Indigenous leaders, protesters gather in Vancouver to oppose Trans Mountain pipeline
Posted April 9, 2022 6:07 pm.
Last Updated April 9, 2022 6:08 pm.
Protesters against the federally-owned Trans Mountain pipeline gathered outside the Vancouver Art Gallery on Saturday to show the government and investors that opposition to the project is still strong and they believe funding it would be a “risky investment.”
Signs that read “Don’t fund the Trans Mountain,” “Protect the Ocean” and “Protect the Land” littered the square in front of the gallery where a few hundred people gathered.
Rally planners from the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation’s Sacred Trust Initiative say this marked the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began that Indigenous leaders have come together to publicly oppose the pipeline.
#StopTMX pipeline rally with Tsleil-Waututh Nation Sacred Trust in downtown #Vancouver raising our voices for #ClimateJustice! @tsleilwaututh #ClimateCrisis #ClimateAction #ClimateEmergency #ClimateActionNow #vanpoli #bcpoli #canpoli #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/C6LMZvoPvG
— Climate Convergence (@climate604) April 9, 2022
Rueben George, manager of the Sacred Trust Initiative, says the pandemic restricted gatherings and hindered their outreach, but that the rally will lift spirits and signal the start of more events and public outreach.
The federal government said in February that no more public money would go toward the pipeline as its new projected price tag increased to $21.4 billion.
George says the project now relies on funding from investors and the group hopes to send the message that it is a “stranded asset” and should not be built.
