Manitoba climate activists protest new pipelines, denounce ‘attacks’ on climate policy
Posted June 25, 2026 6:55 pm.
Last Updated June 25, 2026 8:46 pm.
Climate activists rallied against the federal government’s push for new pipelines and its “attacks” on climate policy Thursday in Winnipeg.
Gathering outside Liberal MP Terry Duguid’s office, Manitoba climate activists marked the National Day of Action denouncing
“In this time during the climate crisis and war when Big Oil is profiting more than they ever have historically, the Canadian government needs to be taxing Big Oil’s windfall profits and not subsidizing the richest corporations on the planet and we need to be phasing out fossil fuels,” said Clayton Thomas-Muller, Arctic Hudson Bay campaigner, Climate Reality.
“The north is not a sacrifice zone,” said Kaleka Thundersky of Climate Action Manitoba.
“We, the people, cannot sustain fossil fuels. Our best interest isn’t in oil and gas. It’s in making sure we have a healthy future with healthy lands, waters and skies.”
Thursday marked a National Day of Action across 40 cities and towns in Canada with activists showing up to deliver the people’s MoU in hopes of support from MP offices.
Max Burke came all the way from Churchill to voice his concerns for the community.
“I’d say that the general consensus, the way that the town is feeling, is that a title wave is coming and we’re at that moment where all of us are looking, and seeing how big that wave is and thinking, what are we going to do,” Burke said.
Churchill has been a focal point for environmental activists. Churchill Plus is a provincial project in partnership with the federal government, aiming to expand and modernize the Port of Churchill into gateway to export natural resources like liquified natural gas.
Something that Burke says will threaten his way of life.
“I am convinced in my heart, that if I lose that land, if I lose that community, I will die in the same way that an arm has been cut off from its body cannot survive without it,” Burke said. “I cannot survive without my home.”
Thomas-Muller cited recent environmental events in the province such as wildfires, evacuations and extreme flooding, saying that it’s a wake up call to both levels of government.
“Mother nature is sending our Premier Wab Kinew and Prime Minister Mark Carney a very clear and direct message,” he said.
In response to Thursday’s protests, Kinew said that while he supported the activists’ call for a clean environment, there were economic benefits to the projects.
“The reality is that our society and our economy runs on oil and gas and so I think there’s a path for us to make money for Manitoba’s economy that we can reinvest in health care and education and fighting for the climate, while at the same time being smart about the future,” Kinew said.
Duguid declined CityNews’ request for comments.
