Unwanted pipeline, unwilling province
First Nations, 2 in 3 British Columbians deny Northern Gateway permission to proceed
First Nations, 2 in 3 British Columbians deny Northern Gateway permission to proceed
http://dogwoodinitiative.org/media-centre/media-releases/unwanted-project-unwilling-province
Vancouver, June 16 2014 – A coalition of First Nations and civil society groups today delivered a final rejection of Enbridge’s pipeline and oil tanker project. With many First Nations gearing up for court battles to protect their territories from this risky proposal, representatives of Coastal First Nations, Dogwood Initiative, Unifor, West Coast Environmental Law, Douglas Channel Watch and One Cowichan promised to work together to defeat Northern Gateway, regardless of any approvals issued by the federal cabinet.
“Our people have lived on this coast for 10,000 years,” said Art Sterritt, Executive Director of Coastal First Nations. “Over that time we developed laws and protocols to keep human impacts on the landscape in balance. Those laws are still in effect. Crude oil tankers are banned in our territories under First Nations law.”
Survey results indicate the majority of British Columbians support legislation in line with the First Nations ban. Polls consistently show two-thirds of B.C. voters agree the North Coast is no place for oil tankers. A recent Bloomberg-Nanos poll found only 29 per cent support for the Northern Gateway proposal.
“This is an issue of democracy,” said Will Horter, Executive Director of Dogwood Initiative, B.C.’s largest nonpartisan organizing network. “The democratic majority of British Columbians agree with First Nations and share the same values. Our communities will work together to defeat this pipeline, be it in the courts or at the ballot box.”
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