SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Photo: Stephen Boyle/cc/flickr
Northern Gateway Approved: Canada's Harper Gives Federal OK to 'Bloodline of Tar Sands'
"The gauntlet's being thrown down," say activists, who vow continued opposition.
Jun 17, 2014
In the face of widespread opposition, Canada's federal government on Tuesday gave the OK to Enbridge's Northern Gateway tar sands pipeline.
The nearly 1,200-kilometer pipeline would carry tar sands crude from Alberta to Kitimat, British Columbia.
CBC News reports that the project is "subject to 209 conditions recommended by the National Energy Board and further talks with aboriginal communities."
The project has been fiercely opposed, and First Nations communities have vowed to stop the project, regardless of federal approval.
"Stopping the Northern Gateway pipeline is one of the most important fights we have right now," Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians, said in a statement.
"Pipelines are the bloodlines of the tar sands. If we allow Northern Gateway to go ahead, it will mean a massive expansion of the tar sands, more harm to the land, water and climate, and yet another delay for the clean energy future we need," Barlow stated.
Leila Darwish, Pacific Regional Organizer with the group, highlighted the "solid wall of opposition" the pipeline faces.
"From the streets to the courts, the battle has just begun - no pipelines, no tankers, and no means no," Darwish added.
That sentiment is echoed by Ben West, Tar Sands Campaign Director with ForestEthics Advocacy, who wrote Monday:
Northern Gateway is more than a pipeline. The Enbridge fight is emblematic of all we cherish as Canadians -- our democracy, our respect for First Nations' rights, our magnificent West Coast and vast forests, orcas, wild salmon and spirit bears.
The Harper government seems to want to risk the destruction of all of this. Harper may think he can ram this pipeline through over the B.C. public's objections and in opposition to the rights of First Nations. But if he goes ahead and approves Enbridge, he'll be in a for a big surprise. We still hold many tools here in B.C. to stop this pipeline, and we'll use every tool we need.
Harper's announcement on this pipeline is not the decisive moment, but it is a galvanizing one. If things go as expected, the gauntlet's being thrown down. Now it's up to us to respond.
_________________________
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
In the face of widespread opposition, Canada's federal government on Tuesday gave the OK to Enbridge's Northern Gateway tar sands pipeline.
The nearly 1,200-kilometer pipeline would carry tar sands crude from Alberta to Kitimat, British Columbia.
CBC News reports that the project is "subject to 209 conditions recommended by the National Energy Board and further talks with aboriginal communities."
The project has been fiercely opposed, and First Nations communities have vowed to stop the project, regardless of federal approval.
"Stopping the Northern Gateway pipeline is one of the most important fights we have right now," Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians, said in a statement.
"Pipelines are the bloodlines of the tar sands. If we allow Northern Gateway to go ahead, it will mean a massive expansion of the tar sands, more harm to the land, water and climate, and yet another delay for the clean energy future we need," Barlow stated.
Leila Darwish, Pacific Regional Organizer with the group, highlighted the "solid wall of opposition" the pipeline faces.
"From the streets to the courts, the battle has just begun - no pipelines, no tankers, and no means no," Darwish added.
That sentiment is echoed by Ben West, Tar Sands Campaign Director with ForestEthics Advocacy, who wrote Monday:
Northern Gateway is more than a pipeline. The Enbridge fight is emblematic of all we cherish as Canadians -- our democracy, our respect for First Nations' rights, our magnificent West Coast and vast forests, orcas, wild salmon and spirit bears.
The Harper government seems to want to risk the destruction of all of this. Harper may think he can ram this pipeline through over the B.C. public's objections and in opposition to the rights of First Nations. But if he goes ahead and approves Enbridge, he'll be in a for a big surprise. We still hold many tools here in B.C. to stop this pipeline, and we'll use every tool we need.
Harper's announcement on this pipeline is not the decisive moment, but it is a galvanizing one. If things go as expected, the gauntlet's being thrown down. Now it's up to us to respond.
_________________________
In the face of widespread opposition, Canada's federal government on Tuesday gave the OK to Enbridge's Northern Gateway tar sands pipeline.
The nearly 1,200-kilometer pipeline would carry tar sands crude from Alberta to Kitimat, British Columbia.
CBC News reports that the project is "subject to 209 conditions recommended by the National Energy Board and further talks with aboriginal communities."
The project has been fiercely opposed, and First Nations communities have vowed to stop the project, regardless of federal approval.
"Stopping the Northern Gateway pipeline is one of the most important fights we have right now," Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians, said in a statement.
"Pipelines are the bloodlines of the tar sands. If we allow Northern Gateway to go ahead, it will mean a massive expansion of the tar sands, more harm to the land, water and climate, and yet another delay for the clean energy future we need," Barlow stated.
Leila Darwish, Pacific Regional Organizer with the group, highlighted the "solid wall of opposition" the pipeline faces.
"From the streets to the courts, the battle has just begun - no pipelines, no tankers, and no means no," Darwish added.
That sentiment is echoed by Ben West, Tar Sands Campaign Director with ForestEthics Advocacy, who wrote Monday:
Northern Gateway is more than a pipeline. The Enbridge fight is emblematic of all we cherish as Canadians -- our democracy, our respect for First Nations' rights, our magnificent West Coast and vast forests, orcas, wild salmon and spirit bears.
The Harper government seems to want to risk the destruction of all of this. Harper may think he can ram this pipeline through over the B.C. public's objections and in opposition to the rights of First Nations. But if he goes ahead and approves Enbridge, he'll be in a for a big surprise. We still hold many tools here in B.C. to stop this pipeline, and we'll use every tool we need.
Harper's announcement on this pipeline is not the decisive moment, but it is a galvanizing one. If things go as expected, the gauntlet's being thrown down. Now it's up to us to respond.
_________________________
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.