New Brunswick Justice George Rideout declined today to extend an injunction against members of the Elsipogtog First Nation who have been protesting exploratory activities for fracking on their territory.
A video posted on facebook following today’s hearing shows several Mi’kmaq people, having just exited the courtroom, rejoicing over the judge’s decision. “There is no more injuction on the people who have been named or the Jane and John Does of New Brunswick,” one woman tells the camera.
A short-term injunction issued by the court on Oct. 3 to a subsidiary of Texas company SWN Resources resulted in last week’s heavy-handed RCMP raid of a peaceful Elsipogtog protest camp – provoking outrage and supportive rallies across the country last week.
[quote]In the minutes leading up to the ruling, shale gas opponents, many from Elsipogtog First Nation, were drumming and singing in the courtroom and hallway. The court building was also crowded with supporters of protesters arrested on Thursday during a confrontation between RCMP and shale gas opponents in Rexton, N.B. [/quote]
The judge’s ruling is drawing praise from environmental groups supporting the Mi’kmaq fracking protest. “We are thrilled with the reports coming out of the courtroom in Moncton today that SWN’s injunction has been lifted,” says Angela Giles, Atlantic regional organizer with the Council of Canadians.
[quote]I visited the site and stayed in Elsipogtog over the weekend and the community is standing strong. The Mayors of Kent County, the Assembly of First Nations Chiefs of New Brunswick have publically supported the anti-shale gas movement… when will Premier Alward and his government listen to the people?[/quote]
Justice Rideout declined to give a reason for today’s decision but will be issuing a written statement.
Updated 12:20 PM PST. Watch for more updates on this developing story
Elsipogtog First Nation Chief Arren Sock with supporters (Miles Howe/Halifax Media Coop)
REXTON, N.B. – The chief of the Elsipogtog (ell-see-book-took) First Nation in New Brunswick is criticizing the RCMP for its conduct last week in controlling a protest against shale gas exploration, promising his community will continue to oppose the industry’s development in the province.
Arren Sock says every effort will be made to keep its opposition peaceful after 40 people were arrested and weapons seized when the Mounties enforced a court-ordered injunction Thursday to end the blockade of a compound near Rexton, where SWN Resources stored exploration equipment and vehicles.
Grand Chief Derek Nepinak of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is in New Brunswick to show his support for the band and described the Mounties’ actions last week as the violent use of state power.
Assistant commissioner Roger Brown, the Mounties’ commanding officer in the province, has defended the police response, saying officers seized firearms and improvised explosive devices that were a threat to public safety.
Six police vehicles including an unmarked van were burned and Molotov cocktails were tossed at police, who fired non-lethal beanbag type bullets and used pepper spray to defuse the situation.
Sock says no decisions have been made on how the band will proceed but he expects a meeting later this week with Premier David Alward, whose government believes shale gas exploration can be done while protecting the environment and encouraging economic growth.
On Sunday morning, about 50 people gathered in the rain at the protest site on Route 134. Protesters on Highway 11 in Rexton set up a blockade Saturday for a short period of time.
Sock was among those arrested last week. Police say the arrests were for firearms offences, threats, intimidation, mischief and violating the injunction.
The RCMP blocked Route 134 three weeks ago after protesters began spilling onto the road. Protesters then cut down trees and placed them across another part of the road, blocking the entrance to the company’s equipment compound.
The protesters want SWN Resources to stop seismic testing and leave the province. The company says it’s only in the early stages of exploration in New Brunswick.
Protestors at Line 9 hearing in Montreal last week (photo: Erin Sparks)
TORONTO – The final day of hearings on a proposal to reverse the flow of a pipeline that runs between southern Ontario and Montreal were cancelled Saturday due to security concerns.
But that didn’t deter dozens of protesters who rallied outside the site of the scrapped hearing to oppose Enbridge’s plan to reverse its Line 9 and increase its capacity to carry crude oil.
“They try to make it seem like we’re not going to have a spill. And it’s very likely that a spill will happen somewhere along this line,” said protester Nigel Barriffe, who lives near Line 9 in northwest Toronto.
Enbridge was to make its closing submissions to the National Energy Board on its plan to reverse the line and increase the pipeline’s capacity to move crude oil.
But the National Energy Board announced late Friday that Saturday’s hearings were off, saying the way the previous day’s hearings ended raised concerns about the security of participants. Protesters were out in force for Friday’s panel hearing, but there was no violence during that demonstration or Saturday’s rally.
The NEB didn’t provide a date for when Enbridge will present its closing arguments.
Protest organizer Amanda Lickers said the NEB should have found a way to let Enbridge make its case in support of the reversal.
[quote]I think that if they were really concerned about security they could have still done it over the web… there could have been ways to make the presentation happen.[/quote]
The panel heard this week from interveners stating the reversal would put First Nations communities at risk, threaten water supplies and could endanger vulnerable species in ecologically sensitive areas.
Jan Morrissey of a Toronto residents’ group showed up early Saturday morning for the hearing, only to learn it was cancelled.
Morrissey said she’s disappointed she won’t get to hear Enbridge’s final reply to arguments made to the board by critics of the reversal.
“It’s sort of like reading a book and not getting to see the last chapter,” she said.
The reversal would increase the line’s capacity to 300,000 barrels of crude oil per day, up from the current 240,000 barrels.
Enbridge has also asked for permission to move different types of oil, including a heavier form of crude from the Alberta oilsands.
Opponents claim the crude Enbridge wants to transport is more corrosive and will stress the aging infrastructure and increase the chance of a leak.
But Enbridge has said what will flow through the line will not be a raw oilsands product — although there will be a mix of light crude and processed bitumen.
Line 9 originally shuttled oil from Sarnia, Ont., to Montreal but was reversed in the late 90s in response to market conditions to pump imported crude westward.
Enbridge is now proposing to flow oil back eastward to service refineries in Ontario and Quebec.
Members of the Elsipogtog Nation and RCMP clash at a recent protest over fracking in New Brunswick
REXTON, N.B. – Hundreds of people gathered at a community hall in New Brunswick on Sunday to discuss their opposition of the development of a shale gas sector in the province as their protest garnered support from a Manitoba grand chief.
Elsipogtog Chief Arren Sock said the meeting at New Brunswick’s Elsipogtog First Nation was a chance for people in his community to tell their stories.
“It’s just part of the healing process and I wanted that to begin,” said Sock after the meeting, which drew about 300 community members and protesters and was closed to media.
Sock would not say if anything was decided during the meeting on how to proceed with the protest over shale gas exploration, noting:
[quote]We just started the healing process and in the coming days I will have more information.[/quote]
Manitoba, NB chiefs stand together
Sock and Grand Chief Derek Nepinak of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs were expected to hold a news conference at Elsipogtog Monday morning.
Nepinak said the assembly chiefs in Manitoba sent him to New Brunswick to stand in solidarity with the community and protesters.
“We recognize that there are a lot of consistencies in a lot of what is happening across the land with extractive industry and corporate interests versus indigenous rights and our fight to preserve our ecosystems,” he said. “We have a commitment and responsibility to the land and people need to respect that.”
Nepinak wouldn’t say what he thinks Elsipogtog should do next in its opposition to fracking, but said he would stay as long as he was needed.
Apologies to media over equipment seizure
One speaker at the community hall apologized to media who had their vehicles and equipment seized by a small group of protesters Saturday. The apology sparked a standing ovation from the crowd. Some protesters told reporters for Global and CTV News to leave their vehicles and their equipment. Everything was later returned.
Earlier Sunday, about 50 people gathered in the rain at the protest site on Route 134, where tents were set up and protest signs scattered about.
Protesters on Highway 11 in Rexton had set up a blockade Saturday for a short period of time.
Burned vehicles
Days before, six police vehicles including an unmarked van were burned and Molotov cocktails were tossed at police before they fired non-lethal beanbag type bullets and pepper spray to defuse the situation.
The gutted vehicles have since been towed to a nearby parking lot, about five minutes from the protest site.
RCMP said they also found improvised explosive devices on Thursday that were modified to discharge shrapnel and used a fuse-ignition system after enforcing a court-ordered injunction to remove protesters at the site of a compound in Rexton where SWN Resources stored exploration equipment.
40 members arrested, including chief
Officers arrested 40 people — including Sock — for firearms offences, threats, intimidation, mischief and violating the injunction.
The RCMP blocked Route 134 on Sept. 29 after a protest there began spilling onto the road. Protesters subsequently cut down trees that were placed across another part of the road, blocking the entrance to the compound.
The protesters want SWN Resources to stop seismic testing and leave the province, although the company says it’s only in the early stages of exploration in New Brunswick.
GAINFORD, Alta. – Firefighters who were battling a major blaze Saturday after a CN tanker train derailed west of Edmonton have decided to withdraw and wait for the flames to burn themselves out.
Jackie Ostashek, a spokeswoman for Parkland County, says fire crews were waiting outside a perimeter about a kilometre-and-a-half away from the derailment scene near the hamlet of Gainford.
Ostashek said one of the tankers carrying liquefied petroleum gas was flaring as pressure inside the container built up and vented from a valve, but flames were dying down again after the pressure was released. Officials said that’s the way the safety mechanisms in the tankers are supposed to work.
Thirteen cars — four laden with petroleum crude oil and nine carrying liquefied petroleum gas — came off the tracks around 1 a.m. local time and about 100 people in Gainford were evacuated.
Witnesses said they heard an explosion and saw a fireball when the train derailed and another official with Parkland County said there was a second smaller explosion later in the morning.
No injuries were reported.
Huge, Huge Fireball
One resident told CHED radio he heard a series of crashes moments before seeing a “huge, huge fireball” shoot into the sky.
“The fireball was so big, it shot across both lanes of the Yellowhead (Highway) and now both lanes of the Yellowhead are closed and there’s fire on both sides,” said the witness, identified only as Duane.
CN spokesman Louis-Antoine Paquin said three cars containing gas were leaking and on fire.
Paquin said the train was travelling to Vancouver from Edmonton.
The area, which is about 80 kilometres from Edmonton, remained under a state of emergency. Travel was restricted and news media were being kept far back.
“We’re going to let it burn itself out”
Parkland County’s fire chief, Jim Phelan, said the tanker that was flaring was venting gas through valves, which it and the other cars were designed to do. He said it was unlikely there would be any further explosions.
“We’re going to let it burn itself out,” Phelan said. “The best thing to do now is allow the product to be consumed.”
He expected that could take about 24 hours.
Devon Cadwell, who lives on a ranch just outside Gainford, said he was sleeping when he heard the first explosion. He gathered his animals into a corral and got ready to leave. Said Caldwell:
[quote]It was a huge boom and the house started shaking.
[/quote]
Residents evacuated
Gainford resident Glenda Madge said she and her husband were jolted awake at 3 a.m. by pounding on their door. It was the fire department telling them they had to get out immediately.
“They were waiting outside for us, so we had to hurry up and get dressed and grab whatever we could — medication that my husband is on,” Madge said, speaking by phone from a hotel in Entwistle about 20 minutes’ drive from Gainford.
Madge said that when she reached an evacuation centre in Entwistle, she and her neighbours were talking about events earlier this year in Lac-Megantic, Que., where a train derailment and explosion killed 47 people.
“It was a little scary,” Madge said, noting she felt lucky that no one appeared to have been hurt in this derailment.
At one point, Madge said officials were going to allow residents to be escorted back to their homes to pick up additional medication and pets. But she said after the second explosion they were told to turn around and go back to Entwistle.
Sara Jensen, the community development co-ordinator with Parkland County, said about half a dozen Gainford residents were being taken back to the community and were in a safe zone when the second blast was heard.
Phelan said that explosion was smaller and was actually the result of pressure venting from one of the burning cars.
“There was a little pop,” Phelan said.
Jensen said people in Entwistle got up early to open restaurants for the evacuees. A gas station was also opened early so Mounties and other emergency officials could get fuel.
“It’s a good rural environment where people support each other,” Jensen said.
“Everyone’s either in bed or being fed.”
The Transportation Safety Board was sending investigators to the scene.
Parkland County’s second oil train derailment
Carson Mills, a spokesman for Parkland County, noted that it was in Parkland County that more than 40 cars of a CN Rail train derailed in 2005, spilling 800,000 litres of bunker oil and wood preservative into Wabamun Lake.
Canadian Natural resource Minister Joe Oliver told the Congress that Canada expects 650 Billion US dollars worth of investment in the energy industry. We are at the Centre of the international fracking boom and most Canadians dont know it. It is literally like being in the eye of the storm.
And then it happened.
Elsipogtog
Early in the morning, a frightening squadron of snipers crawling on their bellies through the long grass snuck up on a line of tents in rural New Brunswick, where Mi’kmaq elders, children and other “protectors” were camped in a weeks long blockade.
The crude awakening for the spattering of Mi’kmaq protectors quickly led to an escalation in fear and soon rubber bullets were flying and police cars were blazing.
What was a weeks-long peaceful display of people protecting their land and demanding a respectful and responsible process that was inclusive and fair in the exploitation our nation’s resource wealth quickly became a spectacle of police state oppression.
Trade Deals and Treaties collide
Much like BC, the Mi’kmaq lands are unceded, with a stalled treaty process that has been going since before the Burying the Hatchet ceremony of 1761. The Treaties did not gain legal status until they were enshrined into the Canadian Constitution in 1982.
Every October 1, “Treaty Day” is now celebrated by Nova Scotians. Recently, upwards of 100,000 of Mi’kmaq people gained “status” due to court proceedings and it was a serious landmark in the struggle of the Mi’kmaq people.
However, today may be the beginning of a another page of history for the Mi’kmaq people.
After yet another prorogued parliament and the day after the pomp and ceremony of the “Speech from the Throne” designed to “turn the channel” away from the torrent of scandals the first half of the Harper majority visited upon the land, the Mi’kmaq people turned the channel back to the now longstanding undercurrent of native unrest from coast to coast, manifested in major movements like Idle no More.
At the very heart of the unrest is the collision between dysfunctional treaty relations, international trade agreements and the unprecedented exploitation of the land. Literally, trillions of dollars of Canadian natural resources are up for grabs and the international corporate model of globalized exploitation has ushered in a third world model of oppression and greed that is sparking significant pushback.
Therefore it was fitting that this event occurred while Harper was skipping out on his first day back at the House to fly to Europe and celebrate his government’s signing of the first major Free Trade Agreement since the Mulroney conservatives entered us into the highly controversial North American Free Trade Agreement.
European trade deal, oil and gas
CETA is a comprehensive trade agreement with huge implications, much of which revolve around oil and gas, despite the fact that all that is being reported is a squabble over cheese.
CETA can be added to a long list of trade and investment agreements that are ushering in a new era, sidelining governments in favour of corporate rights and control and placing the profitability of foreign interests over the citizens of the country, our domestic economy and the environment we all depend upon.
First Nations people understand that the window of opportunity to try and wrestle a modicum of sovereignty and control over our economic destiny and environmental sustainability is closing. CETA, TPP, FIPPA are all about to slam that window shut and build upon existing trade and investment agreements that thoroughly alter the economic and political landscape of the country at the expense of the citizens who depend upon it.
This affects all Canadians
With the pace of the oil and gas agenda reaching a “gold rush” stage and Harper’s vision of “Energy Super Power” becoming crystal clear, people from coast to coast to coast are beginning to realize this might not be all that it was cracked up to be – and that when Harper claimed “you won’t recognize Canada when I am done”, he was right.
The labyrinth of domestic legislation rammed through by way of omnibus coupled with trade and investment agreements have, in effect, left all Canadians voiceless squatters on our own land.
The courageous actions of the Mi’kmaq people and leaders like Pam Palmater are at the tip of the spear.
#Elsipogtog could be the spark that starts the fracking fire, putting at risk the 650 Billion dollar agenda Oliver boasted about and trade agreements Harper celebrated on the same day they unleashed the RCMP in rural New Brunswick against a brave and courageous people.
They may call themselves the Mi’kmaq Warrior Society, but from all indications, this group of indigenous peoples was leading a peaceful protest against fracking in their territory when a platoon of heavily-armed, camouflaged RCMP officers descended upon their camp in Rexton, New Brunswick, early this morning.
The officers were enforcing an injunction against a two-week-long blockade of shale gas exploration activities by a subsidiary of Houston-based Southwestern Energy. The injunction was sought by the company, with whom the government has explicitly declined to broker a stand-down. According to an RCMP statement, at least 40 arrests have been made, with “hundreds” of RCMP officers now on the scene, according to a Mi’kmaq witness.
Heavy-handed tactics
APTN has been reporting on the heavy-handed tactics deployed by the RCMP on the peaceful gathering – including the use of dogs and firing of rubber bullets at protestors from the trees surrounding the camp.
APTN reporter Ossie Michelin says she heard one of the officers shout:
[quote]Crown land belongs to the government, not to fucking natives.[/quote]
A former chief of the Elsipogtog First Nation who is acting as a liaison between protestors and police, Susan Levi-Peters, told the Globe and Mail by phone:
[quote]It is really very volatile. It’s a head-to-head between the people and the RCMP right now and the Warriors are in the middle surrounded by the RCMP and then the RCMP are surrounded by the people…There are people who have been tasered.[/quote]
Not a criminal problem, but a political one
The RCMP, province and courts apparently fail to recognize that this is not a criminal matter (injunctions fall outside of the criminal code), but a political one. These Mi’kmaq peoples have identified a very real threat to their lands and waters from fracking and they aren’t being meaningfully listened to by any of the above parties.
And yet, any solution to this plainly political dilemma is being undermined by an American company, at whose behest the RCMP acted today, while the government sits on the sidelines.
During an emergency meeting last week between NB Premier David Alward and Elsipogtog First Nation Chief Arren Sock, Alward declined to ask the company to withdraw its injunction to allow time for a proposed government-nation working group to resolve the underlying issues that prompted the blockade.
According to APTN, “Alward said he would not be contacting the company to discuss the situation because the issue was out of his hands.
[quote]The government does not direct how an injunction or how a legal process takes place.[/quote]
A letter delivered to Southwestern Energy by a Texas environmental group on behalf of the Mi’kmaq Warrior Society failed to persuade the company to back down from serving the injunction this week.
“These attacks to our people’s water source infringe on the integrity of our cultural resources and heritage in our region,” the letter said. “Allowing further development violates our treaty rights to not only hunt, fish and gather…but our treaty right, Aboriginal right and title right to the land and water itself.”
Another Oka?
There are still many unanswered questions about today’s standoff, but it is clear that these legal and police tactics will only further inflame the situation.
Ms. Levi-Peters raised the spectre of Oka – the armed standoff between Mohawk protestors and Quebec police, RCMP and military that gave Canada a black eye on the world’s stage.
[quote]It’s Oka all over again and it’s sad because we said all we need is public consultation…These Warrriors, they are not militant. They are youth and they have had enough.[/quote]
The blockade was being mounted with drums and feathers, Levi-Peters told the Globe and Mail, “and instead the government sent in the army on them.”
Now, more than ever, there is a need for peaceful, rational dialogue around an industry that poses significant environmental, health and economic threats to Canada’s indigenous peoples and citizens.
Premier Alward had the right idea establishing a working group to foster vital dialogue with Mi’kmaq leaders – but those good intentions have been severely undermined by the arcane, heavy-handed actions of an American fracking company and the RCMP.
There are two shared goals in the document touting this partnership:
Opening new markets and expanding export opportunities for oil, gas and other resources
Creating jobs and strengthening the economy of each province and Canada through the development of the oil and gas sector.
The document talks about oil spillage on land and sea, but never does it say that a project might not be allowed because of the “risk” of pipelines and tankers. It’s a given that there will be pipelines and tankers, PERIOD.
It mumbles platitudes like a “world class prevention and preparedness” regime.
First Nations’ Enbridge spill concerns being ignored
I’m sure First Nations will be delighted to know Clark and Redford will supply them with “accommodation”, which “can include mitigation measures or even economic compensation”. (emphasis added)
Mitigation is a weasel word for saying that although damage is coming, we will do our very best to minimize it – honest to goodness, cross our hearts and hope to die – we will give you prosthetic devices for the arms and legs we’re going to cut off.
[quote]Health permitting (I’m a little long in the tooth) I’ll place myself in front of the first dirt remover.[/quote]
And, dear friends, there may be wampum for you if you’re good little Indians and place your “Xs”on the dotted line. Somehow I don’t see First Nations being convinced by this document that they will be treated any better than the Carrier-Sekani or Haisla were at the time of Alcan’s Kemano hydroelectric project in the 50s. This government, like the Bourbons, “has learned nothing and forgotten nothing”.
Carving up the booty
The rest of this 10-page document deals with carving up the booty – partly in bribes for First Nations, but mostly between themselves.
One of the major players – are you ready for this? – is Fazil Mihlar, a former fellow of the Fraser Institute and editor of The Vancouver Sun. Mihlar recently left the paper to become the BC Liberal Government’s Assistant Deputy Minister of the new Oil and Strategic Initiatives Division.
Act as if pipelines are a done deal
There is little to say except we must now choose our weapons and we should stop beating about the bush. There is no point in pleading with these bastards for their mind is made up. We must treat the situation as if the pipelines were a done deal – because they are.
Peaceful civil disobedience is the only weapon left and we must prepare for that. As I have said for sometime, health permitting (I’m a little long in the tooth) I’ll place myself in front of the first dirt remover.
Writing letters is always a good idea but it does nothing. Your MLA and MP have no power to do anything.
The opposition to these pipelines and tankers must contain the solemn undertaking to physically stop them. Anything else will be taken by your government as bluff and bluster.
Rafe to Christy: Hold a referendum
For the first time in nearly 82 years on this planet I find myself ashamed – not just pissed off – but ashamed of my government. The people, indigenous or otherwise, have not been consulted and won’t be.
I leave with this challenge to Premier Clark: hold a referendum.
Or are you afraid that, as with the Charlottetown Accord in 1992, the public will be informed and let you know they want nothing to do with your disgraceful deals?
Yes, hold a referendum and let us decide the fate of our beautiful province with one of the last real wilderness areas in the world.
by Carol Linnitt – Originally posted on DeSmog Canada
The hotel rental for Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s September visit to New York City cost Canadian taxpayers a total of $56,582.91, according to documents recently released by CTV News.
“Canada and the U.S. are making important progress on enhancing trade, travel and investment flows between our two countries, including securing our borders, speeding up trade and travel, modernizing infrastructure in integrated sectors of the North American economy, and harmonizing regulations,” Harper said at the event. “But there is much more that can be done, and must be done, to make our economic relationship more productive and seamless.”
The event, organized by the Canadian American Business Council, gave Harper the opportunity to tell an audience of American business executives that he wouldn’t “take no for an answer” on the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, planned to carry tar sands crude from Alberta to oil refineries in the Gulf of Mexico.
Hotel bill mistakenly sent to CTV
The hotel bill for the luxurious New York Palace Hotel, which was mistakenly sent to CTV’s Washington bureau, suggests Harper’s speaking engagement was a staged promotional gathering for the Keystone XL, rather that a typical guest speaker event which are usually paid for by the host.
The hotel charges include coffee services for $6,650.00, room rental for $33,500.00 and audio visual services of $14,709.15. An overall service charge for the room and coffee came to $9,234.50.
According to CTV, the event was co-hosted with the Canadian American Business Council, which claimed to ‘share’ the costs for the event with the Harper Government.
Maryscott Greenwood, senior advisor for the Council said, “the costs were shared…we paid for pieces of it.”
The “Voice of Business”
On their website the Canadian American Business Council claims to be “the voice of business in the world’s most prosperous relationship. Established in 1987 in Washington, D.C., the Council is a non-profit, non-partisan, issues-oriented organization dedicated to elevating the private sector perspective on issues that affect our two nations, Canada and the United States.”
Membership to the Council requires a $5,500 annual fee, with conference sponsorships running up to $25,000 per event. Members of the Council include the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, the Canadian Embassy, the Government of Alberta and TransCanada among many other major oil and gas companies.
In 2012, the Council listed “Approval of the Keystone XL pipeline that would bring Canadian crude oil to the U.S. gulf refineries” in its top ten ‘list of issues.’
The Council’s Washington offices are located inside a major law and lobbing firm, McKenna, Long & Aldridge, LLP, that represents TransCanada’s Keystone XL project.
Andrew Shaw, who works for the Council, is also a registered lobbyist for the Keystone XL pipeline with KcKenna, Long & Aldridge. Shaw was hired by TransCanada to lobby on the topic of “permitting issues regarding the Keystone XL pipeline,” lobbying disclosure documents show.
According to further lobbyist documents, Shaw was also hired by the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Canada’s largest oil and gas lobby firm, to speak with members of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives about American environmental legislation or policies that might have implications on the development of Canada’s tar sands.
TransCanada spends millions on US lobbying
A recent white paper report released by DeSmog Canada shows TransCanada has spent $2.78 million on in-company lobbyists and $1.26 million on U.S. based lobby firms, including McKenna, Long & Aldridge, since 2010.
The white paper also shows that since 2010-2011 the Harper Government’s spending of taxpayer funds to promote the tar sands and Canada’s environmental performance has increased by 7000 percent with plans to further increase in the 2013-2014 year.
BURNABY, B.C. – Greenpeace protesters have set up a blockade at the Kinder Morgan oil pumping facility in Burnaby, B.C.
Spokesman Peter Louwe says two protesters have climbed onto the oil pumping mechanism and 14 other demonstrators are also on the scene and have unfurled a banner.
Louwe says the action began at around 7 a.m. and the protesters intend to stay until they have sent a message to Prime Minister Stephen Harper that expansion of oil pipelines is not acceptable.
The Kinder Morgan facility is the west coast terminus of the Trans Mountain pipeline that carries Alberta bitumen from the Edmonton area, across southern British Columbia to port just east of Vancouver in Burrard Inlet, for shipment overseas.
Kinder Morgan has applied to expand the pipeline to nearly triple its capacity from 300,000 barrels a day to 890,000.
