sylvan lake declaration

7/30/2019 Sylvan Lake Declaration

1/17

SylvanLakeDeclarationthethetimeisnow.

During 2010 and 2011,

a hundred young social change

organizers from BC, Alberta and

Saskatchewan engaged in creating

the following statement of shared

purpose. The statement was initiated

leading up to a gathering on British

Columbias Sunshine Coast, and

endorsed the following year, at

a gathering in the foothills of the

Alberta Rockies. This is our basis of

unity.

We are progressive activists

dedicated to social, environmental

and economic justice. We apply thisdedication to the way we live our

lives and to the social movements

where we invest our energies. Some

of us have focused on environmental

issues, or international solidarity,

or womens equality; some work

primarily on poverty reduction

and eliminating homelessness,

or Indigenous sovereignty, or

anti-racism; while others haveconcentrated mainly on bringing

about progressive social change and

community-building through the arts,

education, community planning, legal

activism,

new media,

or electoral

politics.

We come to this work from

diverse cultural identities and

various experiences of privilege

and marginalization; together,

these experiences have shaped

our worldview and informed our

understanding of the challenges

that lie ahead. We acknowledge the

different privileges we experience,

especially on land where the majority

of us are settlers, and we accept theresponsibilities that accompany this.

What we share is a common sense of

purpose and of urgency. We choose

a life not of apathy and passive

observation, but of making positive

social change. We accept that we

have a responsibility; that we must

strengthen a movement to bring

about social, political and economicchange that will create an equitable

and just society. We know that the

responsibility is ours, and the time is

now.

2012


2/17

indexThis Moment in Time 3

Confronting Power 5

A Better World is Possible 7

Addressing Our Democratic Deficit 9

Creating a Life-Sustaining Economy 11

Cultivating the Human Spirit 15

Conclusion: Building the Movement 17


3/17| 3page

In an increasingly globalized world, ourgeneration has grown up bouncing fromone crisis to the next. Over a backdropof continued colonial oppression, wehave seen environmental and economiccrises accelerate in pace and increasein magnitude. With much of our lives andthe lives of our children still ahead, we are

not willing to witness delayed action anylonger. We accept that it is the task of thisgeneration to change the direction of thesedevastating trends.

!"#$%&"#'(#)#*(%+"#,$)("+#+-)+#.)(('+#sustain perpetual material growth. The'&"/0-"$1%(2#3'45#'6#7.%"(+%*.#',%(%'(#

tells us that our society must be carbon-

neutral within our generation if devastatingecological and social upheaval and harmis to be avoided. The Earth has alreadywarmed by nearly 1C, leading to an

increase in extreme weather events. Climatedestabilization is only one of severalenvironmental challenges we face. Globally,we see an escalation in soil erosion,decline in freshwater reserves, accelerated4"7"/+%*.)+%'(8#4/)7+%.#$'77#'6#3%'4%&"/7%+5#and unseen levels of toxicity in the air,water, soil, and throughout the food chain.

We know this, yet we continue down thispath, the foot on the pedal, acceleratingtoward irreversible environmental damage.What seems hard for some to accept

is obvious to us; these are not passing2$%+.-"7#%(#)#757+"1#*(4%(2#%+7#.'9/7":#they are systemic failures of a worldviewheaded for disaster. The current economicstructure stretches the coping capacity of

local economies, and is highly dependantupon unsustainable resource extraction aenvironmental degradation. And the gap

between rich and the rest of us grows largeach day.

Despite an abundance of material wealthand technological advancements, globalinequality continues to rise. The political

and economic forces that maintaininequality simultaneously deny peopleaccess to basic life necessities such asaffordable housing, clean drinking water,healthy food and medical care. Althoughwe have the technological capacity to"/)4%.)+"#(9+/%+%'()$#4"*.%"(.%"78#$'0"/#+-

global disease burden and ensure accessto basic goods, the needs of billions of thglobal poor remain unmet. The dominantvision of development, with the primarygoal of economic growth, has worsenedliving conditions for many but has largely3"("*+"4#%+7#)4&'.)+"7;#2'&"/(1"(+7#'6#wealthy countries, banks, corporations

and investors. When faced with a crisis in

THIS MOMENT IN

TIME


4/17| 4page

+-"#*()(.%)$#757+"18#+-"#7)1"#)4&'.)+"7#turn to the governmentand publicresourcesto bail them out. We do not3"$%"&"#%(#)#757+"1#+-)+#,/%&)+%>"7#,/'*+7#and socializes losses.

This suffering is not random, orunavoidable, or the way it has alwaysbeen. There have always been naturaldisasters, shortages, struggles, but thepace and scale of the natural and humanexploitation originating with European.'$'(%)$%71#)(4#1)2(%*"4#35#+-"#%(497+/%)$#

revolution is more than our planet has everseen. The wealth of industrialized nationswas built on slavery and the appropriationof Indigenous lands in the global south andat home. In a modern form, this continuestoday as Indigenous people resistcorporate and political pressure to exploittheir lands, from the proposed Enbridgepipeline in British Columbias, to Goldcorp

extraction at Marlin mine in Guatemala. Theneoliberal agenda of the last 30 years, with

its growing pressure to globalize, privatize,deregulate, and militarize, has quickenedthe pace.

Transforming this exploitative paradigminto a life-sustaining and life-celebratingworldview is the goal of our movement, and

the greatest task of our time. While the twinecological and economic crises are surelydire, we are of the view that these crises

the current historic moment also createsnew openings for progressive social andeconomic change, and for advancingboth domestic and global income re-distribution. Previous generations had the

luxury of doubt, the hope that maybe thecrises were temporary anomalies, or riskswe could manage. Our generation must

face the evidence of a deeper failure andchange the course. This context createsa willingness to entertain bold new ideas,and as the reality of the climate crisisdeepens, redistributive changes that seem

politically impossible today will becomepolitically possible tomorrow. As was thecase in the 1930s, new infrastructure andinstitutions (from public child care anddental care to public investment banks andnew crown corporations) may be possible,and will become the legacy of this era.

Global poverty, political oppression, andnatural depletion are intrinsically tied to thecurrent industrial model. Facing this realitywill require challenging those who maintain)(4#3"("*+#6/'1#+-"#7+)+97#?9'@

THIS MOMENT IN TIME


5/17| 5page

E ffective social change work requiresconfronting power and using everydemocratic means available to demand

that political and economic power be

shared. The exploitative worldview is built

on human oppression and exploitation;

its replacement will be built on equity and

participatory democracy.

This time is marked by an amazing growth

and diversity of creative social activism

and community building. People around

us are seeking to live more sustainable

lives in remarkable and inspiring ways.

All too often, however, this activity seems

to occur beyond politics; divorced from

the electoral contests that determine who

wields political power and ignoring the

reality of who wields economic power.

It can also be blind to structures of

oppression; ignoring the ways in which

privilege built on lines of race, gender,

or class, protects itself in conscious and

unconscious ways.

Local community building it is not enough.

It will remain a minor cultural event unless

it is strategically leveraged within a

larger movement to challenge the power

structures at play and build alternatives.

This will be achieved through social

mobilization, democratic engagement, an

direct action. It will require escalating the

,97-#3).A#)2)%(7+#.'/,'/)+"#%(+"/"7+7;#

challenging their power in the media, the

market, and government. And it will also

require that progressives not shy away

6/'1#"$".+'/)$#,'$%+%.7;#0"#197+#7""A#+'#0government.

However, if there is one lesson we must

learn from previous liberation movements

it is that those who benefit from the status

quo will not cede this power willingly.

The more successful our challenge to the

system, the stronger we can expect the

/"7,'(7"#+'#3";#1"4%)#7,%(#.)1,)%2(78#

funding cuts to progressive-leaning publi

institutions, concentration of political

power, undermining of democratic

processes, and repression of political

dissidents.

This is not some dystopic portrait of adistant future; it is already underway.

As the 2010 G20 summit in Toronto

reminded us, those in power will not

hesitate to use the police and military

to assert their dominance, regardless of

laws or constitutional rights to freedom of

And it will also require that progressives not shy away from

electoral politics: we must seek to win government.

CONFRONTING

POWER


6/17| 6page

expression. Repression of political dissent

happens everyday in Canada, through

police intimidation, increased surveillance,

infiltration of activist circles, preemptive

arrest, and charges under anti-terrorism

laws. This is the lived experience of many

of our fellow change makers; we will not

fear it, we will not ignore it. Instead, we will

celebrate the subversive power of vibrant

local communities, able to heal, create,

and resist.

B+#'9/#.'/"#0"#A('0#+-%7;#,"77%1%71#%7#

a luxury we cannot afford. We have the

ingenuity and creativity to transition toward

increasingly joyful and sustainable ways of

life. And so we will remain committed, and

rally to the task at hand, knowing that time

is of the essence.

CONFRONTING POWER


7/17| 7page

S ince the fall of the Berlin wall, manyhave commented on the difficulty ofcoming up with a new unifying vision for

the left. As our analysis becomes more

complex and we take more seriously

the diversity of voices that should have

a say, our capacity to build one single

overarching agenda for all has decreased.

Instead, we propose a bolder goal;multiple interdependent visions, with the

capacity to find common ground and

work together across diverse movements

for justice. We are no longer interested

in choosing which is the most important

struggle. The time has come to build

stronger bridges and to strategize

together. In this spirit, we share our own

vision.

The world we envision will be driven by

new definitions of wealth or, many will

argue, old ones. We define wealth not in

monetary terms or material possessions,

but rather, as physical, mental and spiritual

health, purposeful lives, and the creation

of interconnected communities based on

trust, celebration and sharing, and that is

rich in culture and arts. Personal success

is no longer defined by accumulated

wealth, but by the richness one brings to

the community.

A wealthy life is meaningful, passionate

and creative. It empowers the individual t

take responsibility for the collective, and

to rejoice in supporting their communities

Wealthy communities embrace the

diversity of their people and cultures, andvalue authenticity, tradition and progress

A wealthy world relies on dialogue and

conversation rather than force.

We envision a democratic system that tru

encourages participation, and reflects the

will of the people. An economic system

that allows us to care for one another

by supporting people through difficult

times, and providing real opportunities

for individual and collective growth. A

health care system that nurtures whole

and vibrant people; that is committed

to prevention, and improving quality

of life throughout stages of health and

illness; and that understands that caring

for peoples health includes caring fortheir families and their environment.

An education system that nurtures

curiosity, self expression, critical thinking

collaboration, and self governance. A tru

multi-cultural society, where people from

A BETTER WORLDIS POSSIBLE

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/)+,#/5$.'$+#/01$-2$,#)*+,5$47/4-1#5$8-007'.+3$)'%$87*+7/#9:$


8/17| 8page

diverse communities and with multiple

histories build bridges and engage in

genuine dialogue about the need for real

equality - in employment opportunities, in

housing, and equal participation in society.

A society that respects the sovereignty

of Indigenous peoples, and acts on the

global stage based on principles of equity

and solidarity.

We envision a social contract that

ensures everyones needs can be met

-- from physical needs to the need for

self-actualization -- and that competing

priorities are debated from positions of

strength and equity. We envision strong

communities, neighbors knowing each

others names, and strangers striking

up conversation. We believe that

entrepreneurial creativity is fundamentally

driven by something more than the quest

for maximizing wealth and personal gain,

and that by refocusing that purpose we

can have thriving businesses, even globalorganizations, that primarily serve the

common good. Therefore the motivation

to advertise and manufacture cravings

could be replaced by the need to inform,

and nurture contentment. Thus, instead of

wasting time managing the clutter of our

material wealth, we can become wealthy

with time for connecting with the ones

we love, getting to know the unknown,

engaging in the political process of thecommunity, and finding deeper purpose to

our lives.

This is the world we want to build. Here are

what we deem to be the necessary next

steps.

A BETTER WORLD IS POSSIBLE


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Canadians enjoy important civilliberties and a democratic system,shaped by the struggles of the past,

which cannot be taken for granted.

Yet, jaded by marginalization, distrust

and disempowerment, many people

have stopped voting and engaging with

the political system directly. The 2008federal election had the lowest rate

of voter turnout in Canadian history at

59%. The 2011 election showed but a

small improvement at 61.4%. Traditional

advocacy and political volunteerism

fare no better, hovering at 2%. However,

despite low voter turnout, 86% of

Canadians say it is their duty to vote;

there is clearly a key ingredient missing in

moving from interest to action.

Some structural and cultural changes

can help improve civic engagement.

First, electoral reform is needed to ensure

that the number of seats allocated to a

political party is fair and representative.

Proportional representation would address

public concerns about the impact of an

individual vote, and sustain a diversity

of political parties and citizen voices

in parliament. Second, we need to

strengthen party financing and lobbying

laws to ensure that people speak

louder than corporate dollars. Third, we

need to expand the opportunities for

public involvement in decision making,

beyond a single vote every four years.

Participatory democracy would improvethe quality of responses to complex policy

choices, increase trust in government,

build constituencies to support action,

increase access and foster civic literacy.

By building the public capacity to engage

in political discussion and activities

within our lives families, work, clubs,

religious centres, sports, social media,

grassroots organizing we decrease

our dependence on mass media to

understand political issues. This, in turn,

increases popular input into political

decision-making, whether through citizen

assemblies, focus groups, hearings, or

demonstrations.

To benefit from the full wealth of our

democracy we must build on existing

strengths and create genuine space

for all members of society, including

those whose knowledge stems from the

ADDRESSING OURDEMOCRATIC DEFICIT

!;3$67.*%.'


10/17| 1page

direct experience of marginalization.

This will require engaging as equals with

Indigenous nations and respecting their

chosen governance models.

This also requires us to challenge

citizenship policies that deny basic human

rights to a growing number of Canadians.

Since the introduction of temporary

employment authorization programs in the

seventies, the number of people living with

precarious citizenship status in Canada

has grown exponentially. This includes

the 90,000 people welcomed into Canada

each year to work, to pay taxes and to

pay into systems such as EI, but who are

denied the basic rights and protections

attached to citizenship, such as the ability

to access social programs, to choose their

employer, to be protected from harassment

at work, or to form a union. This also

includes the estimated 200,000 to 400,000

people who live in Canada without the

protections of legal status and who alsolack basic human rights such as the right

to a fair trial, or the right to live and walk

in public without fearing harassment by

police or immigration agents. Precarious

citizenship status also includes people,

often women, who depend legally on a

spouse or an employer for their right to be

in the country; it primarily impacts people

living in poverty, the working class and

people of colour.

If we are to make our governing system

truly representative, it must represent

the existing and evolving diversity within

Canada, and include measures that

increase accountability, agency and publ

participation.

ADDRESSING OUR DEMOCRATIC DEFICIT


11/17| 1page

The urgent need to address climate

change will be both a driver for this

economic transformation and a clear

indicator of progress. Weaning our

industrial system from its fossil-fuel

addiction poses a huge technological

and political challenge. Clearly, certain

corporate interests will not make this

transition voluntarily. From regulations

to carbon pricing and carbon quotas,

multiple policy tools are available to foster

this transition; all that is needed is political

will.

For people to embrace the dramatic

change that is needed to become carbon-

zero, they need to know that everyone

is taking on their fair share of the load.

Locally we will need systemic supports,

public infrastructure and income security

to allow people to retrofit their homes

and to get out of their cars. Similarly, at

a global level, rich nations like Canada

must accept the concept of climate

debt. Those who have contributed the

least to climate change are now paying

the highest price. If poorer countries

are to meet the climate challenge, we

are obliged to assist with income and

technology transfers commensurate to

our responsibility in the crisis, as well as

welcome our fair share of global climate

migrants.

Ultimately, climate change is only one

symptom of an unsustainable economic

and industrial model. We need to face the

fact that perpetual material growth is not

sustainable, and aim for a closed loop

industrial model, where all outputs (i.e.

waste) become inputs. We need to ensure

that wealth creation does not happen at

the expense of the ecosystems, and of

those they sustain.

The development of industrial nations has

CREATING A

Our current economic system fails toprovide for the needs of current andfuture generations. It incentivizes short-

term gains over long-term sustainability.

We need to radically rethink how we

structure the economy, in a way that

moves beyond using GDP as the measure

of success, toward an economic system

that fosters well being, reduces inequities,

eliminates poverty, and provides full

employment in an ecologically sustainable

way. Based on principles of environmental

justice and economic equity we can

create a truly life-sustaining economy.

Environmental Justice

SELF-SUSTAINING

ECONOMY


12/17| 1page

been bankrolled by a generous subsidy

from Indigenous land bases, natural

systems, and future generations. Those

who absorb the cost of environmentaldestruction are animals, plants, and

the living systems of the earth. Those

who bear the brunt of environmental

degradation are disproportionately people

living in poverty, women, people of colour,

and people with disabilities who are more

likely to live and work in areas where

pollution is deemed acceptable. There will

always be trade offs between economic

development and ecosystem integrity.=-"#A"5#?9"7+%'(7#)/";#-'0#4'#0"#"(79/"#

that the true cost and social impact of

the ecological disturbance are properly

assessed, and who gets to make the

decision?

Some economic tools can be used to

assess social and ecological impacts.

Full cost accounting attempts to reflect

the environmental, social, and economic

costs and advantages for each proposed

alternative. Ecosystem services evaluation

assign a dollar value to services

performed by functioning ecosystems,

like water filtration, flood control, carbon

sequestration, and pest management.Though limited, these approaches can

help guide the conversation to include

a broader understanding of the impacts

of industrial development. They can also

help determine penalties for ecological

disruption, thus inserting environmental

damage at the core of commercial cost

benefit analysis. We believe these tools

should become standard practice for theevaluation of any industrial project.

While these tools give some economic

and political expression to ecological

principles, they do not resolve the

underlying question of who should decide

what is an acceptable level of risk or

an acceptable level of environmental

disruption. We call for a precautionary

approach to any industrial project thathas a suspected risk of disrupting

environmental health. This approach

places the burden of proving safe

environmental practices on industry

instead of those affected by the disruption

and exposed to harm.

Stronger political and economic

participation in decision-making

by the general public, and respect

for Indigenous knowledge and

responsibilities for the land, are necessary

steps toward a just management of our

natural heritage. We must also ensure tha

the benefits of our economic activity are

fairly distributed.

CREATING A SELF-SUSTAINING ECONOMY

We call for a precautionary approach to any industrial project

that has a suspected risk of disrupting environmental health.


13/17| 1page


We can eradicate poverty, even as we

move towards ecological sustainability.

This will require a profound change in

how we make economic decisions, a

more just redistribution of wealth, strong

social programs, and a recalibration of the

standard of living.

First, we need to move economic control

from the hands of a few, to the handsof many - radically democratizing the

economy. This will require, first and

foremost, that we curb the power of

private corporations. Given the growing

influence of corporate lobbyist on

governments, control of media, and the

active undermining of labour movements,

corporate law must be reformed to

create a more stringent system of

accountability by revisiting the limited

liability of executives and shareholders.

The insertion of a sunset clause within

corporate charters forcing the periodic

public review of corporate activities

would also strengthen accountability.

But more generally, we should shift our

economy toward ownership models+-)+#)/"#%(-"/"(+$5#1'/"#4"1'./)+%.;#

cooperatives, worker-owned businesses,

and not-for-profits. These structures can

re-invest economic benefits within their

communities of operation, provide formal

and informal pathways for public input,

and foster place-based accountability.

Nationalization or public ownership of

essential resources and enterprises can

also broaden the public debate about

their management, and, ensure priority is

placed on the long-term public good. This

is particularly appropriate for industries

where reducing demand benefits the

public, for example in the case of

tobacco, fossil fuels, or reactive healthcare services.

Second, we need governmental

policies to ensure a fair distribution of

the wealth generated by the economy.

Conservative framing attempts to equate

wealth redistribution with fiscal waste,

while spending billions for the military

industrial complex and in tax cuts for

the wealthy. This fallacy masks what is

really a question of spending priorities.

In a similar way, conservative framing

claims to leave the market alone, while

actively supporting the interests of large

corporations and the wealthiest few at the

expense of small businesses, workers,

and the environment. It is time to level thefield and foster wealth distribution through

progressive tax reform, strong labour

unions, livable income supports, salary

caps, and measures to encourage non-

for-profit and small businesses.

Economic Equity

We should shift our economy toward ownership models

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14/17| 1page


Taxation should also be used to alleviate

other social and environmental harms. For

example, Robin Hood taxes on financial

transactions to reduce speculation, carbon

taxes to reduce greenhouse gases,

inheritance taxes to deter dynasties, and

taxes on junk food, alcohol and tobacco. If

measures are taken to ensure they do not

affect disproportionally those at the bottom

of the income scale, these policies can

be powerful tools of social transformation.

But truly leveling the playing field also

requires us to look at the conditions that

keep people in poverty.

Thus, we call for the creation of both a

national poverty reduction strategy and a

national housing strategy, including broad

public debate and political commitment

to a renewed social safety net. Our

current system is flawed, and it is failing

to do what it could. Over the past three

decades we have seen a systematic

weakening and dismantling of welfare andemployment insurance. This has happened

to the detriment of all Canadians, and

has been especially harmful to already

vulnerable populations, including women

and children, people with disabilities and

mental illness, seniors, new immigrants,

and First Nations communities.

Poverty reduction must become a

priority at all levels of government, andinclude legislated targets and time lines.

Given that women and children are

disproportionately affected by poverty,

and that labour traditionally carried

out by women, including pregnancy,

childbirth, childcare, and elder care is

not remunerated proportionally to its

social and economic value, an effective

plan must include universal childcare

and expanding child tax credits. It would

also require expanded low-income tax

credits, increasing the minimum wage and

indexing it to inflation, and wide-spread

adoption of a living family wage.

These types of economic policies are

necessary if we are to give true expressio

to our commitments under the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights. We must

honour the human right to shelter, food

and dignity, and in doing so, we will

liberate people to embrace the changes

needed for an environmentally sustainable

future. They reflect a belief that everyone

deserves an opportunity to grow in a

healthy, safe and inspired environment.

Yet, economic policies are only tools;

their use, purpose and results depend on

the consciousness that guide them. The

actions needed in this moment in timerequire a transformation that goes much

deeper than our policies. And they will

require a strength that

has deeper roots.


15/17| 1page

We long to have deeperrelationships with one anotherand with the natural world. The reduction

of a beautifully intricate web of life into

a mere pool of resources has falsely

empowered many in industrial society

to claim the right to use and abuse the

natural world, and entitled us to be

managers of resources. There seemsto be no limits to what we feel entitled

to engineer, from the very fabric of life,

to the climate system. Humans, like any

other species, affect and are affected by

their habitat. However, the human species

is unique in that its ecological footprint

extends beyond its geographical location.

This will remain abstract to those who

grew up in the industrial mindset as long

they view themselves as separate from

the natural world. We must acknowledge

that this very notion of an environment

as something that surrounds us, but is

somehow separate, is core to that failure.

Such disconnection causes great spiritual

suffering. Individual and collective healing

and awakening is therefore another

necessary condition for the profound

transformation we seek. Embedded in our

vision of a better world are deep longings

for connection, and a profound desire to

lead lives of purpose and meaning.

This longing for connection has been

shattered by the individualistic structures

of our economic and social systems,

which teach us to take care of ourselvesfirst, to accumulate and to compete. Yet

we still experience joy at the coming

together of friends, and feel grief in

response to tragedies across the

world. Inherently we know that we are

interconnected, and we have much to

gain from social systems that reflect and

strengthen that interconnectedness. This

necessitates large systemic changes

as much as it requires practicing more

compassionate ways of relating to and

interacting with one another.

Parallel to this longing for connection is

a desire to live more meaningful lives.

For some, this meaning is embedded in

religious tradition or spiritual practice.For many others this search for meaning

is more open ended. Against a cultural

backdrop of mindless consumption and

disconnection, we still long for something

more.

CULTIVATING THE

HUMAN SPIRIT

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much to gain from social systems that reflect and strengthen

that interconnectedness.


16/17| 1page

In our lives and in our work we need to

honour these yearnings by creating space

to discuss meaning, experience emotion,

express creativity, and build relationships.

And so we call on one another to practice

greater mindfulness of the present

moment, to remember gratitude for the

fullness of the world, and to find ways to

cultivate the human spirit. In this way we

will know more resilience, experience more

well-being, and feel a renewed dedication

to the tasks at hand.

In our lives and in our work we need tohonour these yearnings by creating space

to discuss meaning, experience emotion,express creativity, and build relationships.And so we call on one another to practicegreater mindfulness of the presentmoment, to remember gratitude for thefullness of the world, and to find ways tocultivate the human spirit. In this way wewill know more resilience, experience more

well-being, and feel a renewed dedicationto the tasks at hand.

CULTIVATING THE HUMAN SPIRIT


17/17

Our generation grew up with aconstant awareness of ecologicaland economic crises. We have been told

again and again that the world we want

is not possible, that the status quo is the

only viable option. We believe otherwise.

We know that the need for change is

urgent, and we share a concern thatprogressive movements are currently too

fragmented, and that traditional politics,

marked by stalemate, seems unable to

rise to the task at hand. Our first-past-the-

post electoral system does not accurately

reflect the voice of its citizens, and our

social movements have not been able to

mobilize as they historically were capable

of. And so, new life must be breathed into

both sectors, and deadlocks creativelybroken, so that our progressive views

and values can properly find political

and social expression. We desire to

see greater cooperation between social

movements and progressive political

parties, and bolder leadership across

both. Such a transformation would bring

about a democratic renewal, a necessary

step in changing course.

We know both the necessity and

possibility of creative, progressive social

change. And we know that the time

is now. Amid global human suffering,

economic dysfunction and systemic

oppression, we commit to building a more

loving world. This requires letting go of the

old stories of our culture, and replacing

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wealth through relationships, that honour

the natural world, and that remind us of

our interdependence.

This, we know, is our shared responsibility

And we know that this is the moment.

CONCLUSION:BUILDING THE

MOVEMENT

sylvan lake declaration

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