Watch this historic event live online at WildernessCommittee.org/tankers
Space is limited to attend in person so please join us on Thursday, December 1st at 7pm (doors at 6:30) at the Rio Theatre for a public forum about tar sands, pipelines and tankers, hosted by Ben West of the Wilderness Committee and Hereditary Chief Phil Lane Jr. of the Yankton Sioux & Chickasaw First Nations and the Four Worlds International Institute.
December 1 is the anniversary of the Save the Fraser Declaration. This powerful statement has been signed by 61 First Nations Chiefs, declaring that they will not allow the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline, or similar tar sands projects, to cross their lands, territories and ocean migration routes of Fraser River salmon.
With the recent victory against the Keystone XL pipeline in the US, there is now even more pressure to build and expand tar sands projects in BC.
On November 6, over 10,000 people surrounded the White House in Washington DC to say "no to pipelines" and "no to the tar sands." Just four days later, President Obama announced he will not approve the Keystone XL pipeline as it is currently proposed, effectively sending the proponents back to the drawing board.
This shows that people power can turn back actions that destroy the planet. But the Keystone decision also puts more pressure on expanding Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline and tar sands oil tankers through Burrard Inlet and building the proposed Enbridge pipeline that threatens the Great Bear Rainforest and the BC coast.
Thursday evening's event will begin with a welcoming from Ruben George, Sundance Chief from the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation, the indigenous people of Burrard Inlet. The Tsleil-Waututh have recently spoken out about their opposition to the expansion of the Kinder Morgan pipeline and associated oil tanker traffic.
We will be honoured to have Chief Jackie Thomas of the Saik’uz First Nation representing the Yinka Dene Alliance. The Yinka Dene Alliance is made up of five nations which include Nadleh Whut'en, Nak'azdli, Takla Lake, Saik'uz, and Wet'suwet'en First Nations. She will discuss the declaration and the campaign to stop the Enbridge pipeline.
Tanker Free BC and Greenpeace founder Rex Weyler will be with us to talk about the Kinder Morgan pipeline and tankers in Burrard Inlet.
Melina Laboucan-Massimo, of the Lubicon Cree First Nation and a Greenpeace tar sands campaigner, will share her perspective on the other end of the pipes, the tar sands in Alberta.
Canadian author and activist Naomi Klein will discuss how the Keystone XL pipeline victory impacts BC and the international climate justice movement. Summary remarks will be made by Hereditary Chief Phil Lane Jr.
This is a great opportunity to learn more about these important issues and the role we can play in stopping the tar sands. Please join at the Rio Theatre or online in supporting the Indigenous peoples in this fight with global implications.
Ben West | Healthy Communities Campaigner
Wilderness Committee
P.S. We launched an oil tanker alert system last week. Sign up for updates on when oil tankers threaten Vancouver Harbour and the BC coast by texting "oil" to (604) 800-9180 or follow us on twitter @BurrardInletOil
Coming from Germany on a Biology Internship, I spent three months in the Wilderness Committee office mapping critical habitat for the endangered seabird, the Marbled Murrelet. My work involved data and statistical analysis, quantifying habitat variables, assessing habitat quality and conducting road density calculations. I also spent some great time in the wilderness doing research.