Nearly 2,000 people took to the streets of downtown Toronto on Saturday, joining Canada-wide demonstrations aimed at pressing Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal government to prioritize climate action, Indigenous rights, migrant protections, and workers’ concerns in the upcoming federal budget.
Organized by a coalition of 14 groups representing migrant justice, Indigenous advocacy, climate justice, and anti-war activism, the protests spread across Canadian cities including Ottawa, Montreal, and Vancouver, as well as other locations worldwide.
In Toronto’s Sankofa Square, organizers criticized Carney’s support for new fossil fuel projects and potential federal program cuts. “We need to take a stand here,” said Syed Hussan of the Migrants Rights Network, calling the government’s agenda destructive to both climate and communities.
Protesters voiced concerns about Bill C-5, aimed at expediting approvals for major infrastructure projects, and Bill C-2, tied to U.S. tariff threats, which activists argue undermines Indigenous rights and immigration protections.
Environmentalist David Suzuki, who joined the rally, warned that the government is prioritizing economic growth over humanity’s survival by backing pipelines and LNG projects. “We’re in a crisis,” Suzuki said.
Palestinian solidarity also featured prominently. Days after a UN Human Rights Council report accused Israel of genocide in Gaza, Omar Elkhatib of the Palestinian Youth Movement demanded Canada impose a full arms embargo on Israel, beyond current restrictions.
In Ottawa, NDP interim leader Don Davies joined protesters near Parliament Hill, linking the issues of climate, social justice, and migrant rights. “They’re drawing the line on decisions made by elites that are ruining our country,” Davies said. Demonstrators painted a massive mural on Wellington Street in front of Carney’s office, briefly shutting down traffic. Ottawa police later confirmed two arrests for mischief.
The protests underscore growing frustration with the Carney government’s balancing of climate, economic, and foreign policy, and signal mounting public pressure ahead of Canada’s fall budget.
