Doctor Activism On Climate Sparks Canadian Election Letter-Writing Campaign

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) has launched a letter-writing campaign to the leaders of all political parties contesting the upcoming federal election on April 28, 2025. CAPE was formed in 1993 by physicians who wanted to advocate for environmental protection as a means to improve human health. The organization sees the effects of climate change as endangering our collective wellness.

The letter asks federal party leaders and those who form a future Canadian government to meet the moment and take climate action to protect the country, the planet, and our children’s future. It urges Canadian businesses and organizations to sign up and sign on. A second site includes a letter that individuals can send to the leaders of Canada’s political parties.

CAPE’s announcement, “Climate Action Now to Protect Canada and Our Future,“ asks politicians to ensure a legacy of pristine forests and waters and a lifeline to a liveable future for our kids and future generations.

CAPE wants climate action to be a prime ballot issue. Unfortunately, it isn’t. This is what the poll percentages show:

In door-knocking campaigns, the topics that come up around the country include:

• What to do about Donald Trump.
• Protecting Canada’s independence.
• Combatting tariffs.
• Developing a foreign policy independent of the United States.
• Housing affordability.
• Job security.
• Cost of living issues.
• Healthcare, childcare and eldercare.
• Other social issues.

CAPE’s message to organizations and individual Canadians raises concerns linked to a future of uncertainty. This uncertainty is not just fuelled by Donald Trump, but also by climate change, which is affecting the global economy. Government inaction on climate change, states CAPE, is leaving us running out of election cycles to act to mitigate carbon pollution and repair the environment.

With the ending of the consumer-based carbon pricing policy, a political decision, CAPE’s message is to remind politicians that carbon pollution cannot be ignored and that government inaction on the climate change file is inexcusable.

The content of the letter to organizations follows:

Meet the Moment: Price Pollution to Protect our Future

We, the undersigned, are writing to remind you that while the consumer price on carbon is being rejected by most federal parties, its political fate has not dissuaded Canadians from the responsibility we feel to protect our kids from pollution. Nor has the loss of political favour changed the reality that climate change driven by carbon pollution is an existential threat to a livable future for ourselves, our children, and future generations.

With an impending election dominated by US threats to our economy and sovereignty, years of hard-fought and critically important climate gains in Canada are at risk if policymakers turn their backs on pollution pricing. 

We are asking you to step up to meet the moment for Canadians. We expect each party to commit to pollution pricing and clearly outline their plan for reducing emissions while maintaining affordability.

Most Canadians agree we should take responsibility for our pollution messes. A majority of Conservative, NDP and Liberal supporters know that eliminating the carbon price isn’t the best way to make life more affordable. It should come as no surprise, then, that almost two-thirds of people across Canada remain open to voting for a party that will defend these principles by holding onto pollution pricing. 

This commitment we continue to show to cleaning up the pollution that threatens Canada’s magnificent lands and waters via climate-change-driven wildfires, drought, and biodiversity loss is both admirable and practical. Pollution pricing is fundamentally about caring for our kids and future generations. We owe it to them to do all we can right now to protect the planet on which their well-being and livelihoods will depend. When we fail to pay for our pollution today, we let down all those who follow us by making them pay even more dearly in the years to come. 

Pollution pricing is also about protecting our health. Burning fossil fuels drives the climate crisis, which science confirms is the greatest global health threat of the 21st century. Air pollution generated by fossil fuel combustion has also been linked to one in seven premature deaths in 

Canada. Paying for our pollution helps limit these harms now, reducing mortality and morbidity, and improving quality of life. Pricing pollution also protects our nation’s medical investments by mitigating climate-related risks, both to Canadians’ health and to our health-care systems, already strained to capacity. 

Canadians’ ambition should be matched with strong commitments by you, our political leaders. We commend Canada’s leadership on pollution pricing to date, and hope to see parties commit to even stronger measures in the upcoming election. This is more important than ever, since pollution pricing expands Canada’s options to respond to economic threats from the United States.

To reassure Canadians that your platforms will not betray our kids or undermine our health and economic sovereignty, we ask that you respond to the following three questions: 

1. Will you commit to upholding pollution pricing as a key element of your party’s climate, health and economic platform? If so, in what ways? 
2. Will you protect and enforce existing, highly effective pollution pricing targeting industrial emissions (i.e., the large-emitter trading system)? 
3. If you reject the existing consumer carbon price and rebate system, how will you make up (or exceed) the 14% of lost emissions reductions?    

Canadians deserve clear, accountable leadership on pollution pricing. We look forward to hearing each of your responses.