Call to Action – DefendOurCoast.ca
B.C. Premier Christy Clark is talking about putting a price on the west coast. The view is that for enough money we should ignore the voices of over 100 First Nations and put communities throughout B.C. and our environment at risk to the on-going threats tar sands tankers and pipelines would pose.
Prime Minister Harper has spent the last year silencing the voices of opposition by gutting environmental protection, cancelling more than 3,000 safety assessments of industrial projects and attacking Canadians who care about environmental values. By pushing these tar sands pipeline projects Prime Minister Harper is pushing us further into a growing climate crisis. Together we must tell the B.C. and Federal government that the protection of the west coast is not up for discussion and Canada’s coast is not for sale!
Last year, thousands of people risked arrest in Washington D.C. to stand up against the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline. Here in Canada, hundreds more took action in Ottawa on Parliament Hill. Now it’s time to speak for the coast.
This October, we are asking you to come to Victoria to participate in the largest act of peaceful civil disobedience on the climate issue that Canada has ever seen.
Be a part of protecting the beautiful West Coast and steering the Canadian economy away from the toxic tar sands industry. Together we will forge the future we all want and need to live in.
If a record number of us participate in this historic act of peaceful civil disobedience we can make a difference.
- What do you want?
We want the B.C. and Federal government to listen to the majority of people in B.C., growing numbers across Canada, dozens of municipalities, and the over 100 First Nations who all say no to tar sands tankers and pipelines on Canada’s west coast. We also want the Federal government to respect First Nations people’s internationally enshrined right to free, prior, and informed consent. - Why civil disobedience?
The number of people speaking out against the threats of tar sands tankers and pipelines is growing. First Nations, individuals, environmental and community groups have signed letters, written petitions, lobbied politicians, held educational events, and organized rallies and protests.Despite the escalating public pressure, Prime Minister Harper has proceeded to gut the Fisheries Act, re-write Canada’s environmental legislation and try to silence the voices of opposition. British Columbia’s Premier Christy Clark has also ignored the mounting voices and instead, publicly stated she would consider allowing the Northern Gateway Pipeline for the right price.These disappointing responses from our elected leaders continue as our world plunges deeper into a global climate crisis.Throughout history, from the suffragette movement to Clayoquot sound, to the mass mobilization against the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline in Washington D.C., the use of peaceful civil disobedience has been the great counterbalance to environmental and social justice attacks.
We are living in a tipping point moment: the moment in history when we have the capacity, responsibility and opportunity to re-envision the world. It is now time for us to respond in a way that shows the urgency of the situation and clearly states that the health of our coast and the stability of our climate are not for sale at any price.
- When is it?
The action will take place on October 22nd. Anyone who wants to participate in the day of action is required to attend a one-day training session in Victoria on October 21st, 2012.
14 Responses to “Defend Our Coast – October 22, 2012”
Inquiring about this training session. “Anyone who wants to participate in the day of action is REQUIRED to attend…” ?
Not to be overly critical, (I am very much excited about and looking forward too this event), but this language sounds a quite exclusionary. I understand and support the idea of civil disobedience training sessions, (education of social activists is obviously a crucial part of the struggle for change, and I do intend to participate in this training session), but is it really a necessary requirement for attending the main event?
Realistically, not everyone who wants to participate will attend the training session, either because they can’t, or frankly they dont want to for any number of reasons.
Claiming the training session as a requirement may deter or marginalize some of these individuals, which would ultimately have a negative effect on the turnout, and sense of community within the larger anti-enbridge movement.
Just a thought.
I would guess the semi strong language is to try and bolster turnout to the training because organized protest is effective protest. I’m sure enough people will be attending the info session the day before that they’ll be able to catch you up on any pertinent details when you arrive.
The People United can Never be Defeated!
They would like those particpating in the act of civil disobediance to attend the session – but ANYONE is welcome to be there that day, for example children are also welcome.
“The action on Monday, October 22nd will be an act of peaceful civil disobedience meaning that arrest is a possibility. We will have a legal analysis that we will send out to everyone soon so you know exactly what the legal risks are and will have lawyers available to answer your questions and help mount any defense should this be needed. If you are planning to participate in this component of the action we are asking everyone attend an all-day training session on Sunday October 21st. We will give you full details on the training session in coming weeks but for now we encourage everyone to plan to be there.
That said anyone who is not comfortable taking part in the arrestable part of the action is still invited to join us in solidarity and rally on the lawn of the legislature that day. Families and friends of all ages are welcome to the BC legislature to support the action and defend our coast. ”
Thats makes it more clear doesn’t it?
I,like many others will be coming from out of town and although I do think the idea of training is a good one, cannot attend. It would be useful to have a short training on the day of, so those coming for the action from other places can be brought up to date with the expectations. Those expectations should also be announced before the demonstration as a reminder.
It seems to me that there was a statement somewhere else, that only those planning to place themselves in a position of civil disobediance needed to have the training and that others would still be encoouraged to demonstrate. I hope that this is so, as we need huge numbers of people to make this a success
Exactly Jo, only those participating in the civil disobediance need to attend the training and the training is really just to be sure people have an idea what the plan is etc, how to deal with legalities of arrest etc., if people can’t attend it I dont think they are stopped from the civil disobediance aspect but the training info would be valuable especially if they have not participated in civil disobediance before. They are phoning everyone who has said they are taking part and thats how I got that info
Tho of course I do see it says the training is “required”….
Your website is screwed up. Sabotage???!
Maybe a training webinar for those who can’t be there on the 21st?
I had understood that this event was a demonstration of protest and not an act of civil disobedience and I would like to go as I understood it. I am afraid that the fact that it is civil disobedience might narrow down the number of participants considerably.
Civil Disobedience is a personal choice, no one is going to force you to do anything you dont want to do, the training the day before is to address any concerns or questions you may have regarding the differences between organized protest and organized civil disobedience.
If you believe in defending our coast then to be it is hardly a question of whether to show up or not regardless how you feel about other citizens tactics. We unite on our common ground not our consensus.
Does anyone know about buses that might be chartered for this occasion? I am in Vancouver and would prefer to do this by bus as opposed to going to Victoria on my own.
There is some organizing on FB for a bus, as of Oct. 15
It seems to me 2 coinciding and supporting events are happening Oct. 22. An act of civil disobedience – and people should be aware of legal consequences and have some training or have enough experience they just need the details of the act. Another part of Oct. 22 is a rally on the Ledge that is family friendly. The rally on the Ledge open to all supporting the cause needs to have a defined time range. People not into a sit-in or an occupy will only be out supporting a cause for 4 or 5 hours in a day, so I think it would be best to have the rally planned for a time where it would be supporting not hampering the civil disobedience part of the day.
The rally is just for one hour, 11 til noon and then anyone not risking arrest needs to clear out.
October 22nd
11:00 am
Everyone meets at the B.C. Legislature
Speakers and peaceful non-arrestable rally.
12:00 pm
Action begins. Clear areas for people who wish to risk arrest and those that do not will be identified. The nature of the action will change based on police and legislature response. Because of this an exact end time is difficult to pinpoint. The on-site coordination team will ensure a safe and united conclusion for all participants in this demonstration of the breadth and depth of commitment people have to Defending Our Coast from tar sands pipelines and tankers.