Parents for Power: Taking Control of Canada's Energy Future

As parents, we instinctively want to protect our children and ensure they inherit a world filled with opportunity and security. But with climate change threatening our planet – and with a trade war and potential annexation threatening Canada’s sovereignty – that future can feel increasingly uncertain. 

At For Our Kids, we believe that empowering parents with knowledge and tools is crucial to building a better future for all Canadians. That's why Vanessa Brown, a climate-concerned mother with For Our Kids Toronto, sat down with Conor Curtis of Sierra Club Canada. In this interview, Vanessa and Conor talk about how Canada’s reliance on the global fossil fuel market imperils the planet, our children’s health, and our national sovereignty. They make it clear that any strategy to protect Canada from trade wars, annexation, or other political threats will only be effective if it advances a just transition off of fossil fuels and toward renewable energy.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and flow. 

Connecting renewable energy, national sovereignty, and economic resilience

Vanessa Brown: Conor, thank you for joining us. Can you explain how achieving energy independence in Canada through renewable energy contributes to addressing climate change?

Conor Curtis: The issue we see in Canada is a heavy reliance on oil and gas, which impacts our economy and jobs. Oil and gas prices are very vulnerable to foreign markets, and very volatile. There isn't much we can do domestically to manage those prices. It's very easy for a single global incident to cause oil and gas prices to increase, which, in turn,  results in an inflationary response for the Canadian economy. The primary beneficiaries of oil and gas price increases are fossil fuel corporations, whose profits increase when oil and gas prices rise. When prices fall rapidly, it also affects the revenues of oil and gas dependent provinces.

There’s a podcast we did recently with experts at the IISD about this.

The green revolution and renewable energy can bring local jobs back to communities. I see value in generating energy from community-led renewable energy projects as they generate jobs, protect the economy, help transition away from fossil fuels while using Canadian resources in Canada, and keeping it within our Canadian communities. 

VB: How can parents effectively communicate this connection between energy independence and national sovereignty to other parents who might not typically engage with climate issues?

CC: The easiest way to put this is, when the wind doesn’t blow and when the sun doesn’t shine, we have battery storage, can build an interconnected grid, and energy efficiency initiatives to fall back on. What renewable energy doesn’t have is the same volatility of oil and gas prices. Talk to other parents about the volatility of fossil fuels. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives studied the inflation on oil and gas and mining extraction products, and Canadians pay 25 cents of inflation to oil and gas and mining profits for every dollar of price increase. The easiest way to get around that is to shift to renewable energy. 

Let’s talk about building a supply chain of renewable energy. Our biggest concern right now is the US and the rising influence of China. The Chinese Government is trying to control the renewable energy supply chain. They realize global oil and gas demand is set to peak this decade. So instead of oil and gas becoming obsolete and Canada not having anything to fall back on, if we have a Canadian renewable energy supply chain, we can be ahead of the US and China.

Renewable energy is not as volatile because you can build an internal market rather than satisfying an external market, so you can control those prices domestically. A lot of the Global South is moving towards renewable energy because of sovereignty issues, to be independent of the volatile global oil market.

VB: You have previously talked about the influence of oil and gas corporations on both climate policy and Canadian sovereignty. What specific actions can parents take to counter this corporate influence and advocate for policies that prioritize both climate action and national interests?

CC: The most important thing is to call it out. Understanding the connection between the interest of the US administration to control Canada and their interest in Canadian oil and gas resources, and call it out. In the political spheres, more oil and gas projects are being suggested as ways to get Canada away from the developing conflict with the US, but these projects will take so long to build and will get us nowhere. These proposed solutions are not solutions at all. What oil and gas corporations want is for the US to take over Canada, and to shut down renewable energy projects in our country so that oil and gas can stay in the economy. This is why the community needs to take the mantle of renewable energy.

What parents can do is to take a clear stance that these proposed oil and gas projects are not real, helpful projects for Canada. They are in America’s interest.

Mobilizing political resistance to fossil fuels

VB: In the context of the threat of tariffs and annexation from the US, we’ve seen many provincial premiers double down on resource extraction and try to revive long-dead fossil fuel and fossil fuel infrastructure projects as a response. How can parents and other community members best counteract those arguments?

CC:  Global demand for oil and gas is set to peak this decade, it’s the fuel of the past. Economically these projects are not going to go anywhere. We’re seeing a lot of theatre around this; we have to distill what is theatre from reality. The biggest concern is the huge loss of taxpayers' money going to waste due to these non-functional, unfeasible projects. People might not be aware--they might hear about a proposed oil and gas pipeline and think it’s a great project, but they might not know they aren’t economically sound. Making people aware of that situation is the most important thing to do, talking about basic economic realities. 

Also, whether the US does something or not, global pricing impacts our economy. We are throwing all our eggs in one basket by continuing to support oil and gas projects. It may be a harder thing to explain to people, but is much more valuable if they understand the concept.

It is also important to talk about community projects. There is information about how fast we can get community-led renewable energy projects off the ground. It is quick to get them to start and quick to set up--much quicker than oil and gas projects. For oil and gas, you have to build a whole infrastructure before it can be used, but renewable energy can be used instantly in many cases and can be incrementally developed.

There are already many different renewable energy projects being implemented in different areas of Canada, and The Energy Mix has great resources on their viability in different areas and regions, etc.

VB: Given the political landscape, what are the most effective strategies for parents to advance climate action with politicians in Ontario?

CC: As a non-partisan organization, Sierra Club Canada calls for people to spread the word about climate and the environment. Talking to people face-to-face or in 1:1 settings is the most effective way. But it has to start from a base of reference; you need to start with a good opening, what concerns you about climate change, and then you talk about whatever you want to talk about. Some people will disagree with you about climate action. Instead of talking to a person who completely disagrees with you, take 1 hour with 10 different people who are on the fence to reach the right audience. But it’s important to talk to people you don’t normally talk to, get outside your bubble, and talk to people in your neighbourhood who you might not fully agree with on everything. We just did a podcast with more details on how to do this.

Remember that if people troll you during these conversations, what they want to do is silence you. They want to stop you from talking to other people and to make it so you only feel safe staying inside that bubble. 

Parents can also contribute to informal, organic media by tapping into social media: making TikTok videos or Instagram reels. A lot of news tends to focus on the topic of annexation and is biased towards oil and gas. Did you know a lot of Canadian news media is owned by US interests? Being an influencer and creating community media is helpful.

Join protests, rallies, and counter-rallies when something bad is happening. Write a letter to the editor ,and if they don’t publish it, publish it on your own channels.

VB: Looking federally, what are the key leverage points for pushing for stronger climate policies and a transition to a more sustainable energy system?

CC: We went to Ottawa with survivors of extreme climatic events and brought artifacts to exhibit from wildfires and extreme weather events. We met with party representatives, senators, and MPs. One thing I remember was talking about what’s personal. Sometimes politicians are in this bubble of what they think of from a policy basis, but they need to hear from constituents on why this matters to them and their community on a human level. Because at the end of the day, they want to hear from you on what is affecting you. More so, they don’t want to dismiss you if you’re also sharing those stories with other constituents because they fear the force of the community. So, build up the power of your communication to reach others and then tell those stories to politicians. You need to explain why a policy is a good policy and should be in place, but also make it personal. Sierra Club Canada also has fact sheets about different policies, their benefits or limitations, and what they mean. The easier thing is to talk about your stories.

Reclaiming the narrative and empowering youth

VB: In your articles and podcasts, you discuss how corporate-sponsored climate denial has contributed to the current situation. How can parents effectively challenge this narrative and promote accurate information about climate change and its solutions within their communities?

CC: The problem is that misinformation is like pollution – you are polluting the information ecosystem. With climate change, pollution causes warming; with misinformation being pumped into an ecosystem, there are local symptoms. You can’t control it when it's released into the environment, but you can counter it.

Talk about it to correct it. “There's no climate change because the weather is cold” is like saying “there’s no sun because it’s dark at nighttime.” Give people the correct information in a way that reveals how the misinformation works, and find skills to combat misinformation.

You don’t need to convince people right away. First, find common ground, share concerns, and then share information and help them get to the conclusion themselves. I repeat, there is no need to spend your time on a person on the far end of the spectrum.

Misinformation eats people’s lives, especially with the rabbit holes that people can go down. It can spread and take over people’s lives. Sometimes it’s about inoculating people from it rather than curing them from it. It’s important to help people to think and critically address misinformation.

VB: In your opinion, how do we empower young people to become active participants in the movement for energy independence and climate justice, particularly given the high stakes for future generations?

CC: One thing we’ve learned from our Wild Child program is to get outside and connect with nature. I remember  a cousin of mine who was 4 years old, had a cell phone in his hand, and was already faster at using the phone than I was. I’m not saying we shouldn’t be digitally literate, but it’s more important to connect with nature. Some parents can’t provide that kind of support to their children, but it's important to find a place to connect with nature for your children if you can. Climate awareness also develops from a greater connection to nature as we covered in a recent podcast episode.

Critical thinking should be taught at a young and early age. Children should understand]how people can be manipulated, and how psychology can be used to govern their behaviours. It’s important to make sure they understand basic research skills and critical thinking skills to make choices for themselves. They need both, not just one or the other. Children should understand that they have the power to make a difference. We should be making it clear they can care and can make a difference. Otherwise all the research and critical thinking in the world won’t lead to action.

VB: What is the single most important action that parents can take today to advocate for climate action and energy independence in their communities?

CC: Go out and talk to others. Get them to understand energy independence. Campaign – if political parties can campaign, so can you. In-person interactions are so critically important, whether that’s talking to someone one-on-one, or canvassing. [Create] media for your community to share information and counter misinformation. Become an influencer: online or in-person. Write a letter to the editor, talk to the politician with the community behind you.

VB: You mentioned some resources. What resources or support do you recommend for parents looking to get more involved?

CC: There are many: The Energy Mix. Independent media. Podcasts with experts.Skeptical Science for basic climate myths. 

VB: Thank you, Conor, for shedding light on this important connection between renewable energy, climate action, and Canadian sovereignty. It's empowering to know that we can take action to build a more secure and sustainable future for our children.

Join the movement! Connect with your local For Our Kids group to learn more about how you can get involved in advocating for renewable energy and a stronger, more independent Canada.