Setting the tone of discontent against a proposed pipeline project, more than 2,200 protesters packed the parking lot of the Comox Recreation Centre Saturday afternoon.
Braving chilly weather, people from across Vancouver Island gathered to voice their opinions with signs, chants, songs, dance and speeches outside, while inside the centre, a review panel continued to listen to oral hearings from residents on the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project.
"This turnout here is very exciting for us, because we're all supporting the same cause," said Andy Everson of the K'贸moks First Nation who addressed the large crowd.
"I know me and my brothers and sisters and aunties, we're all here to support our northern brothers for what they're going through and the way they're being treated by the government, by these big corporations. We really need to stand together, shoulder to shoulder and speak up, and want to send our message, our song, our words to the people in Ottawa, to the people in those big corporations, who really want to take over our territory that we've never given up."
The Enbridge Northern Gateway Project is a proposed two-pipeline system 1,170 km long, stretching from Bruderheim, AB (north of Edmonton) to a marine terminal in Kitimat, B.C.
A strong police presence surrounded both inside and outside the centre, as the the two-day session which began Friday of the joint review panel 鈥� an independent body that will assess the environmental effects of the project 鈥� listened to more than 40 oral statements.
"I feel very fortunate to be able to live so close to the ocean and see the beauty of it everyday. I don't want to wake up one morning and look out my window that all of that beautiful blue water and everything in it has been drenched in thick, black oil," said 11-year-old Brooklyn Elementary School student Jack Mingue Saturday afternoon, the youngest presenter at the hearing.
"Enbridge has had 804 spills in the past 11 years. Can they guarantee us that one of those supertankers are not going to make 805? I just know that this is not the right thing to do, and there has got to be a better way to make Canada more economically developed," he added to a reception of applause from the standing-room only crowd inside.
Jack Rosen, an adventure company owner and experienced kayak tour guide from Salt Spring Island who represented the Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of British Columbia, explained to the panel the pipeline would be severely detrimental to not only the tourism industry, but the health of the marine ecosystem.
"I've led kayak expeditions from Salt Spring to Alaska twice. I know these waters of the Great Bear Rainforest well. They are extreme, they are pristine, and they exude wildlife. These waters are the essence of British Columbia and its cultural heritage," he explained.
"A bitumen spill would cause massive repercussions to the coast, which in effect, would affect the livelihood of so many who depend on these waters. As a person who evaluates risk everyday in my job, I want to stress from my viewpoint and those 800 sea kayakers who I represent, the inherent risk of this pipeline is not worth the devastating consequences of one spill," added Rosen.
Enbridge president John Carruthers told media Friday the hearings provide an opportunity for the public to better understand the project and have the chance for their concerns to be heard.
"This is another forum for them to learn about the project and have their key issues addressed. We find the more people know about the project, the more those key questions are addressed, and people can be more supportive of it, the more they know about it," he said.
"They do have very valid concerns that we have to address, and part of that is through education. Explaining what's different then what's happened historically, what we're doing, what we're doing over and above regulation, and what's been done in the past. Generally everything that's been done in the past has been done very well and very safely. There is just better information which reduces the anxiety people have," he added.
Carruthers explained there have been cases where Enbridge has changed routing in regards to public concern or have addressed them specially. He added he understands people are concerned about the marine environment.
"I think people need to understand this is an opportunity for people to provide their information to the board so they can consider it in terms of making their final decision about the project," he said.
Outside the hearing, Fanny Bay residents Don and Jaye Casteden said it was important to participate in the rally and were pleased with the amount of people who showed solidarity against the project.
"This pipeline is going to cross thousands of rivers and streams, and through weather that is going to be very very hot to temperatures that are going to be in the minus 40s. This company has had oil spills, many, many hundreds of oil spills," said Jaye. "They say there isn't going to be any risk, but there is no reason for us to believe that, because they've already had spills, and why won't they have another at some point?"
She added although there will be a fair number of jobs in the first three years of building the pipeline, they will certainly be reduced following construction.
"My concern there is that there could be many jobs that could be destroyed by an oil tanker spill. These jobs are only sporadic ... I think jobs are a concern to Canadians; we need green projects to make jobs available to Canadians."
Don explained he felt government and corporations need to explore innovative ways to create jobs through technology, not oil.
"When you think about jobs, they've got no imagination. They could be creating all kinds of new technologies, alternative energy. Other places such as Germany, even China are way ahead of us. We're just sitting around plucking the easy money from oil and resources."
