Today marks the beginning of the 24 Hours of Reality: Truth in Action initiative led by Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project. Around the world, more than 1700 lectures, with follow-up discussions, are being given to hundreds of thousands of people. I had the pleasure of attending a presentation by Climate Reality Lead Mentor for BC Judy Fainstein (trained by Al Gore in 2008) and Stefan Jonsson, Climate Reality leader (trained by Al Gore in 2019) at Oak Bay High’s Dave Dunnet Community Theatre this morning.

Following the presentation, I served on a panel with grade 12 student Emma-Jane Burian and grade 9 student Grace Sinats. Readers will know that these two remarkable youth are leaders in the Victoria Chapter of Climate Strike Canada.

What impressed me most about this event was the incredibly thoughtful, insightful and substantive questions posed to the panel by the several hundred youth in the crowd. And listening to answers provided by Grace and Emma-Jane left me with a feeling that as a society, we will be in good hands as these remarkable youth emerge as the decision-makers of tomorrow.

After the event I was presented with a newly designed (by Richard Hunt) Oak Bay Barbarians rugby jersey. I am proudly fashioning the jersey to the right and in the video below, after I introduce a delegation of visitors from the local Taiwanese community, I poke fun at the Premier (who went to Reynolds High School) during the Member Introductions portion of today’s legislative sitting.

Video of Introductions