Photo: Murray Bush – flux photo
Coast Salish Territories, VANCOUVER – Hundreds of people gathered at the Vancouver Convention Centre yesterday to Make Some Fracking Noise – A Community Noise Demo – an event to oppose the International LNG in B.C. Conference. They were joined by representatives from some communities impacted by LNG (liquefied natural gas) development across the province.
“This conference is a greenwashed sham. LNG lobbyists and our so-called leaders are inside pushing their financial agendas with no regard for frontline communities, indigenous sovereignty, or future generations,” said Allison Dixon of Rising Tide. “While the world is waking up to the climate crisis, BC LNG is far away from a just transition to a sustainable future.”
From blockades and checkpoints to legal actions, the assertion of First Nations’ sovereignty and the fight against LNG is intensifying in Northern B.C. The Unist'ot'en continue to enact the ancient Free Prior and Informed Consent protocol before allowing anyone on to their territory.
Yesterday, Luutkudziiwus, a 600 member House Group of the Gitxsan Nation, announced that they will be filing a legal challenge over the BC regulatory permits awarded to the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT) pipeline that would supply gas to the Petronas LNG plant on Lelu Island.
“Our Madii Lii territory is not to be played with by the province of BC in their LNG game. Clark’s LNG dream is a nightmare for us,” said Hereditary Chief Luutkudziiwus (Charlie Wright). “While she paints a shiny picture of LNG in their conference this week, the reality is that First Nations are being bulldozed, and we have had enough”.
Tsimshian land defenders, who have re-occupied their traditional territory of Lelu Island to protect Flora Banks from the Petronas LNG project, also spoke to the crowd. “We are protecting Lelu Island, Flora Banks, and the Skeena River from the LNG plant that would destroy our salmon. Like my father, Chief Yahaan says: If you take away the fish, you take away the people," said Joey Wesley, of the Gitwilgyoots Tribe of Lax Kw'alaams.
Closer to home, environmental, health and safety concerns continue to mount in Squamish, Delta, and Vancouver Island in response to an onslaught of proposed LNG projects and their supertankers. “The Clark government should be having real public debate about whether we want our water, jobs and resources invested in yet another fossil fuel that puts the health and safety of communities across this province at risk,” said Emma Lui, national water campaigner for the Council of Canadians. “If these LNG terminals are built, fracking in northern B.C. will continue to expand and put a strain on water and climate and at the expense of green jobs”.
The noise demo was held as part of the #Flood the System grassroots mobilization, as communities across Canada and the United States are saying “no” to the root causes of the climate crisis in the lead-up to COP 21 in Paris.
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Media Contacts:
Richard Wright, House of Luutkudziiwus of the Gitxsan Nation: 250-842-8974 richardwright_8@hotmail.com
Allison Dixon, Rising Tide, Vancouver Coast Salish Territories: 778 -679-6784 risingtide604@riseup.net
Emma Lui, Council of Canadians: 604-318-7499 elui@canadians.org @CouncilofCDNS
