History of the Generations Pact
In March of 2007, the students at Concordia University, led by Youth Action Canada founders and university students Mohamed Shuriye, Peter Schiefke, were the pioneers of a financial campaign entitled "Sustainable Action Fund" in which the 42,000 university students agreed to contribute $0.75 per course with the purpose of promoting sustainable development initiatives on their campus. This campaign was launched during the "Less Talk More Action Youth Summit on Climate Change" and was held in Montreal at the Palais des Congrès and hosted by Youth Action Canada. Keynote speakers included Former Vice President Al Gore and world renowned environmentalist Dr. David Suzuki who spoke to over 5,000 student attendees. In April 2007, the students at Concordia voted in favor of this initiative, which now represents an allocation of more than $150,000.00 per year dedicated to several projects, including the development of new compost installations located in the greenhouse at Concordia, which will generate the production of fertile earth and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions. The initial idea of the Sustainability Action fund was to have these funds matched dollar for dollar by the provincial government and also that any purchases or investments made with these funds would go to local businesses specializing in green technologies. The end result being greater student awareness on environmental issues, more sustainable campuses, and the promotion and growth of local green companies within Quebec.
Objective of the Generations Pact
The objective of the Generations Pact consists in harmonizing the socio-economic and political aspects of sustainable development of our society towards global environmental protection as well as in the protection of future generations. This project has already found a voice among the leading experts in the environmental field, and a growing number of politically and socio–economically minded participants join the ranks day by day.
The partners assisting in the implementation of the objectives of the Generations Pact are:
- Dr. David Suzuki, environmentalist and founder of the David Suzuki Foundation
- Dr. Hubert Reeves, astrophysicist and president of the ROC League
- M. Jean Lemire, biologist and head of the Antarctic Mission
- M. Steven Guilbeault, Spokesperson for Equiterre
- Regroupement des Jeunes Chambres de Commerce du Québec
1. Regroupement National des Conseils Régionaux pour l'Environnement du Québec
2. Coalition Jeunesse Sierra
3. Oxfam-Québec
In order to raise the awareness of the public at large to the serious problem of climate change, and to mobilize it in favor of the environment and sustainable development for the betterment of present and future generations, media events, highlighting the importance of mobilizing and encouraging the Quebecois students to participate have been organized. This media coverage will ideally show that the present generation of youth has decided to participate in the harmonization of the political and socio-economic aspects in order to find realistic, national, and international, solutions which benefit all levels of society.
March 26th to April 3rd, 2008
University Conferences on the unity and mobilization of Quebec students:
April 3rd, 2008
Official Signing during the Closing Ceremony of Generations Pact by the Quebec Government, uniting the universities and the political, economical and environmental participants: Dr. David Suzuki &
Dr. Hubert Reeves
"We are driven by the concern of long term development in Quebec. We are making decisions today taking into account our children and the Quebec that will be our legacy to them. We are making decisions for the betterment of Quebec, proceeding with the idea that we are all co-responsible for the outcome of success in Quebec and for the preservation of our heritage; the State will not act alone, it should be able to count on the commitment and responsibility of companies, non-trading organizations and of the citizens themselves towards a never ending betterment of Quebec."
*Governmental Action Plan 2006-2012. Quebec and climate change:
A challenge for the future.
**Prime Minister of Quebec, M. Jean Charest, Sustainable development plan for Quebec:
Shine among the best.
A Unique Collaboration
"The stakes for sustainable development, is the capacity for interested parties to act in a concerted and harmonious manner in order to create and maintain an equilibrium between the benefits of an action and its consequences, whether it is through the environment, the method or the standard of living. This harmony is a result of a common will, of a vision that assures the solidarity and the cohesion of actions. It is necessary to consider the repercussions of any action taken in what distinguishes the quality of life.
All of society is thus challenged. The quest of sustainable development applies as well at the local level as at the national level. Sustainable development affects the governments, the regional communities, the socioeconomic participants and the citizens".
Choosing a step toward sustainable development involves therefore a different way of thinking and of acting.
The Generations Pact will channel its different partners towards the unique objective of promoting sustainable development through tangible and effective solutions. In effect, through the creation of independent university funds for sustainable development, the Generations Pact will raise awareness and will help mobilize the students to unite as well to take hold, in concrete terms, the problems connected to climate change. The Regroupement des Jeunes Chambres de Commerce du Québec (RJCCQ) will act as a consultation network, experimentation grounds, and research and development between the different economic participants and the universities. Furthermore, the presence of the Regroupement National des Conseils Régionaux de l'Environnement du Québec (RNCREQ) will allow the students to have knowledge of the urgent files of the local environmental problems. Therefore, the recurrence of a fund destined towards the environment and towards sustainable development will give the students an opportunity to decide which projects to develop, to participate in, and to work in. These projects will favor the participation of the environmental and sustainability development participants in the district, resulting in the economic development of that district, the possibility of creating employment in the area of green businesses located within Quebec. Furthermore, the international sustainable development projects destined towards developing countries will benefit not only the Quebec economy, but also the Canadian students offering their on-location expertise as a contribution.
Some Advantages for the Quebec Society
- Render access of this expertise to all government facilities: expertise on sustainable development adaptable to hospitals and government facilities.
- Participate in the mobilization and in the national unity: university students developing through action and through tangible and profitable solutions in regards to climate change
- Enrich the student population with hope and with intrinsic actions towards the well being of their society.
- Participate in the development of ideas and experimentation between universities and the chambers of commerce: R&D (innovation in management of waste, transportation and energy efficiency) and the development of efficient technologies.
- Promote the improvement of national energy security in order to reduce emissions as well as our vulnerability to climate change.
- Encourage the creation of national laws in respect to the environment and in this way offer better health to the population in order to reduce health costs.
- Participate in international economic growth in the area of sustainable development and therefore benefit from a competitive national or even international advantage.
- Benefit from the acquisition of new deals and permit the transfer of expertise and technology within the countries.
Promote job creation and economic growth in Quebec
