DAVID SUZUKI AND WPIRG
WPIRG’s special relationship to the iconic environmentalist, David Suzuki, made him a recurring and exceptionally popular presence at UWaterloo. Below is one of Suzuki’s earliest documented appearances, during an especially pivotal moment for UW student activism. He appears at the centre of a packed crowd on UW campus in 1972, just before WPIRG’s founding in 1973.
I first encountered PIRGs about twenty years ago after Ralph Nader had made a swing through Ontario. Over the years since, I have from time to time encountered PIRG groups on different campuses. They have always been most impressive, staffed by hardworking people who are well informed and deeply committed to important social, economic and environmental issues. I do not have any hesitation in saying that PIRGs are outstanding examples of how students can get involved in dealing with important issues of our time.
David Suzuki, Dec. 2004
