PRESS RELEASE: Peaceful Act Of Civil Disobedience Planned For October To Defend Canada’s West Coast From Tar Sands Pipelines and Tankers | DefendOurCoast.ca

Sep 12 2012

Posted by CHLY News as BC, Campbell River, Chemainus, Courtenay / Comox Valley, Cowichan Valley, Duncan, Featured, Gabriola Island, Lake Cowichan, Nanaimo, News & Updates, Parksville, Port Alberni, Vancouver Island, Victoria, Water |

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, September 12 (Vancouver) — Over 80 influential leaders from the business,
First Nations, environmental, labour, academic, medical and artistic communities
across Canada today announced an upcoming mass sit-in in front of the provincial
legislature in Victoria, British Columbia on October 22. The sit-in will oppose tar
sands pipelines and tankers and the threats they would pose to the west coast.

"There are moments in history when it's clear that our elected leaders are failing
us and it is necessary to take a stand,” said prominent author and environmentalist
Tzeporah Berman. “Today we are stating our intention to defend our coast and calling
on others to join us. The risk of oil spills and irreversible harm to our tourism
and fishing industries from these pipelines and tankers is just too great.”

Over 80 community, union, business and First Nation leaders have endorsed the
October 22 sit-in, including Stephen Lewis, David Suzuki, Maude Barlow, Naomi Klein,
Tom Goldtooth, David Coles, Vandana Shiva, Bill McKibben, John O’Connor, and Tony
Clarke.  You can view the full list at http://defendourcoast.ca/about-us/

The October sit-in builds on the success of protests against tar sands expansion and
pipelines that have taken place in the U.S. and Canada in recent months.  The August
2011 sit-ins in Washington D.C. that helped delay approval of the Keystone XL
pipeline and the September 26, 2011 sit-in in Ottawa that helped put Canadian tar
sands pipeline proposals in the national spotlight. 

“We’re meeting in Victoria to show that you can’t gut Canada’s environmental
legislation and try to put a price tag on the B.C. coast without a public response,”
said Maude Barlow, Chair person for the Council of Canadians. “Canada’s iconic coast
is far too valuable to risk on tar sands pipelines and tankers and we pledge to
defend it.”

“This October, we pledge to defend our coast and the mountains, rivers, forests,
wildlife and First Nations communities of B.C. against tar sands pipelines and
tankers,” said Susan Spratt, Western Regional Director of the CAW. “We want
long-term green jobs that will take us beyond fossil fuels, not short-term high risk
pipelines.”

Organizers expect people from across Canada to join British Columbians in calling on
elected officials to stand up for Canada’s west coast and the rights of First Nation
peoples. 

“We hope people from all walks of life and from across the country join us in
Victoria and defend the natural beauty and cultural richness of the B.C. coastline,”
said Chief Jackie Thomas, Saik'uz First Nation.  “We will be there to show the
widespread opposition to tar sands pipelines and tanker proposals and to show the
strength of the support for First Nations people’s rights to land and title and the
internationally protected right to free, prior and informed consent on any
development impacting our traditional territories.”

People can sign up online at www.defendourcoast.ca to participate and become a
coastal defender. 

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2 Responses

Judi Sim

September 13th, 2012 at 9:20 am
1

Oh FINALLY!!!!!
THIS IS SUCH A SERIOUS SITUATION ON MANY LEVELS. LOSS OF OUR DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS, LOSS OF OUR MORALITY WHEN WE THREATEN FIRST NATIONS ONCE MORE FOR GREED AND PROFIT. TOTAL DISREGARD FOR OUR PLANET, AND TURNING OUR BACKS ON LOGICAL SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE. I HAVE WAITED FOR ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE WORLD THAT THE SILENT MAJORITY IS SILENT NO MORE. I’LL BE THERE FOR SURE!!!!
Kevin Adam Henry

September 13th, 2012 at 9:31 pm
2

Bitumen, crude being forced in a sick dance through the waters, and oil, well, it is now the topic I must extend on, I must educate myself about the dangers that greed continues, on a daily basis, to be bias towards Indigenous means to survive, and be traditional. Pipeline disasters have arisen all over the world, continuation of words being spread of chaos in other parts of the country, right back to here on the West Coast, where my ancestors once canoed the waters surrounding, (what is known as) Vancouver Island. The Salish Sea alone remains our highway, our gateway to another community; within this traditional time, there was no pollution, no toxic emissions; none of these strangled our Father Sky, we were once a peaceful Nation; today, we are forever divided and seemingly conquered, or so the world thought we would remain silent to our evil oppressors. Spiritualty appears to be complex, yet sacred, for Coast Salish People, water holds our survival to fish, to travel, to thrive. Even today, the waters hold food for us to gather as needed, never to farm, or mass produce. Something most people do to make seafaring animals a “cash-cow” but of blood money. I feel my birth right is to be depicted as someone whom must save what nature has provided-provided out of love and to take and steal that, well in my eyes, is itself a mortal sin. Though, I am not deeply religious, I basically survive and do things in more of spiritual matter, call me a “hippy”, but I feel the greater need to save forests, animals, and the ocean out of selfless act of compassion.