Neil Young, Grimes & Rufus Wainwright Push Green New Deal in Canada
Neil Young, Murray McLauchlan, k.d. lang, Arcade Fire’s Richard Reed Perry, Melissa auf der Maur, Broken Social Scene, Claire “Grimes” Boucher and Rufus Wainwright are among the Canadian musicians who have signed the “Pact for a Green New Deal,” asking Justin Trudeau’s Liberal federal government to devise “an ambitious policy platform that re-tools our economy to respond to the multiple crises we are faced with today.”
Among the critical concerns are the extreme effects of climate change globally, from floods to fires; the melting of the Arctic permafrost; the burning of Indigenous territories to more affordable housing; decent jobs, tackling hate crimes and racism, and fulfilling outstanding promises to Indigenous peoples.
“A bold and far reaching plan to cut emissions in half in 11 years in line with Indigenous knowledge and climate science, create more than a million good jobs you can support a family with, and build inclusive communities in the process,” it states. “We need a Green New Deal – for everyone. And we need everyone to be a part of building it.”