Santa Claus paid a visit to Hamilton city hall today, but it wasn’t to hand out candy canes. instead, the jolly old elf lectured council on what he called ‘a lack of response’ to the climate emergency.

Environmental activist Ian Graham, dressed up in a Santa suit and presented a bottle of ‘Cootes water’ to councillors during a general issues committee meeting. Graham presented one of 24 delegations on how the city needs to step up and take the climate emergency seriously.

Cameron Topp, with Extinction Rebellion Hamilton, says “we declared a climate emergency nine months ago, and now there’s a report that
basically says we should get serious.'”

The public gallery was packed with environmental activists. Beginning at 9:30 this morning, delegations wrapped just before 3 o’clock, but
not after the city’s 28-page report on plans to address climate change was criticized heavily.

“I could have written that report in one week,” Topp said, “all it says is public works go away and come back with specific recommendations that are serious.”

Mayor Fred Eisenberger says they need to understand that addressing the issue is a big undertaking, and in order to do it properly and thoroughly, the council and city staff need adequate time to get it right.

A lack of concern and action is also something several councillors are being accused of by activists, but all are being accused of a lack of
transparency, relating again, to ‘sewer gate’, landing them all on a naughty list made by Graham.