In a video message released yesterday, Warrior Chief John Levi of the Elsipogtog First Nation says:
“I was appointed a warrior chief about three weeks ago now, and we’re fighting with SWN (Resources Canada) gas company that are doing seismic testing here in New Brunswick. We’re at Highway 126 in Harcourt, we’re doing a sunrise ceremony (Wednesday) morning and we invite all the reserves to come and support our cause. Because if it comes to your province, we’ll be there. We’ll support you. We’re asking for your help now. Please come down and support us.”
Next to him, Amy Sock says:
“Please do not think that warrior is someone that has weapons and someone that wants to fight and create trouble. A warrior is totally the opposite. A warrior protects the earth, a warrior’s weapons are our medicines, our feather, our sage and tobacco. We have no weapons, we have no guns. We have nothing to fear. The police, where the sacred fire is lit (have said) it’s very peaceful. We’re doing this for all of you, the whole Atlantic provinces, not just New Brunswick, not just Kent County, not just Elsipogtog. We’re doing this for all the Mi’kmaq people and all our neighbours, our friends. Once you call them ’settlers’, they are our friends, our neighbours. And they are black, red, yellow and white, and we are here to protect them all. All colours and all walks of life. We cannot risk the health of our children. Our treaties tell us from a long time ago that this will happen and that we are protectors of Mother Earth and we ask everybody – everybody: all colours, all races – from the whole Atlantic provinces to come to the site on Route 126 in Harcourt.”
The Council of Canadians extends its full solidarity with the ongoing protests. Last Thursday, Atlantic organizer Angela Giles and organizing assistant Ali Vervaeke went to the sacred fire at Highway 126 and met with Warrior Chief John Levi to express our solidarity. Last Friday, Fredericton chapter activist Mark D’Arcy was arrested along with eleven others trying to block the thumper trucks on the highway. The Fredericton chapter have been regularly attending the protests and supporting this cause. An action alert on our website this week generated more than 1200 letters to the province’s Ombudsman calling for a moratorium on fracking in New Brunswick.
For more, please read:
UPDATE: RCMP make arrests at fracking protest
Peaceful resistance to shale gas in NB may soon come to a head
UPDATE: Fredericton chapter joins highway protest against fracking trucks
