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UPDATED: United We Roll heads to Edmonton

Convoy leaves Red Deer

United We Roll members were Edmonton-bound Friday morning to face environmental activist Greta Thunberg.

About 25 oil and gas supporters, with about a dozen trucks and vehicles, left Red Deer at about 7:30 a.m.

“We’ve got lots of people behind us in Alberta and we hope that it’s peaceful. I hope that Greta sees we’re peaceful, and at the end of the day, I’d love to talk to her and I’d love for us to all march together,” said Glen Carritt, who organized the convoy that travelled to Parliament Hill in February.

“Environment is very, very important, but so is oil and gas, and so are jobs in Alberta.”

Thunberg, 16, joined a march from a downtown Edmonton park to a climate rally at the legislature.

Related:

United We Roll prepares for Greta Thunberg

‘You are failing us’: Plans, frustration at UN climate talks

Carritt said more people were expected to join his group in Nisku, and the plan was for the convoy to drive right by the legislature.

He said he hoped Thunberg and her supporters would be open to listening to what others have to say.

“We’re not there to bully. They’re claiming we’re fear mongering, but actually, they’re bullying us in the oil and gas industry.”

He said Canada needs to start educating the rest of the world about the technology used here to reduce carbon emissions. A recent report said emissions would be cut by about 20 per cent if other countries used Canadian technology.

“Our carbon footprint is the best in the world. These people need to get to China and India, where the pollution is a real problem.

“We don’t need people coming to tell us we’re not doing the right thing. We are doing the right thing. Let us be the leaders in climate change.”

Thunberg could help spread that message around the world. Canadians need to hear it, too, Carritt said.

“We just want the rest of Canada to realize how important Alberta’s energy, and Alberta’s oil and gas, is to all of Canada.”



szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com

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Glen Carritt, organizer of the United We Roll for Canada, led a convoy of about a dozen vehicles to Edmonton Friday morning. (Photo by SUSAN ZIELINSKI/Advocate staff)