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Protestors rally against pipeline DELYNDA PILON newsroom@pgfreepress.com
“We have to protect our land for our children - ffor orr al aall ll the children.� atiio ion Chief Martin Louie of the Nadleh Whut’en First N Nation iv viic joined about 150 people outside the Prince Georgee Ci Civic veniing ng Centre Wednesday, braving a crisp autumn evening op possed ed to hold placards and banners protesting the proposed e-wiide de Northern Gateway pipeline during the province-wide Defend Our Coast day of action. tie ies to to Prince George was one of about 60 communities ay. organize either a protest, sit-in or a rally Wednesday. eeco ome Sussane Skidmore Hewlett, who is working to become g,, ssaid g aid the NDP candidate for the Nechako Lakes riding, nF ort or she was able to join a protest earlier the same day in Fort St. James, where about 60 people came out. ey had had “There was a lunch rally in Fort St. James and they a good turnout of dedicated people,� she said. volv ves She added her biggest issue with the pipeline revolves around environmental concerns. e,,�� sshe hee h “It’s the environmental piece that concerns me,� bo ou o ut said. “It’s not just about what is best right now. It’s aabout eesspo onon my children and my grandchildren. We have a responheeree iiss h sibility to leave them a good planet to live on. There ge h ad ad not enough evidence the safety measures Enbridge had proposed will be met.� ad ttrip rip Skidmore Hewlett added work took her on a road upeert rtrecently where she drove through the Prince Rupertrriisti tiine ne Terrace area. She said she was touched by the pristine out th tthe he beauty of the region, and added she is worried about bu ut to possibiity long-standing damage not only there, b but ros ross osss if the over 800 rivers and streams the pipeline will cross the project goes forward. “We have to stop it,� she said. Bobby Deepak, the NDP candidate for Prince GeorgeMackenzie, added his voice to the pipeline protest Wednesday. “There are a number of reasons the pipeline is not good for B.C.,� he said. He mentioned the economics just don’t work in favour of the residents of the province, adding he attended the speech given by Robyn Allan, a leading Canadian economist who spoke at UNBC just before the Joint Review Panel hearings began in Prince George. Allan contended that, in the end, people would be paying more at the pump every year if the pipeline was built. Deepak added the environment risks concern him as well, particularly the danger of the tanker traffic traversing what has been described as one of the world’s most
chal ch alle all leng ngin ngi ing cco oas ast st li llines. ines ness.. ne challenging coast “If it’s “I it’ it t’s no no good good go d ffor or B .C., C I’m I’m ’m not nott sure sur sur uree why wh hy this thi th his is governgov gover ern n“If B.C., ment is is even even entertaining ent nter erta tain inin ing g th the thou h ght ht off g oing i fforward orward d ment thought going with it,� he said. He added that B.C. and Canada as a whole, are rich in natural resources. “We should refine and upgrade this oil in Canada. We should create jobs instead of exporting them,� he said. Former city councillor Debora Munoz pointed out similar protests were happening all over the province. “It’s very important to keep the momentum going,� she said. “We know corporate greed is behind this proposal. “B.C. is not for sale.� After spending a few moments with arms joined, encircling the Civic Plaza, standing as a wall of opposition against the pipeline, protesters grouped together to listen to Ian Picketts with the Sea to Sands Conservation Alliance. Before he began, one of the protesters yelled, “where’s our mayor? Where’s Shari Green?� “That’s a good question,� Picketts said. “She was invited.�
He aadded dded dd ed o ne tth ne hiing h ng E Enb nb n bri riid dge ha dg h as d do one ne ffo or tthe he p he ro ovi vinc ncee He one thing Enbridge has done for province is to to bring brin bri br ing people ing peopl peop ople le fro fro r m different diff diff di ffer eren er entt wa en walk lk lks ks off lif llife ifee to if toge geth ge ther err is from walks together with one one object obj bjec ectt in mi ind d with mind. “This has brought us together in a way as never before. We are all coming together and standing together. We have got to keep at this.� He said the company promised it wouldn’t proceed without full First Nations support, and yet it seems to be. He said the prime minister made promises regarding oil in China which he can’t support, then Picketts reminded the group that those in protest of the pipeline were once called foreign-funded radicals and pointed out Enbridge has more than $100 million to make friends along the pipeline route. Picketts encouraged everyone who attended to grab a card addressed to their local MLA, then sign it and send it in to show they stand against the pipeline going through. Protesters then spent some time singing and chanting, First Nations drummers keeping the beat as they lifted their voices together.
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