The Council of Canadians Kamloops chapter marked World Rivers Day at the the South Thompson River.
As noted on the World Rivers Day website, “Millions of people in more than 60 countries participate in World Rivers Day. World Rivers Day is a celebration of the world’s waterways. It highlights the many values of rivers and strives to increase public awareness and encourages the improved stewardship of rivers around the world.”
The South Thompson River is the southern branch of the Thompson River, the largest tributary of the Fraser River. It originates at the outlet of Little Shuswap Lake and flows approximately 60 kilometres southwest to Kamloops where it joins the North Thompson River to form the main stem of the Thompson River.
The chapter took the opportunity to highlight that the South Thompson River needs to be better protected. The South Thompson River is one of the 62 rivers listed in the Navigation Protection Act, but we believe that more stringent protections must be enacted that would put water sustainability, water justice, water as a public trust and a human right above corporate interests.
To highlight that call, the chapter filled a jar of water from the river to send to their MP. To find out more about our “SOS: Send a message in a bottle to your Member of Parliament!” action alert, please click here.
It’s part of our Every Lake, Every River campaign that says the protections that were cut by the Harper government in 2012 must not only be fully and immediately restored by the Trudeau government, they must also be enhanced.
The chapter is also opposed to the proposed 890,000 barrel per day Trans Mountain pipeline which threatens the South Thompson River.
Kamloops This Week has reported, “Kinder Morgan wants to triple the capacity of its existing Trans Mountain pipeline, which carries diluted bitumen from oilsands near Edmonton to Burnaby for export. The pipeline runs through Kamloops, where Kinder Morgan wants the twin line to be built in the Lac du Bois grasslands, rather than next to its existing pipeline through Westsyde below the grasslands.”
In May 2014, the newspaper reported, “Western Canadian Spill Services and Kinder Morgan crews staged a mock spill scenario on the South Thompson River at Pioneer Park. A containment boom was deployed in the river from the park boat launch, as it would in the event of a real pipeline leak into the South Thompson.”
And the chapter has been fighting against the proposed Ajax mine.
The National Observer has reported, “Jacko Lake — one of the best fly-fishing lakes in B.C. — is located right next to the proposed Ajax mine site and according to retired miner Tony Brumell, will ‘essentially die’ if the mine is built. KGHM Ajax Mining Inc. wants to remove water from the lake, he explained, route it around the mine site and divert it into a new Peterson Creek downstream. It would permanently destroy the northeastern arm of Jacko Lake, and the mine’s tailings pond, slated to be built on the nearby Goose Lake, would destroy that body of water as well.”
Jacko Lake is not one of the 97 lakes protected under the Navigation Protection Act.
To sign our Every Lake, Every River petition, please click here.
#EveryLakeEveryRiver
