A cavalcade of firetrucks, cruisers and bylaw vehicles looped around the city as passersby beeped their horns and waved in support last week.

Organized by Samantha Janes, the SA国际影视传媒渁ppreciation parade,SA国际影视传媒� the likes of which have been seen across the country, was a nod to healthcare employees working on the frontlines in the face of COVID-19.

ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 been no shortage of similar gestures. Stores are offering free coffee and discounts to essential staff who canSA国际影视传媒檛 work from home; and appreciation posts on social media arenSA国际影视传媒檛 hard to come by.

But Ellen Gillies says workers need more.

ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 why Gillies, along with fellow Our Time Yellowknife volunteer members Zoe Guile and Thomas Gagnon-van Leeuwen, organized Cheers for #FrontlineHeroes - Yellowknife.

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 an initiative pushing for fair and adequate wages, paid sick leaves and more for frontline workers as they put their health on the line to serve others everyday.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 really great thereSA国际影视传媒檚 been so much of an outpouring of support and we really wanted to take it step further,SA国际影视传媒� Gillies said Monday.

SA国际影视传媒淕ratitude is great but gratitude is not enough,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Over the weekend, Yellowknifers were encouraged to post signs in their windows demanding better support for essential workers SA国际影视传媒� from grocery store clerks and healthcare staff to truck drivers and food service employees.

The social media-driven campaign, mirroring a nationwide trend and inspired by climate group 350 Canada, asked participating residents to put up signs with various slogans: SA国际影视传媒減aid sick leave for all," "frontline heroes deserve decent pay,SA国际影视传媒� and "thank you frontline heroes."

The unified message is that workers deserve more.

Participating residents also made noise outside their homes on Saturday as part of the campaign SA国际影视传媒� other cities have witnessed people banging pots and pans to support frontline workers while pushing governments to enact employment changes. Our Time Yellowknife is also calling on residents to reach out to Premier Caroline Cochrane to share their thoughts on SA国际影视传媒渨hy #FrontlineHeroes deserve better support,SA国际影视传媒� states the Facebook event page.

Earlier this month, the federal government rolled out a $80-plus billion emergency economic relief package for Canadians left laid off, out of work or at home supporting family members in the wake of COVID-19. Here, the territorial government has earmarked more than $21 million in relief funds and the federal government announced more dollars for the North on Tuesday.

But many are falling through the cracks despite efforts to ease the economic strain brought on by the virus, said Gillies.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 great that the government has implemented things like the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, and donSA国际影视传媒檛 I want to want to understate how important that is to a lot of people, but there are cracks in these programs,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

A lot of the relief is aimed at people who have lost work, while many others who may not qualify for emergency benefits are still working and risking their health daily while bringing in far less income SA国际影视传媒� like taxi drivers SA国际影视传媒� said Gillies.

SA国际影视传媒淧eople need to be safe at work; make a living wage and put food on the table, so we just wanted to make that statement,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Inequalities exposed in wake of COVID-19

Our Time Yellowknife is a volunteer, youth-led initiative promoting a Green New Deal SA国际影视传媒� a climate justice plan that intersects with Indigenous sovereignty and social justice, including workersSA国际影视传媒� rights.

Gillies said the group is leading the windowsill-framed campaign because there's stark parallels between the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing climate crisis.

SA国际影视传媒�(COVID-19 is) really exposing a lot of inequalities that exist in our society. With both crises, we see the people who are most marginalized: black, Indigenous, people of colour, women, the working-class, youth and the elderly. These are people who are running our cash registers, driving us from place to place, taking care of us in the hospital, and theySA国际影视传媒檙e often the most impacted,SA国际影视传媒� said Gillies.

If the voices behind Cheers for #FrontlineHeroes - Yellowknife are heard by governments, and changes are made, they canSA国际影视传媒檛 come as a temporary, band-aid fix in the midst of COVID-19, according to Gillies. The inequalities revealed during the crisis need solutions that will stick: frontline workers deserve steady incomes, emergency benefits and higher minimum wages, she insisted.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e been thinking a lot lately about how often in moments of crisis, what is considered impossible is being expanded to be possible,SA国际影视传媒� she added, pointing to governments suspending evictions amid COVID-19, something that would have been inconceivable mere months ago.

In her limited trips around town, Gillies said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 seen over a half a dozen signs posted in support of frontline workers across Yellowknife.

She hopes the support will continue.