Canadians Reject Carney

On Saturday, September 20^th, 2025, thousands of Canadians took to the streets to protest Prime Minister Mark Carney’s: climate, Indigenous people, migrants and workers plight before this fall budget. For Torontonians, the protest site was Yonge and Dundas.

The protesters demanded the government choose justice over: austerity, xenophobia, war, and climate destruction, and Toronto was one of the largest mobilization hubs among the coordinated actions that happened in at least 60 cities, as Carney’s government plans the largest public service cuts since the 1990s.

Here is why Canadians are fed up with the agenda. 15% reductions over three years that could eliminate up to 60,000 jobs, while increasing military spending by over $9 billion.

Carney’s billionaire’s first agenda pushes forward climate-destructive pipelines, continues the arming of Israel while lying to Canadians about it, and uses migrants as a distraction and a pawn to create division among Canadians.

As Canadians: struggle to feed their families, pay rent, and communities are facing heatwaves, here is what Mark Carney and his government were busy doing:

• Rammed through Bill C-5 to fast-track destructive projects on Indigenous land without consent and appointed former Trans Mountain CEO to lead the Major Projects Office
• Promised 15% spending cuts over three years, affecting up to 60,000 public sector workers, while announcing over $9 billion in new military funding
• Proposed Bill C-2 to cancel immigration permits en masse, restrict asylum claims, and expand warrantless surveillance on all Canadians
• Slashed taxes for the wealthy while continuing subsidies for large corporations
• Declared the Air Canada strike illegal within 24 hours
• Capitulated to Trump by shelving the Digital Services Tax and reportedly considering joining his “Golden Dome” missile defense program
• Continued to support Israel’s genocide in Gaza by selling weapons to the IDF

As for the selling of arms to Israel, this is something that Toronto Caribbean Newspaper has documented and published only a few weeks ago, with receipts as well. Here are some of the things Canadians are demanding:

• Put people over corporate profit. Fund our families and communities.
• Refuse ongoing colonialism. Uphold Indigenous Sovereignty.
• Stop blaming migrants. Demand full immigration status for all now!
• End the war machine. Stand for justice and peace.
• End the era of fossil fuels. Protect Mother Earth!

Now for a few quotes from the folks behind this pushback:

Chrissy Isaacs, Grassy Narrows, Grassroots Mother laments, “Every day, families in Grassy Narrows live with the pain of decades of mercury poisoning. Grassy Narrows is still being poisoned by the Dryden Mill, and Ford is allowing it to happen. We need full compensation and an end to the pollution now.”

Syed Hussan, Spokesperson, Migrant Rights Network tells it like it is, “Carney may sound different from the Conservatives and Bloc, but they’re all scapegoating immigrants while protecting housing speculators. We’ve seen where this rhetoric leads; right to anti-immigrant marches in Toronto last weekend. Working people won’t be divided – we’re drawing the line uniting for full and permanent immigration status for all and justice and dignity for everyone.”

Alasdair Crocker, Organizer, High School Student, Fridays For Future Toronto explains, “Our federal government is promising $25 billion in public service cuts. Meanwhile, youth unemployment climbs higher, reaching a staggering 20.1% in July.”

“Our planet is (in the most literal sense) on fire, while Doug Ford and Carney bulldoze their way past Indigenous treaty rights and FPIC. We are not oblivious when our government looks us in the eyes and tells us they will fight for our future (a future with a healthy, living, breathing planet), only to turn around and put billions of taxpayer dollars towards the fossil fuel industry. We are marching together with comrades from all over Toronto on the 20th to draw the line for a fair and just future for all of us! We can change the future because we are the future!”

Rachel Small, Canada Lead, World Beyond War shares, “In just his first few months in office, Carney has already promised to quadruple Canada’s military budget and join an escalating global arms race, exactly what Trump demanded. We’re coming together from coast to coast to reject Carney’s vision of austerity, war, and a foreign policy for Canada based on ever-increasing militarization and warmongering in lockstep with the US. We demand an arms embargo on Israel and an end to Canada’s role in propping up a genocide. We demand investment in food and homes, not bombs, in welfare and healthcare, not warfare.”

Now, for a sneak peek at the backbone behind this pushback. They are called the “Draw the Line mobilization,” and here are some of their associates.

The Draw the Line mobilizations in Canada are organized by: Seniors for Climate, Migrant Rights Network, Indigenous Climate Action, Sacred Earth Solar, Climate Action Network Canada (CAN-Rac), 350.org, World Beyond War Canada, For Our Kids, Leadnow, Climate Reality Project Canada, Climate Emergency Unit, Greenpeace Canada, and Music Declares Emergency, and endorsed by over 200 organizations representing millions of Canadians.

Syed Hussan of Draw the Line /Spokesperson Migrant Rights Network spoke briefly with Toronto Caribbean, saying, “We are uniting to reject the Carney agenda, which is one of attacks on migrants, Indigenous people, climate, and on workers and demanding justice for all.”

When asked why Canada is on the same page with the US political agenda, Syed answered, “Canada is deeply integrated with the United States. The Canadian military, the Canadian financial system, and the Canadian ideological system are deeply integrated with the United States.”

“I think people are somewhat fooled into believing that Carney was going to stand up to the U.S., when the reality is that he is part of the same project. It is just a different colour of the same principles,” Hussan said.

Syed had the numbers as well, “Carney is in the process of pushing 1.2 million migrants out of Canada this year. Trump is planning to deport 1million people.”

Carney brought in one of the key organizers of the DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), which is the department that Elon Musk headed to speak to his cabinet. Hussan explained, “Carney campaigned to show that he is different, but in reality, the project is the same; the richest few keep getting richer.”

“The new agency that has just been announced to help build homes,” Hussan said, “is entirely a transfer of taxpayers’ money to private developers. It is not exactly like the government is building these homes, they are basically giving money to private developers and speculators who have shown that they are unable to ensure decent housing for all. That is why we must draw the line,” Hussan said.

Syed pulled no punches when he said, “We need a completely different political agenda. One that must begin with abandoning the present one. The Conservatives are no different; in fact, they will do the same or worse.”