Do Not Talk about Climate Change in Calgary, Alberta

by Franke James

LOCATION: 9th Avenue and 5th Street, SW, Calgary Alberta (facing East)
DATES: Oct 15 – November 12
NEW LOCATION: University Drive at Unwin Road, NW, Calgary Alberta
DATES: November 11 to December 8

The Do Not Talk about Climate Change Posters are really getting around thanks to the power of Indiegogo crowd-funding! And DANG if it isn’t getting some people talking about climate change?! First the posters were in Ottawa, Ontario just a short walk from the PMO’s office at 80 Wellington Street (May/June 2013). Then they hopped over to enjoy the view at the Ferry Terminal in Halifax, Nova Scotia (Sept/Oct 2013).

And now they are popping up in Calgary, Alberta — very close to the discounted hotels that the Conservatives are staying in for the Conservative Convention.

Yes, that’s the same conference that got CANCELLED because of a once-in-a-century FLOOD. CBC reported,

“Many Canadian cities and towns are ill-prepared for the rising frequency of catastrophic weather events like the southern Alberta floods, and it’s a problem that taxpayers will ultimately end up paying for, climate change experts say. “There are other disasters waiting to happen in other parts of Canada, but Calgary is a good poster child for inaction on warnings they received not too long ago,” said James P. Bruce, former Environment Canada assistant deputy minister.”

Franke James stands beside her “Do Not Talk about Climate Change” poster on October 31, 2013.
LOCATION: 9th Avenue 52M west of 2nd Street, SW, Calgary Alberta (facing West)
DATES: Oct 15 – November 12

About the ‘Do Not Talk about Climate Change’ poster

The bottom line in the government’s meddling and censorship of my art was revealed in this internal government email (obtained under access-to-information laws):

“The artist’s work dealt mostly with climate change, and was advocating a message that was contrary to the government’s policies on the subject.” Jean-Bruno Villeneuve, Spokesperson, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada

The spokesperson’s words are memorably featured on my “Do Not Talk” poster. The image is of the Canadian Parliament buildings (in Ottawa, Ontario) dropped into the Mordor-like Alberta tar sands.

The street posters are part of my campaign to get Ottawa talking about climate change. A topic they really do not want people to talk about. They are so busy selling tar sands oil and silencing anyone who mentions the fact that bitumen is highly polluting and contributing to climate change, that it’s a challenge, a big one.
 

But wait! There’s MORE… The “Do Not Talk about Climate Change” poster is up in Washington, DC as part of my Oh No Canada! show

LOCATION: Do Not Talk About Climate Change: Pennsylvania west of 7th ST F/W Washington DC.
DATES: Oct 8 – November 5
SHOW: See the other posters in the Oh No Canada! art show.
NEWS: Media articles about Oh No Canada!

The Hill interviewed me for their article, Anti-Keystone XL poster campaign hits Washington, D.C. They asked what motivated me…

“Ironically, being told not to talk about climate change by Canada’s (Harper) government was the inspiration for my “Oh No Canada!” show in D.C,” James said in an email to The Hill. “We need to talk about climate change, not look the other way and pretend it’s not happening.”

I was honoured that David Suzuki came down to Washington, DC to show support for my show. He spoke on the Canadian Delegation panel at the National Press Club on October 11th. He did not mince words. Suzuki said bluntly, “There is a systematic attack on science and democracy taking place in Canada, and the Harper government isn’t even trying to hide it. But scientists cannot and will not be silenced, not when we are facing an irreversible climate catastrophe like the tar sands.”
(David Suzuki, Franke James, Tzeporah Berman on October 11, 2013 in Washington, DC. Photo: Billiam James)

Thanks go to Indiegogo supporters, the NRDC, Sierra Club, and NWF for making the Washington “Oh No Canada!” show a reality!

Do Not Talk about Climate Change in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Do Not Talk about Climate Change in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Help spread the word… Buy an Oh No Canada Poster.

 

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