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Sarah Harmer, Grimes join anti-pipeline protests in Burnaby, B.C.
24/03/18
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Trans Mountain says preparatory work at terminals now complete, tunnel and fence work to come next
Musicians Sarah Harmer and Grimes joined dozens of Indigenous youth and other demonstrators who gathered at Kinder Morgan's Burnaby Terminal on Saturday morning to protest the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline.
The musicians, who are in Vancouver for the Juno Awards Sunday night, could not immediately be reached for comment. But in a video posted to Greenpeace Canada's Facebook page, Harmer said the project "needs to be turned back and stopped."
Protesters are prohibited by a court injunction from entering within five metres of two Kinder Morgan terminals in Burnaby.
About 115 people, including Green Party Leader Elizabeth May and local New Democrat MP Kennedy Stewart, have been arrested in the past week.
[See original article for video tweet]
The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project would triple the flow of oil products from Alberta to the B.C. coast.
The federal government approved the expansion in 2016, but the project continues to face significant opposition in B.C.
Thousands of people have been rallying against it, and Premier John Horgan has raised concerns about its possible environmental and economic impacts.
'Protect the land'
Cedar George-Parker, who was among the young Indigenous leaders who led a march to the site on Saturday, said the project poses too great a risk to Tsleil-Waututh First Nation lands.
"We're taking a stand against the Kinder Morgan pipeline, we're standing up against bullies. Justin Trudeau can't do his job by securing the safety of our future, so we'll do it for him," George-Parker said in an interview at the site.
Ocean Hyland, who's also from the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation, said youth in the community have learned about the value of the land and water from their elders.
"They teach us the ways to take care of the land and carry on the traditions of our people," she said.
"We're at the stage now where we're thinking about those future generations and how we're going to carry on those teachings and carry through those ceremonies to protect the land we're here on today."
Organizers with Protect the Inlet say more than 70 protesters at the site on Saturday were prepared to be arrested.
This is the area where protestors who are arrested are processed. Many are charged with civil contempt of court.
Earlier this month, Trans Mountain began removing brush and trees at its Westridge Marine and Burnaby Terminals to prepare for future work.
That includes the construction of the Burnaby Mountain tunnel portal entry at Westridge Marine Terminal, and the construction of an expanded permanent fence line on existing Trans Mountain property at the Burnaby Terminal, according to the company
In a statement, Trans Mountain said the preparatory work is now complete but crews are still at the sites doing clean-up work such as removing salvageable timber and waste wood.
It also says it respects the right to peacefully protest "in a safe and lawful manner."
[Top photo: An anti-pipeline protester at a Kinder Morgan terminal in Burnaby speaks with a RCMP officer on Saturday, March 24, 2018. (CBC)]
