Group calling for national firefighting agency splashes paint on Prime Minister's Office in Ottawa
A climate action group that blocked traffic and vandalized property in Ottawa last summer has returned to once again demand the federal government do more to deal with climate change.
Members of Last Generation Canada, previously known as On2Ottawa, splashed pink paint on the Prime Minister's Office on Wellington Street in downtown Ottawa and blocked the road before being arrested Wednesday morning.
The group has been demanding a national firefighting agency that employs and trains 50,000 firefighters and that Canada implement "legally-binding citizens’ assemblies to tackle the climate and ecological crisis within two years."
According to a news release from the group, five members were arrested Wednesday morning.
"200,000 Canadians had to evacuate their homes last summer," said Ben Holt, who sprayed the paint, in the release. "Entire communities were burned to the ground. And yet our government has done nothing to mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis."
Ottawa police told CTV News Ottawa that the five protesters were arrested for mischief. Additional charges could be laid.
Ottawa police arrest a protester with the climate action group Last Generation Canada after members splashed pink paint on the Prime Minister's Office and blocked traffic on Wellington Street on Parliament Hill. Feb. 7, 2024. (CTV News)
This is the second time members from this group splashed paint on the Prime Minister's Office. Last year, the group also blocked numerous streets and bridges in Ottawa, spread paint over a painting at the National Gallery of Canada, and interrupted the Juno Awards.
Avril Lavigne confronts a topless protester as she presents during the Junos Monday, March 13, 2023 (The Canadian Press/Timothy Matwey).
On Tuesday, the group set a stroller on fire on Parliament Hill as part of a demonstration.
The group ramped up its demands for a national firefighting agency last summer amid a devastating fire season.
Firefighting is under provincial jurisdiction, though the federal government can deploy the military when needed. Last year, some Canadian Armed Forces members were sent to the Northwest Territories to aid in firefighting efforts.
According to the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, there were approximately 126,000 firefighters in Canada in 2022, more than 90,000 of which were volunteers. Only 36,000 across Canada were considered career firefighters.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Biden and Harris call the Israeli strike killing Hezbollah’s Nasrallah a 'measure of justice'
The Israeli strike that killed Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah was a 'measure of justice' for victims of a four-decade 'reign of terror,' U.S. President Joe Biden said Saturday.
SpaceX launches rescue mission for 2 NASA astronauts who are stuck in space until next year
SpaceX launched a rescue mission for the two stuck astronauts at the International Space Station on Saturday, sending up a downsized crew to bring them home but not until next year.
Why Will Ferrell wanted a doc about his friendship with a trans woman to release before the U.S. election
Will Ferrell said in an interview with Variety that it was important for him to release his documentary, 'Will and Harper,' before the U.S. election so people could have conversations about trans people.
'I think he needs to go serve a few more meals:' Ottawa Mission CEO fires back at Ford encampment comments
The CEO of the Ottawa Mission is responding to controversial comments made this week by Premier Doug Ford about those living in homeless encampments that received swift blowback from advocates.
At least 56 dead and millions without power after Helene's deadly march across U.S. southeast
Massive rains from powerful Hurricane Helene left people stranded, without shelter and awaiting rescue Saturday, as the cleanup began from a tempest that killed at least 56 people, caused widespread destruction across the U.S. Southeast and left millions without power.
LGBTQ2S+ minister Pascale St-Onge to make history with parental leave
Canadian Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge is set to make history by becoming the first openly lesbian cabinet minister to take parental leave when her wife gives birth in the coming weeks.
They hit it off on vacation but then he went silent. So she decided to pick up the phone
When a few weeks passed and Nana Prempeh still hadn’t heard from the guy she met on vacation, she turned to her friends for advice.
What is open and closed this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
This Monday, Sept. 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR), a federal statutory holiday and day of remembrance for the Indigenous children who never came home from Canadian residential schools, as well as those who survived them.
Sima Sistani, who embraced Ozempic, is out as CEO of WeightWatchers
WeightWatchers CEO Sima Sistani, who pushed the company into embracing weight-loss drugs, is leaving the position after a two-and-a-half year stint.