"We're here to save the Salish Sea!"
Salt Springers came out to protest against the Trans Mountain Pipeline on March 23 as part of a day of action. The protest was in solidarity with the over 175 activists who were arrested at the Kinder Morgan construction site in Burnaby.
The group met in Centennial park at noon, and marched through town chanting "Stop Kinder Morgan." At the end of the march those interested could sign up for details on how to get rides to the Burnaby site over the weekend. The end of the march coincided with other Salt Springers' and Green Party leader Elizabeth May's arrest at the construction site.
Today’s protest is part of a long string of action that goes back years — and in First Nations cases generations — trying to keep oil off of our coast, trying to protect resident orca whales that many many biologists, scientists and regular folk have been involved in for their entire working lives.
- Andrea Palframan
The pipeline, which runs between Edmonton and Burnaby, received federal approval in 2016, but many people are against its construction. The B.C. government has been vocal in its opposition to the project, there have been rallies across the country in solidarity with Burnaby.
Salt Spring Island is the best place to organize because people always show up. They show up not just with numbers, but with incredibly creative and thoughful signs, sentiments and a desire to take action.
- Andrea Palframan
Its about saying yes to a healthy economy thats based in tourism and that depends on a clean coast and an ecosystem that has integrity. It depends on reconciliation with indigenous people so that the spirit and culture of this place is one of inter-cooperation and not colonial oppression. We’re moving into a new era and today was part of the paddling that we all must do.
- Andrea Palframan
Credits:
Marc Kitteringham / Driftwood Staff