LETTER

 

---- Social & environmental justice: United Front!

 

 Today's situation is a global crisis with profound implications. This pandemic has, according to certain economists, transformed itself into a financial and economic crisis that will surpass the 2008 crisis and may also surpass the crisis of the 1930’s. 

Today's crisis must be placed in a new historical context that threatens human existence, beyond the risks presented by COVID-19. With climate change and biodiversity destruction, we have already surpassed sustainability levels for our planet.

Coupled with the growing inequalities between rich and poor, we are 

witnessing how the world population is victim of the misery provoked by a capitalist/imperialist system that has destroyed and exploited the lands

populated by the oppressed peoples of the world.

We are preoccupied by the social and economic impact of the pandemic. We already know that an important portion of the population will be affected by the

rise of poverty due to loss of jobs and by physical and psychological consequences of this health crisis.

If this economic model does not change, we will have to struggle against more austerity, loss of public services and of our social safety net, with budget cuts in health and education. We are already living 40 years of neo-liberal consequences. We must not let the financial markets dictate our future again.

The free market system is clearly incapable of distributing the

riches produced by us to the working class. Stock markets show large profits, despite the inequality and poverty. The capitalist system is in crisis, even though it continues to peddle the capitalist jingoism of "economic growth", to the point that this now endangers our ecosystems.

Our political elites live in denial and inactivity. Despite citizens’ protests, calls for action, and the catastrophes evolving before us, despite the alarming reports by the scientific community on biodiversity loss, our political elites continue to close their eyes.

Where is the sense of urgency? Where are the plans for an economy which will serve the needs of all citizens? According to Antonio Gramsci, “The old is dying; the new has not yet been born.” Thus it has become urgent to create a new social, ecological and economic vision based on radical reforms guided by profound humanism to satisfy our collective needs.

We have to rethink our relationship with consumerism, work, education, health, housing, and agriculture. The necessary transformations are radical and

systemic -- to rethink a new world. We demand an open conversation on the need for true democracy.

(Signed by 61 organisations from across Québec)

Coalition La Pêche pour un New Deal Vert,

Masham