NORTH Shore First Nations will pit canoes against supertankers Sept. 1 as they ratchet up their opposition to an oil pipeline expansion planned for the Burrard Inlet.
The Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish Nations are coming together to host a gathering of canoes that will leave from Ambleside Beach, travel east through Burrard Inlet, and end up at Cates Park in North Vancouver. Organizers are expecting around 20 canoes from Washington, Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland to take part.
"Our main concern is the health of the inlet. . . . (It's) sustained us for thousands of years," said Gabriel George, Sacred Trust manager for the Tsleil-Waututh Nation. "We've seen that disappear."
In April, the Tsleil-Waututh announced their opposition to Kinder Morgan's plan to dramatically increase its export of crude oil from Alberta from 300,000 barrels a day to 850,000. The project would involve expanding the company's existing Trans Mountain pipeline, which terminates in Burnaby.
The 78,000 litres of oil that poured into Burrard Inlet when the pipeline was damaged in Burnaby in 2007 is an example of the environmental danger, said George.
"It's not just Kinder Morgan," he said. "With this canoe journey, that's the point, to raise awareness of that. But it's more than that too, there's been other oil spills, there's been other environmental impacts that we've faced."
George said that the health of the inlet has declined dramatically over the past 100 years. Many Tsleil-Waututh elders still use the expression, "When the tide was out, the table was set." But the crab fishery is the only sustainable practice left in an area that once provided shellfish, ling cod, herring and oolichan.
The two nations stand united in their opposition to the pipeline, said Ian Campbell, an elected chief of the Squamish Nation.
The nations are concerned not only with the environmental health of their own traditional territories, but also with "the sourcing of that oil and the way in which it's impacting the environment of Canada, particularly in Alberta with the Lubicon Cree and other First Nations' way of life," said Campbell.
On Thursday, the Tsleil-Waututh Nation put out a release calling on the B.C. NDP to "clarify that a 'made in B.C.' assessment of the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline would also apply to Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline project." The statement follows comments made by NDP leader Adrian Dix that if elected, he would withdraw from the federal Northern Gateway Pipeline review and begin a provincial review.
The general public is welcome to join the two nations during the ceremonies before the launch of the canoes at Ambleside and after they arrive at Cates Park, said Campbell. "I think in the future we might consider, depending on how Sept. 1 goes, hosting more events on the water, where we'd certainly like to invite tourism and other industries, fishermen and (recreational users), to be on the water with us," said Campbell.
The event will continue on Monday, Sept. 2 with a free concert at Lonsdale Quay.
