This march is part of the ‘Hands Across The Water’ events held in June along the proposed tar sands Energy East pipeline route in New Brunswick. This event is organized by the Fredericton chapter of the Council of Canadians.
Council of Canadians
March over the Nashwaak River to highlight the secrecy & risks of the Energy East tar sands pipeline project
FREDERICTON, N.B. – A march will be held on Saturday, June 10th in Fredericton across the Nashwaak River, 1:00pm-1:45pm. Starting at 1:00pm, people will meet at the gravel parking area beside 955 Union Street (borders the Nashwaak River and is just below the overpass of the Walking Train Bridge), and then march across the trail bridge over the Nashwaak River.
This march is part of the ‘Hands Across The Water’ events held in June along the proposed tar sands Energy East pipeline route in New Brunswick. This event is organized by the Fredericton chapter of the Council of Canadians.
“New Brunswick and Indigenous communities have been left in the dark about the route and the risks of the Energy East tar sands pipeline project,” says Mark D’Arcy with the Council of Canadians – Fredericton chapter. “Since 2014, there have been no public meetings (except one in Edmundston over the pipeline risk to their drinking water), no Provincial Environmental Impact Assessment, no community notices along the pipeline route, and no readable maps.”
“Since 2015, both the City of Fredericton and the Council of Canadians – Fredericton chapter have asked TransCanada to hold a public meeting for Fredericton residents and conduct a spill modelling study of a tar sands bitumen pipeline spill into the Nashwaak River,” says Mark D’Arcy. “We are still waiting two (2) years later.”
“There are 3 tributaries crossed by the pipeline at the head of the Nashwaak River,” says Jean Louis Deveau, Chair of the Council of Canadians – Fredericton chapter. “A spill into any one of these in the middle of the night could go undetected, spreading quickly down the entire stretch of the Nashwaak River to Fredericton. There is no current technology that allows the tar sands bitumen to be captured by booms, and fully cleaned up from the bottom sediment where it sticks aggressively, as documented in the catastrophic spills in the North Saskatchewan River in 2016 and the Kalamazoo River in 2010.”
“The risks and consequences of a tar sands bitumen spill are simply too great for our watersheds and our homes,” says Mark D’Arcy. “More than 380 waterways in New Brunswick would be crossed by the Energy East pipeline. If you live close to a stream, river, or bay where a bitumen spill would spread (releasing life-threatening toxic gas requiring immediate evacuation), the installation of early-warning air sirens, a 1.6km Emergency Evacuation Zone for all residents, and lowered property resale values would become the new reality for your home, cottage, or farm.”
“Considering the size and risk of the project, the lack of readable maps available to public and communities along the proposed pipeline route in New Brunswick is a travesty to the National Energy Board’s stated mandate that the review process be “fair, transparent and respectful”, says Mark D’Arcy. “Our communities deserve online maps that are understandable and easy to read. These maps are contrasted by the easy-to-read and understandable maps, as well as a zoomable map on their website, provided by Kinder Morgan for their Trans Mountain Project on the west coast.”
“And it is important to show our solidarity with the Wolastoqewiyik (Maliseet People), since the Energy East pipeline would cut across the entire length of their ancestral territory, a territory based on the watershed boundaries of the St. John River Basin,” says Jean Louis Deveau. “The Wolastoq Grand Council held a press conference in Fredericton on January 29, 2016 to announce they were opposed to the Energy East pipeline.”
“Right here at this location we are reminded of two recent events that give us grave concern about the ability of our province to regulate this pipeline properly and protect our waterways,” says Jean Louis Deveau. “First, Irving Oil, a partner with TransCanada in the Energy East project, was not ordered to clean up their property directly across Union Street after they removed their oil storage tanks in 2003. As reported by CBC New Brunswick, the Department of Environment and Local Government refused to discuss the soil contamination citing “it is protected under the Privacy Act.”
“Second, the failure to insist that the proposed Sisson Brook be developed as a dry mine, and to insist on large bonds up front for cleanup, compensation, and reclamation,” says Jean Louis Deveau. “The integrity of the Sission Brook tailings pond, located at the head waters of the Nashwaak River, has to be maintained forever; it is important to remember that the Mount Polley tailings pond was only 20 years old when it had the catastrophic failure. Instead of the proposed $50 million reclamation bond, the Province of New Brunswick should insist on a mine reclamation bond of at least $750 million which would cover the cost of dealing with the open pit mine and treating the tailings pond with a wastewater treatment plant.”
“It’s our future too”, says Tina Oh, a recent recipient of the Starfish ‘Canada’s Top 25 Environmentalists Under 25’. “Canada will be unable to meet our greenhouse gas climate targets for 2030 if we build these tar sands pipelines. Young people, your children, don’t want runaway climate change. We don’t want survival. We deserve more than that. We want our future to include a clean & just transition for workers & communities.”
Tina Oh and friends from Mount Allison University have started a social media campaign to show support for these anti-Energy East events this month. They are asking people to post a photo of yourself or with friends with a sheet of paper(s) saying ‘the future I want includes’….” #HandsAcrossTheWater
“We prefer that we move into the direction of alternative energy – something that sustains life, not destroys it”, says Clanmother Alma Brooks. ” There’s a worldwide movement happening. Renewables are now cheaper than fossil fuels so there is no reason to delay.”
The final Hands Across The Water event is on Saturday, June 17th in Red Head (Saint John). Starting at 1:00pm, the 2nd ‘March to the End of the Line’ starts at the intersection of Red Head Road and Hewitt Road, the parade takes ~ 30 minutes, and arrives at Anthony’s Cove Road for a picnic on the shore of the Bay of Fundy. This family event ends at 4:00pm. This event is organized by Red Head Anthony’s Cove Preservation Association.
Council of Canadians challenging TPP at “consultations” in Saint John today
Council of Canadians challenging TPP at “consultations” in Saint John today
Monday, September 26, 201
WHAT: The Council of Canadians Saint John chapter is challenging the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) at the local hearing today. The Council is available for comment on the controversial corporate rights pact.
WHO: Leticia Adair and Paula Tippett, Saint John chapter, Council of Canadians
WHEN: 10:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., Monday, September 26, 2016.
WHERE: Marco Polo Room, Hilton Saint John Hotel, 1 Market Square. Saint John, New Brunswick.
WHY:
“As the Parliamentary committee moves through the country, more and more people are discovering what Nobel Economist Joseph Stiglitz calls the ‘worst trade deal ever’. In fact, all U.S. presidential candidates are opposing the TPP,” says says Sujata Dey, Trade Campaigner with the Council of Canadians. “We don’t want this deal which would destroy 58,000 jobs, give more rights to corporations, and put our environment and health at risk.”
Mi’kmaq Walk for the Water starts September 16, 9 am: at the Kouchibouguac River and Hwy 11
Starting September 16 and continuing to September 24, walkers concerned about protecting the water will cover a distance of almost 80 kilometers in central Kent County, New Brunswick, crossing thirty rivers, streams, wetlands (swamps), and ponds. The route is shown on this map.
Overleaf is more logistical information, including details on daily stop/start locations.
The organizing group is Kopit Lodge at Elsipogtog First Nation (EFN). “Kopit” means “beaver” and the mission of the Lodge is to protect the water. EFN has mandated Kopit Lodge with the responsibility to speak for the community on industrial proposals and protection of the environment.
In Mi’kmaq culture, women have special responsibilities to care for the water. Serena Francis, a retired educator and a founding member of Kopit Lodge, says she is “simply fulfilling my responsibility as a protector of water. Water is my life blood. It connects my ancestors with my children. Water ways give me peace when my life is in turmoil. By organizing this Walk I feel Creation will know I have not forgotten my responsibilities to the water.”
The Walk is supported by the Kent County NB Chapter of the Council of Canadians. Chapter chairperson Ann Pohl says, “When we were protecting our area from getting fracked, we saw how strong we can be when we all stand together. It was a tough fight, and I hope walking together will re-energize people. We are on the verge of bringing our planet earth to an ecoapocalypse. It is so important it is to take action for the sake of all life, and water is life.”
This is the second Walk for the Water in Mi’kma’ki in 2016. There are seven districts in Mi’kma’ki, which cover from Cape Breton to the Gaspe peninsula, including Prince Edward Island. The June 2016 walk was in Sipekne’katik District, in central/west Nova Scotia. Organizers hope to have a Walk for the Water in each district in coming months.
Dorene Bernard will be a honoured guest on September 16th, the first day of this walk in Sikniktuk District, which includes Kent County. Ms. Bernard initiated these Water Walks in Mi’kma’ki, which has never been ceded. She has been centrally involved in a grassroots campaign to protect the Shubenacadie and Stewiacke rivers from the harm of concentrated salt brine. Alton Gas plans to clean out and repurpose salt caverns, in order to have a storage area for their excess fracked gas.
Mi’kmaq opposition to the Alton Gas plan has been gaining momentum in recent weeks.
LOGISTICAL DETAILS FOR KOPIT LODGE’S WALK FOR THE WATER
Friday September 16th, and each morning after that up to the 24th, we will gather at 9 am to walk. The points of assembly are shown on the map, but here is more information:
- Friday 16: Kouchibouguac River where it crosses 134/11 near the Park, in the church parking lot
- Saturday 17: at the bridge over the Kouchibouguacis River in Saint Louis-de-Kent
- Sunday 18: where Rte 134 crosses the St. Charles River
- Monday 19: at the water by the Tim Hortons in Richibucto, right near the ramp onto the Hwy 11
- Tuesday 20: outside Rexton, going south/west on Rte 495
- Wednesday 21: near junction of Rte’s 470 and 510 in Mundleville
- Thursday 22: in Targettville on Rte 510, a ways east of the Targettville Rec Centre
- Friday 23: Brownsyard Bridge, on Rte. 490, where it crosses the Main (Richibucto) River (near Fords Mills and Bass River)
- Saturday 24: Bass River Point Rd near Shipyard Lane (just 5.5 km to bridge over River on Graham Road — then we are off to a feast in the community)
Everyone is welcome to join the small core group who are committed to completing the Walk. People from the area as well as surrounding provinces are already planning to take part.
We are walking for 9 days, an average of 7.5 km each day. We will be stopping at all of the 30 streams, ponds, rivers and wetlands we cross. A Walker will offer a prayer or a reflection at each waterway, in Respect and Gratitude to the Water. Walkers are also invited to collect and label a small vial of water from a natural water source you love and respect, so we can add it to the Ceremonial Copper Water Pot.
When we arrive at our stop for each day, we will post a sign like this one.
This will show our start point for the next day.
More info is on this FB page.
We need to realize how important it is to take action to preserve our world. We need to realize how important it is to take action to preserve our world. We need to realize how important it is to take action to preserve our world.
The people of New Brunswick want to protect their forests
The group EcoVie of Restigouche West want to greatly thank the people of New Brunswick for their support during the peaceful plan of action, better known as “The Happy Campers.”
«We are very pleased with the impact and attention we received to inform people of the spraying problem of herbicides in our province», says André Potvin, EcoVie member.
Our work in the forest is now completed for this year since we have been advised that spraying of the forest in this region by the Acadian Timber company is now completed.
«We achieved our goal of attracting the media and informing the NB public of the dangers associated with this practice. We set out to increase public awareness and promote the impact of our cause», states François Couturier, a strong supporter of EcoVie.
We have learned a lot from this experience. There is a definite problem with the use of signs indicating the date of application. This does not give a precise date, only the beginning of the spraying operations. This puts anyone who happens to be in the forest at risk. «The issue for poor signage was raised by the Council of Canadians in Kent County last year to Dr. Cleary. Dr. Russell, who is replacing her, has not yet addressed this issue», stated Ann Pohl.
As a group, we have observed that this is a very busy season for blueberry and raspberry pickers, and eventually hazelnut harvesting. And we must remember that wildlife cannot read signs…
Our group beleives more then ever that we must continue to apply pressure to our government to stop spraying herbicides in our forests and under NB Power lines.
The Left Eye 