In a stunning ruling that came just minutes after the jury was seated in the so-called valve turners trial in Clearfield County, Minn., the judge ruled that prosecutors had failed to meet their burden of proof that a group of activists had damaged a tar sands pipeline when they trespassed on private property to shut down the pipeline.
Last August 29 was not just a ‘wake up and smell the coffee’ moment for federal and Alberta politicians pushing to accelerate future tar sands/oil sands expansion plans.
It was a morning where the coffee urn figuratively tipped over and bestowed third-degree burns.
Oct 4, 2018 - I'd like to state for the record and in the name of accuracy that i too received late disclosure and that I informed the crown rep this morning that contrary to the affidavit of my arresting officer, I was not obstructing the gate. In fact, video footage shows that I was well to the side.
5 October 2018, Coast Salish territory (Burnaby, BC) Trans Mountain Corporation must take down the razor-wire fences in Burrard Inlet, says the City of Burnaby in a submission to the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. The razor wire fence is attached to a floating boom at Kinder Morgan's Westridge Marine Terminal in Burnaby. Now that the Federal Court of Appeal has quashed the approval to build the pipeline and tanker project the fence must come down, argues Burnaby counsel Gregory McDade in a recent filing. [Full text below]
As the government attempts to move forward with the expansion, the issue reveals a crisis around how the Canadian government does consultations, argues Tzeporah Berman.
Unceded Coast Salish Territories (Vancouver, BC) – Three people arrested in August for blocking construction on the Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker project were sentenced to jail on October 2 in BC Supreme Court.
Over a dozen Protectors are expected to be handed jail sentences this month, despite a recent Federal Court of Appeal ruling that quashed approval for the project and brought construction to a halt.
Two Protectors were sentenced to seven days in jail, Noaa Edwards and Avery Shannon.
The government is hiring former Supreme Court of Canada justice Frank Iacobucci to oversee a new round of consultations with affected Indigenous communities.
We have until October 3rd to submit comments on the focus and design of the new NEB hearing. Please take 5 minutes and submit a quick letter of comment on the process. The background, content, and links are all here. Thanks!!
