Climate change rally gathers in support of Quebec City protesters

While tens of thousands of people gathered in Quebec City in hopes of forcing the government to do more to fight climate change, a smaller crowd gathered in solidarity on the steps of the Alberta Legislature Saturday afternoon. 

"The way [the planet] is being destroyed, it's a pitiful thing," said Nancy Scanie, a clan grandmother and member of Keepers of the Water, an environmental group led by aboriginal, Metis and Inuit advocates.

We're at a pivotal moment here, we need to make changes.-Jacqueline Fayant

"When I think about my children and my great-grandchild, I would like to save something for them."

Scanie travelled from Cold Lake to join about 50 other protesters, petitioning provincial governments to do more to minimize climate change.

The Alberta rally was one of several across the country, including a massive gathering of 25,000 people in Quebec City, days ahead of a meeting between Canada's premiers.

Scanie, who said protesters are "trying to hold on to what's left of the earth," hoped the event would convince politicians to make the environment a greater priority. 

"We elected them to do something for Canada," she said. 

While the crowds in Alberta were a small fraction the size as those seen in Quebec, Scanie is confident that their message will spread. 

"Sure, there may not be lots of us, but our voices can be heard everywhere across Canada."

'We must act now'

While the protestors in Edmonton said more had to be done across the country, most of the focus was on Alberta's role in fighting climate change.

Jacqueline Fayant, one of the organizers of the rally, said the province must do everything it can to slow down development in the oilsands. Fayant said while Alberta's economy is highly-reliant on oil and gas, she worried the province may fall behind as green energy becomes more common. 

She'd like to see the province start investing in clean power and begin re-training workers to work on projects that produce renewable energy. 

"We're at a pivotal moment here, we need to make changes," Fayant said.

"We want to send a message to those premiers, to tell them to act on climate."

Advocates in Calgary held a similar rally there, hoping to draw attention to the issue. Tavis Ford said the consequences of climate change are growing steadily worse, and that there is an urgent need for government to make changes.

"It's been a number of years where we've had inaction on climate. We must act now," he said.