Al Gore Speaks In Victoria BC

[RestoreGore]

http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=a8a5dfc3-8d23-4450-ac19-cc376730462a&k=93581

The planet has a fever, Gore says
Environmental activist warns of a global emergency

By Cindy E. Harnett, Times Colonist
Published: Saturday, September 29, 2007

The planet is burning up and the only way to save it from destruction is to act now - individuals must conserve energy and governments must change laws to reduce carbon emissions, former U.S. vice-president Al Gore told a Victoria audience today.

"The planet has a fever," Gore said. "We have a planetary emergency and we have to act."

The man once referred to as Gore the Bore, a failed U.S. presidential contender in 2000, is now a Hollywood star revered by his most enthusiastic fans as "The Goracle," after his 100-minute slide-show documentary An Inconvenient Truth about global warming released last year.

Gore attracted about 1,400 people to the Victoria Conference Centre - 600 of whom paid more than $200 each - to hear his words of wisdom.
snip

About 400 University of Victoria students in a downstairs area with an electronic link to the live speech also got a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Students were elated when Gore surprised them with a personal visit before his speech, telling them they weren't in the overflow room, but rather the main room.

"We were planning that for weeks," said University of Victoria student Jeff Jacobson, who with Justin Yorke and Stefan Krepiakevich convinced Gore to visit Victoria. "It was the biggest secret on campus."

During his speech, Gore directed many of his inspiring calls to action to students. "The emperor has no clothes, you shall lead them," Gore said, denouncing critics of global warming and those who sit on the sidelines waiting for others to act.

"The key for us, and especially for your generation, is solving the climate crisis," Gore said.

"We the wealthy nations in the world should be partnering with the poor and less developed nations to create jobs that reduce carbon dioxide because it's in our interest, not only in their interest."

Gore stressed that although individuals had a big role to play in conservation and reducing carbon emissions, governments have a much larger role to play in changing laws and introducing carbon taxes and hard emissions targets.

snip

Gore applauded both the province and the city for "outstanding leadership."

"This city is so beautiful," Gore said.

end of excerpt.