a student-organized “sidewalk sale” attended by thousands. Our reception was overwhelmingly positive. Pictured are SCAN! volunteers Nancy Bayly (she did the artwork, including the giant fire extinguisher marked “There is no planet B” ), Jamie Swift (holding one of Nancy’s signs), Judi Wyatt (with the indispensable duct tape), and Dave Wyatt (watching Judy). Photos by Pamela Cornell.
Labour Day 2023!
SCAN! Kingston had an information table, handed out SCAN! flyers, took signatures for the CP postcards, distributed posters for the Sept. 15 Global Climate Strike, and got signatures on the petition calling for a ‘bold emissions cap’ from local MP Mark Gerretsen. It was a very positive experience and great outreach to local labour groups and representatives.
Canada is Burning/Day of Action, June 28
Here’s what happened in Kingston!
to read SCAN!’ Kingston’s invitation to the Mayor and City Council
to read a letter on environmental policy from Kyla Tienhaara, Queen’s University
to read a full account of the day’s activities
Three Photos by Martine Bresson
And see what the local press had to say …
WINE AND CHEESE–AND 13 NEW MEMBERS!
SCAN! Kingston’s Membership Action Group hosted an “Each One Bring One” Wine and Cheese on May 16. This was an opportunity for our members to bring potential allies to an informal event at which they could meet interesting people and learn about SCAN!. Despite cool, windy weather about 25 people attended and 13 people signed up as new SCAN! members. We also used this opportunity to announce several upcoming events and brainstorm creative actions to use during our RBC protests.
April 1 was “Fossil Fools Day,” and SCAN! Kingston members did themselves proud!
What did The Kingston Whig Standard have to say about our rally on March 21?
“Approximately 100 people gathered outside a downtown bank over the lunch hour to protest investment in the oil and gas sector.”
To read Jamie Swift’s account
To watch the video
SCAN! members in Kingston have written a letter to RBC employees as part of our ongoing mobilization in support of the Wet’suwet’en struggle against the Coastal Gas Link and RBC ties to Big Oil. To view the letter, click the button below.
If you live in or near Kingston and are interested in SCAN!’s organizing against climate breakdown, please don’t hesitate to get in touch: