By now you have probably heard about the Defend our Coast rally and action at the BC Legislature on Monday, October 22nd. If you haven't heard, there will be a large rally outside the legislature starting at 11am on Monday.

The event was organized by activists and grassroots allies working on stopping the Enbridge and Kinder Morgan pipelines, as well as other Canadians concerned about the tar sands and climate change.

There will be a peaceful "civil disobedience" component of the day. We are not participating in that part of the day, but if you would like more information about what that will look like you can contact info@defendourcoast.ca. I will be amongst those showing their support for the action and taking part in the rally. Whether or not you want to participate in the civil disobedience action, please do join us at the rally. 

This will be a historic moment in very important campaign. There will be some awesome speakers ranging from First Nations Chiefs to union leaders and a number amazing and inspiring activists. This might just be one of those moments that you look back on years from now and say "I was there".

It is so important that whoever is representing us in the BC government stands up for the coast and says "No" to any proposed pipeline project that would turn British Columbia into an export route for dirty tar sands oil. Defending our coast means saying "No" to both the Enbridge pipeline and the new proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline. Either one of these pipelines would facilitate a 30 per cent increase in the unsustainable extraction of oil from the tar sands, which is already putting the health and rights of the local First Nations people at risk.

Not only do these pipeline projects threaten our coast, they would also turn BC into Canada's gateway to global warming. Let's be part of the solution, not part of the problem. 

As residents of British Columbia, we are the stewards of this land and it is our job to protect it. Please join us in showing your opposition to both of these dangerous pipeline projects, and demand that our elected provincial leaders stand up for BC and defend our coast.

Ben West | Healthy Communities Campaigner