George Brown College (GBC) hosted a town hall event with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley on Oct. 19.
The gathering, held at GBC’s Waterfront campus, aimed to discuss Canadian-Caribbean relations as well as joint strategies for tackling the climate crisis and other global challenges.
Earlier that week, Trudeau had engaged with leaders from various Caribbean nations and took part in the Canada-CARICOM summit. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) represents a union of 20 political and economic member countries.
At the town-hall event, Trudeau and Mottley engaged in conversation regarding the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically on goal 13 ‘Climate Action.’
“We’re facing the world’s ongoing challenge, climate change, whether it be that continued hangovers from a pandemic, whether it be conflicts and instability around the world, whether it be pressures on global inflation or interest rates, worries about where your jobs or your careers are going to go away,” Trudeau said. “But I think we are in a time of change. Where the decisions that we take collectively, that you take as citizens, as engaged members of community, will shape the future of the country,” said Trudeau. “These are the challenges that we have that millions upon millions of tiny actions got us into the situation, where millions and millions of thoughtful deliberate conscious actions will get us out of it. Every action impacts everything else, no matter how small.”
He also emphasized the importance of individual contributions to achieving the SDGs.
“It is probably more similar to what your great grandparents and grandparents went through 100 years ago, with the exception, however, that we do know better, and we do know how to do better, and we must be better.”
Mottley added that activism matters, and that the community must stand together to act.
Canada doubled its international climate financing commitment to $5.3 billion at the G7 Leaders’ Summit in 2021.
Mottley shared that Canada has worked alongside the Caribbean in their financial reforms, instead of suggesting solutions on behalf of the Caribbean.
“That unlocks so many opportunities for us to be able to plan out our own future. We don’t necessarily have the same industrial capacity in the global south at this point in time… So, working with partners like Canada in practical ways into our trading and investment practices will make a significant difference beyond the financial cause,” said Mottley.
Through the discussions and Q&A session with the audience, the two prime ministers repeatedly mentioned the importance of cultivating sustainability on an individual level.
The Student Association of George Brown College has signed the SDG Accord and confirmed its commitment to achievement of the SDGs.
SAGBC was the third Canadian student union and the first member of the Canadian Federation of Students to sign the SDG Accord.
