Come out to support Hazelton

People who signed up to speak to the Joint Review Panel in Hazelton will have to come to Smithers to make their presentations because it's a "safe and secure" location - which, translated from JRP lingo, means there are fewer Indians around; the JRP forced the Heiltsuk of Bella Bella  to paddle across to Denny Island to present their testimony last week - a hearing that Enbridge didn't bother to attend. For the full Tyee story, click here:  The Tyee story.

The Hazelton people will be speaking in Smithers tomorrow (Monday, July 31) beginning at 9 pm at the Hudson Bay Lodge - if you can, come out to support them.

Kootenays to Kitimat Caravan

Bill Metcalfe sent me a link to a story he wrote for The Nelson Daily:  Keep an eye out for these folks - last I heard they were in Fort St. James for the JRP hearings there:

About 40 Nelson residents gathered outside Nelson City Hall at noon today to support the four-person Kootenays to Kitimat Caravan, which left immediately after the rally for stops in Castlegar, Grand Forks, and points north. The caravan is travelling in opposition to the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline.
“We are here to say three simple things,” Keith Wiley, one of the caravaners, said at the mic. “No pipeline. No tankers. No problem."


"The massive opposition to this project is a turning point for Canada and Canadians," Wiley said. He and the other caravaners, all men who are no longer young, were affectionately dubbed "The Geezer Brigade" at the rally.


The half-hour event moved along briskly, with a few short speeches and an upbeat but determined mood. Local politicians from federal, provincial, and municipal governments attended and spoke.

To read the rest of the story...

JRP Oral Presentation Summaries

If you haven't found the time to read through all the oral presentations to the Joint Review Panel, Friends of Wild Salmon has posted summaries and photos of the presenters from all the sessions to date (and will keep adding them as they take place). JRP Oral Presentation Summaries. In the over 800 presentations made to date, only one person has said the risks associated with the proposal are ones we should take.

Cowboys and Indians

What a fiasco. It seems like the Calgary cowboys of the Joint Review Panel or their minders are afraid of the Indians. They've just announced that they're moving the Hazelton hearings to Smithers ( See Opinion 250). The only other community where hearings were delayed because of security issues was in Bella Bella. You'd think the Ontario member, Hans Matthews, a member of the Wahnapitae First Nation, would be able to reassure them on these matters.

In the meantime, people of all shapes, sizes, and colours have continued to line up across the northwest to voice their opposition to the pipeline proposal. In Prince George today hundreds of people gathered to demonstrate their feelings and former Smithers resident Kelly Giesbrecht made a powerful presentation - I've copied it in below:

Good afternoon,

Thank you for the opportunity to speak today.

I have just a brief statement for the record.

I am a Canadian citizen and lifetime resident of Northern BC, originally from Smithers and living in Prince George since 1996.

I am here today as I cannot rely on either my current elected officials, or my current provincial or federal governments to represent, or even consider, my views and opinions on this matter.

I oppose the development of this pipeline.

I am deeply concerned about the irreversible, negative impacts it will have on Northern BC's economy, environment, lifestyles and cultures,  as well as on Canada's international reputation and credibility.

This pipeline is not in the public interest and does not contribute to national security - quite the opposite. This pipeline is an embarrassing proposition. It is unnecessary and unwanted.

There is a better way forward.

Thank you.

 Way to go, Kelly!