On Oct. 1, 2024, Oakville joined over 70 Canadian communities in celebrating the first national Seniors for Climate Day with a rally hosted by GASP (Grandmothers (and Others) Act to Save the Planet).
The rally, held in front of Oakville Public Library’s central branch at Navy Street, was part of a larger movement encouraging seniors to advocate for immediate climate action to protect the planet for future generations.
"All over the world, the heating of our atmosphere is supersizing storms, floods and droughts," said co-chair of GASP, Louise Brownlee.
"On July 16, the Greater Toronto Area received in three hours the amount of rain normally received in a month. In Halton, the rain caused basement flooding in nearly 2,000 homes," she continued.
"Expensive clean-up for fellow residents. Where we are meeting today, just behind the library, flooding waters washed a dock - with a dozen boats still attached - down 16 Mile Creek into Lake Ontario."
Read more: Significant flooding leads to emergency response at Oakville Harbour
Brownlee explained that Tuesday's event coincided with National Seniors Day, traditionally a time when people visit their grandparents.
This year, however, 70 groups of seniors across the country took to the streets to celebrate the launch of a national Seniors for Climate community.
"We are seeing wilder, windier and warmer weather," said Carole Holmes, GASP co-founder. "We GASPs are motivated by concern for the future generations. We want to see climate solutions implemented now. The tagline for this campaign is 'Later is too late'."
"Our generation has acknowledged that we have been part of the problem with our lifestyle choices," continued Holmes. "We have a sense of responsibility to leave our grandchildren with clean air, water and a sustainable environment."
GASP is a grassroots, non-partisan group of grandmothers and "grand 'others'" who are demanding climate action from the government.
"Seniors don’t have anything to lose," said Brownlee. "The power of seniors is that we don’t have a vested interest in the status quo. We don’t have to worry about upsetting colleagues at work. We can follow our conscience."
"The fossil fuel industry has given us so much. But the industry is causing serious harm as the pollutants generated by burning fossil fuels stay in the atmosphere," she continued.
"These pollutants are the primary cause of the extreme weather we are seeing locally and all over the world. It’s past time for a switch to renewables. We seniors have the courage and duty to demand a change."