Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Thousands gather in Victoria at legislature to protest pipelines

VICTORIA — About 3,500 demonstrators took to the lawn of the B.C. legislature Monday to vehemently oppose two major oil pipelines proposed for the province.

“What are you willing to do to stop them? Are you willing to lay down in front of the bulldozers?” yelled Art Sterritt, executive director of the Coastal First Nations.

“Yes,” called back the crowd.

“Who’s going to change the 26 Conservative MPs in British Columbia if the federal government tries to jam this thing through?” he continued.

“We will,” came the response.

Organized by a coalition of groups, the Defend our Coast demonstration heard from nearly two dozen speakers. All urged Premier Christy Clark and Prime Minister Stephen Harper not to allow either the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline that would carry bitumen from Alberta to Kitimat, or the planned twinning of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline that already carries Alberta oil to Burnaby.

Clark has laid out five conditions that need to be met before any heavy oil pipeline can proceed in B.C., which include: completion of the formal environmental review processes; world-leading marine and land oil spill response and prevention; and British Columbia receiving a fair share of the fiscal and economic benefits.

New Democratic Party leader Adrian Dix has spoken against Enbridge, and said that if he wins the next election, his government will withdraw from the current environmental assessment of the Northern Gateway project and set up a “made-in-B.C.” review instead.

Dix has so far taken no formal position on Kinder Morgan, which has not yet submitted a finalized proposal for the twinning.

Harper said over the summer in Vancouver that while he believes it’s “vital” for B.C. and the country to get oil to the west coast, the final decision on the Enbridge project will be determined by science, not politics.

“The government obviously wants to see British Columbia’s export trade continue to grow and diversify, that’s important,” he said at the time.

“But projects have to be evaluated on their own merits.”

Not good enough, those in Victoria said Monday.

“Our government is not standing behind us — the people that are here — that are saying ‘no more,’” said Chief Ruben George of the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation.

“Let’s hold our government accountable. Let’s send a message to them that we have to make a difference.

“We’re going to stand together and yes, we are going to win.”

Demonstrators erected a 235-metre black banner — the length of the Aframax tankers that are transporting Kinder Morgan crude oil through Burrard Inlet and Georgia Strait — around the lawn of the legislature and stretched it across neighbouring Belleville Street.

Since legislature guidelines say “objects, such as signs, posters or banners, may not be attached to the grounds, buildings, trees or other property,” demonstrators considered the erection of the banner an act of civil disobedience and said they were willing to be arrested.

“We’re showing the gravity of the situation,” said demonstrator Leif Early of Duncan.

“There is no way a pipeline is worth the risk, both for our coast and our ecosystem, as well as the global issue. Putting a pipeline through just makes us even more addicted (to) the dirtiest oil in the world.”

Said Leah Norwood of Qualicum Beach: “How can we call ourselves beautiful British Columbia if we’ve got this disgusting pipeline running through our forest and destroying our coast?”

“If I get arrested, then so be it. It’s for a good cause.”

But Const. Mike Russell of the Victoria Police Department said: “We’ve been happy to facilitate what’s been a very peaceful protest today,” adding there were no incidents or arrests.

He said police were willing to allow the giant banner — even across a street — for the duration of the event.

“[There’s] nothing I can think of in the Criminal Code that would say it’s illegal to put a stake in a lawn,” he said.

“We know it’s not going to be there forever and a lot of people are really happy to hear that people are standing up and having their voices heard.”

Dave Coles, national president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, called the pipelines “job killers” that are bad for the environment, don’t respect First Nations rights and are destroying Canada’s economy.

“Our union represents refinery workers across this country, our union represents workers in the tar sands and our union is diametrically opposed to building the pipelines.”

Maude Barlow, chair of the Council of Canadians, said the pipelines will only lead to the expansion of the Alberta oilsands. “Pipelines are the bloodlines of the tar sands. If we allow these pipeline to go ahead, it’s going to mean that the industry is setting energy policy in Canada,” she said.

“These pipelines mean that you’ll need to keep them full and that means a massive expansion of the tar sands and that means that we will never be able to get the alternative energy future we need.”

Original Article
Source: vancouver sun
Author: Jonathan Fowlie

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