Meet Rae Steeves. At age 14, she’s a climate justice activist based in Halifax, N.S. And she’s also a member of the Young Canadians’ Parliament – an initiative to amplify the voice of children and youth at the highest levels of government.
“I believe that standing up for what is right is the most valuable thing you can do with your life. As humans, we have a moral obligation to make the world a better place than it was before we came along, and I believe that it is my responsibility to stand up,” says Rae. “However, as a teenager it shouldn’t be my responsibility. Kids shouldn’t have to fight for their planet, but I don’t feel as if I was given a choice because standing back and watching our planet suffer is the other option and that isn’t something I’m willing to do. That is why I’m so passionate about climate justice – because this is a global emergency and we are at a time in our history where sitting back and observing is no longer a choice.”
Rae recently took part in a student-led School Strike 4 Climate rally in Halifax. Click the button below to hear a clip from her speech.
Click below to hear a CBC Radio One interview she participated in to share her views on climate change.
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