12 Canadians charged with crimes during demos on climate change Special

More Canadians have been charged with criminal code offences for demonstrating at the offices of Tory MPs over climate justice. Five were arrested Friday in North Vancouver and seven were arrested Nov. 30 at Jim Flaherty's office in Whitby.

VANCOUVER – More Canadians have been arrested and charged with criminal code offences for demonstrating to compel the Conservative government to move forward on an international agreement on climate change. The latest arrests and criminal charges were laid against five people who had occupied the officers of Tory MP Andrew Saxton in North Vancouver on Friday. Seven others were arrested and charged with mischief on Nov. 30 during a similar occupation of the constituency office of Finance Minister Jim Flaherty in Whitby, Ontario. RCMP Cpl. Marlene Morton of North Vancouver RCMP said four adults and a youth were taken into custody and charged for refusing to leave the office of Conservative MP Andrew Saxton. Protesters who occupied the office of MP John Baird in Ottawa on Thursday said criminal charges are outrageous against peaceful demonstrations. The group, Direction Action for Climate Justice in Canada, describes the Harper government’s inaction on climate control measures an “atrocity.” “The group, supporting “Direct Action in Canada for Climate Justice”, began their protest late in the morning,” said Cpl. Morton. “The group protested both outside and inside the office of MP Mr. Andrew Saxton. The protest was peaceful in nature and the constituency office was allowed to remain open and operated without interference,” she said. “North Vancouver RCMP requested that the group leave at closing hours but they refused to do so. There were subsequently arrested for Assault by Trespass without incident and released by police on a Promise to Appear in court,” she said. Sumeet Tandon, a spokesman for the Ottawa protest organizers, said in an interview Friday night from his home that numerous ad hoc groups have formed to protest the government’s inaction. He described Harper as a "climate change denier." Most the groups forming across the country are comprised of young people and many are university students, he said. It is expected demonstrations will intensify during the Copenhagen meeting. Tandon said criminal charges against peaceful demonstrators are unjustified. Tandon said “several citizens entered the constituency office of John Baird, Canada’s Minister of Transport, Infrastructure, and Communities. This peaceful occupation follows similar actions that have taken place across Canada in the lead-up to the international climate talks in Copenhagen. The participants are urging the Harper government to take significant action to combat climate change.” “We are deeply frustrated by Canada’s continued foot-dragging in the international climate negotiations, and we fear the consequences of holding back such a critical process will lead to massive human suffering in the years to come,” said Ontario student Iain Brannigan, who occupied Baird’s office. “We are ashamed and horrified that our country is implicated in such a global atrocity,” he said. On Dec. 2, protesters staged a rally in front of the office of Canadian minister of state for sport, demanding concrete action in the Copenhagen climate control talks. On Nov. 30, in Whitby, Ontario, protesters occupied the offices of federal finance minister Jim Flaherty. A total of seven people who refused to leave were charged with mischief, another criminal code offence. “While our government stalls, millions of people will die or become displaced due to the climate crisis,” said Greenpeace Climate and Energy Coordinator, Dave Martin who was inside Flaherty’s office. “If they fail to reach an agreement the Canadian government is saying it does not care about the lives of those currently and most affected by climate change. Minister Flaherty must put pressure on the Government to act and push for a just, ambitious, and binding deal in Copenhagen that is in keeping with the science and is led by those who are most directly impacted by the climate crisis,” said Martin.