Earth Walk Day April 21: NO PIPELINES NO TANKERS
2012 March 20, by Chapter Council
By Guest Author Zoe Blunt of WildCoast. We will be working with WildCoast and many other people (and groups) to make sure our “NO PIPELINES NO TANKERS” message gets heard on April 21st. This is a callout for anyone wanting to help us plan and organize this action.
No Pipeline Blowouts – No Tanker Spills
Hey Vancouver Island – How do you really feel about oil pipelines and tankers on our coast? Now is the time to show
it! Come together at EARTH WALK, the People’s Earth Day, Saturday April 21 in Victoria.
This is a call to all our allies to take action to defend our coast from pipeline blowouts and oil tanker spills.
Earth Day Convergence in Victoria April 21:
- Meet at the Legislature at 11:15 am
- Join the march at 12 noon
- Stay and rally the masses at Spirit Square (Centennial Square), 12:30 to 2.
In the meantime, let’s organize flying squads, street theatre, signs, banners, and inspiring chants to lead the crowd!
It won’t stop there. April 21 is just the beginning. This is the year we show governments and corporations that we plan to stop ALL pipelines and tankers in our waters! We’re kicking off a high-impact campaign of action to protect Mother Nature.
There’s no time to lose. Please join us.
News flash! On March 16, 2012, the city of Victoria voted against pipelines and tankers on our coast. The resolution:
- recognized the Coastal First Nations and Save the Fraser
- declarations which prohibit oil tanker expansions through B.C.’s coast
- expressed unequivocal opposition to projects by Kinder Morgan, Enbridge or any other entity that would lead to the expansion of oil tanker traffic through B.C.’s coastal waters
- urged the province to use whatever means available to stop
- expansion of oil tanker traffic on B.C.’s coast.
Way to go Victoria! Now we’re ready to ramp up the pressure on Christy Clark and Stephen Harper. Who’s with us?
Space is available for prep and planning. Snacks and wifi included.
Get in touch with info@victoriacouncilofcanadians.ca or Zoe@wildcoast.ca, 250-813-3569
We are part of a national day of action!
Earth Day 2012 – No Pipelines, No Tankers!
Organize in your community for this National Day of Action
We will be organizing rallies as a public display of growing opposition to 3 major pipeline projects in BC. These pipelines are Enbridge’s Northern Gateway Pipeline proposal, the expansion of Kinder Morgan’s TransMountain Pipeline, and the construction of Pacific Trails Pipeline byApache, Encana & EOG Resources.
These three pipelines threaten to:
- Drive the unsustainable expansion in the tar sands and fracking for shale gas
- Undermine local communities right to say no
- Cross hundreds of salmon-bearing rivers and streams, the Great
- Bear Rainforest and mountainous and landslide-prone-land where spills could spell ecological disaster and affect livelihoods
- Increase tanker traffic and the risk of a spill in B.C.’s ecologically sensitive coastal waters
What better way to spend Earth Day, a day to inspire awareness and appreciation of the Earth’s natural environment. Mark it on your calendars, start organizing to hit the streets, rally together and make some noise!
Let’s have our collective voices heard:
We stand against pipelines and tankers
We stand up to Big Oil and Gas
We stand with local & Indigenous communities
We stand up for future generations
Solidarity actions across Canada and beyond are welcomed. Locations of actions happening across the country will be
posted shortly.
Plan a rally: If you interested in helping plan a rally in your community, please contact hgrewal@canadians.org.
Endorse this call to action: If your organization or group would like to endorse this call to action, please contact
aharden@canadians.org
The Harper Government suggests that the opposition to Enbridge’s proposal is either a small minority, foreign interests, or “some” First Nations. They are ignoring the Save the Fraser Declaration signed by over 100 indigenous communities, as well as opposition by the Union of BC Municipalities and most recently the Terrace, Prince Rupert and Smithers City Councils. There is also growing opposition to the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion and Apache’s gas pipeline proposal.
In the spirit of the global Occupy Together movement, it is time for us to get off of our email and social networks, take a pause from writing letters and signing petitions, and make our opposition visible by collectively taking to the streets! Let’s show Harper and his corporate partners that the issue is not foreign-funded environmental groups. People are standing up to foreign investors, shareholders and CEOs that put profit ahead of the interests of local communities and the environment.