top of page

The Gypsyhermit's Journal

PAINTING BY CHRISTINA PRICE

Yes, it is a “Victory”… the Expedition Petition Debrief and Petition Closure Notes

Names have power, and so do words.

The change.org petition hosting site has two options for ending a petition. One option is to simply “close (the) petition” it and it’s done. The other is to “declare victory”.

Simply closing it feels disrespectful to all of you, and even to myself. Victory? That sounds like it entails achieving the tangible results called for in the petition, which we did not.

We did not ceremoniously present the letter and signatures. The government is still careening towards imminent social and political collapse, near term human extinction, and the potential cessation of all life on Earth. Justin Trudeau still seems more concerned with photo ops and ostensibly placating soliloquies than with . Those with the power to make a difference are still making the wrong differences.

So why am I calling this a victory?

Because it is, in more effective ways than in the immediately discernible literal ways originally intended.

To make a long story short, I walked from Calgary to Ottawa, and camped under the prime minister’s office window all that winter, in order to deliver a petition calling for prompt and effective response to the climate crisis. They ignored us and still do, so I’ve finally ended this petition and mailed it to Justin Trudeau, cc-ing copies to Elizabeth May, Chrystia Freeland, and Stephen Guilbert. It’s been a hard decision and in many ways felt like giving up – but that does not do any justice whatsoever to what we all did and achieved.

We – all of us involved in all our many ways – were the topic of many parliamentary discussions to which we’ll never be privy. According to flies on the wall who requested anonymity, we were part of, and created, dialogue and efforts within government which are still ongoing. We gave those players support, encouragement, and added to their impetus.

We created a community with national and multinational support and connections. We were there for each other and for all those who wanted or needed to talk, to be afraid, to have hope, at all times. We were part of nurturing and expanding a growing network of awareness and change. We gave people something to believe in – a shared purpose, but also shareable personal convictions, directions, strength.

We all – and especially the broad spectrum of petition signees, by the very broadness of that spectrum, showed government that we can, will, and do move beyond our differences to fight for this one over-arching and uniting purpose: LIFE.

We were heard, by so very many, including those who do not acknowledge that. We have affected the perspectives and talk. We have affected each other.

We learned not to give up, and we learned that that takes many forms.

We learned that hope is not a thing with feathers. It is determination to believe in possibility and continue towards it regardless of likelihoods because it is the right thing to do. We learned that we – all of us, together, often in spite of differences – are the active manifestation of hope. We learned we need hope, and that we have it, though maybe not in the ways or forms we envisioned it. We have all the possibilities that are inherent in this present and we have the wherewithal to choose to exist now in ways that are part of those possibilities becoming real.

Moreover…

The government learned that we know we need not run off the prescribed existential cliff, and that this lemming-drive is not going to go as well as they imagined.

The world learned that we, the people of one of the countries most responsible for global ecosystem collapse, are not as docile as we seem.

We learned we can do more than we know, and we learned more about how to connect with each other.

So yes, we can, in the words of change.org, “declare victory.” Nobody thought we could do any of what we did, and all of what we did is effecting more change than dropping off a pile of paper ever would have.

Thank you for being part of that. It means the world.

With hope and determination, Ann

PS Another thing that’s become clear is the fact that I am not good at the particular sort of activism which something like this petition involved. I’m very good at a lot of things, and in more interpersonal kinds of activist work. Writing, talking, sharing ideas and possibilities and carrying them around till they find the right connections to go happen… learning how to live more closely with the Earth and sharing that… painting, growing things, changing the small things around me and letting the ripples spread… political manoeuvring – not so much. So I am I’m going back to the kinds of things I am good at.

I’m a gypsy, and I’ve got a boat, and people who matter to me and are part of all I do, and a world to help change by being the odd little rolling catalyst I am. I’m not quite sure exactly how right now and haven’t plotted the course physically or metaphorically, but I’m percolating a few ways of going in the right direction. The destination remains the same – a livable Earth.

The Climate Emergency Sailboat is the next chapter of this expedition… please continue to be part of the change with me here.

💚

Comments


choosing to sungaze - irregular perspecive lizard
blog - author date reading time.jpg

Junk mail does not make the world a better place. Respect matters. I shan't share your information.

ANN COGNITO

© 2023 by Ann Cognito. Proudly created with Wix.com

  • Facebook - Grey Circle
Art and written work herein © Copyright Ann Cognito
bottom of page