The Montreal Gazette reports, “A group of prominent North American environmentalists and progressives are urging opponents of TransCanada Corp.’s Keystone XL pipeline to get arrested this summer in protests at the White House against the project. …In an open letter released Thursday, 11 high-profile Canadian and American activists said they will organize daily demonstrations at the White House this August aimed at persuading President Barack Obama to deny Calgary-based TransCanada’s permit application to construct the 2,700 kilometre, $7 billion pipeline. …The signatories to the letter include Danny Glover, the actor and a longtime supporter of liberal causes, environmentalist authors Bill McKibben and Wendell Berry, David Suzuki, Canadian writer Naomi Klein and Maude Barlow, chair of the Council of Canadians.”
“In an interview, Barlow said she plans to be in Washington for the anti-Keystone XL actions. …Keystone XL is ‘bad all around, in our opinion,’ Barlow added, ‘and so we are going to support Americans who are very, very concerned and very sure this is one way they can bring this issue to the forefront in the United States.'”
“But (the) Canadians involved in the planned acts of civil disobedience have indicated they won’t risk being among those who might end up in handcuffs for fear they might lose the ability to travel to the U.S. …’No, I won’t get arrested,’ Barlow said. ‘This is a very private and personal decision that people need to make… I do a great deal of work in the United States, and I would be barred.'”
For a campaign blog on the non-violent direct action campaign planned for August 15 to September 5 in Washington, DC, please go to http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=8348.
The full Postmedia News article is at http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/Star+power+pushing+back+against+Keystone+pipeline/4996205/story.html.
