Have the LNG gas line protesters got your attention? They鈥檝e got mine, and they鈥檝e got the attention of our whole country, not only by inconveniencing us, but by effecting the economic livelihood of thousands of workers.聽
Protesters across the country say they stand in solidarity with the Wet鈥檚uwet鈥檈n hereditary chiefs who oppose the LNG pipeline going through their unseeded lands. They don鈥檛 mince words, they plan to shut down Canada, and so far they are succeeding.
Earlier this month access to Deltaport was successfully shut down for close to 40 hours by a group called the Red Braid Alliance for Decolonization. They handed out pamphlets to truck drivers and 14 members were arrested by Delta police as they enforced a Supreme Court injunction.聽
I鈥檝e never heard of the Red Braid Alliance and I bet you haven鈥檛 either, but we can鈥檛 dismiss groups like this anymore, they are effectively fuelling civil disobedience and it has repercussions for all of us. Our national railway has been shut down for more than 12 days and our ports are clogged on both sides of the country.
There鈥檚 something happening in our cities and in our rural communities. People are angry and they don鈥檛 give a dam who they hurt. You don鈥檛 have to be Aboriginal to feel the neglect and hurt First Nations have suffered for decades. This column is not long enough to list all the injustices, and reconciliation is long overdue.聽
The origins of this conflict has been brewing for some time. Canadians of all demographics are challenging the status quo, the establishment and the politicians who pit economics versus the environment.聽
Not all the protesters are educated on the Wet鈥檚uwet鈥檈n chiefs complaints. Some people on the front lines don鈥檛 know the difference between a band council and a hereditary chief. They don鈥檛 even know what鈥檚 in the LNG pipeline, is it natural gas or crude oil, it doesn鈥檛 seem to matter.
So who鈥檚 inspired to show up and protest?
Outgoing Conservative party leader Andrew Sheer says protesters need to, 鈥淐heck their privilege.鈥� He suggests only the few have time on their hands to protest, in reality most protesters are far from privileged. Protesters feel disenfranchised from modern society, with varying agendas like climate change, saving the whales, GMO鈥檚 in our food, or women鈥檚 rights. They stand in solidarity with anyone they believe is suffering from injustice. This is a potent cocktail for civil unrest, we better get used to it, some of our young people are very angry.聽
Meanwhile I sit on the sidelines waiting to see what our politicians will do, because we elected them to deal with highly complicated issues. Even if my only role is as conscientious observer I won鈥檛 be distracted by other world issues like the coronavirus or the U.S. election campaign. I am present.
For protesters, for police, for politicians and for all of us this is a historic moment, don鈥檛 dismiss it. Let鈥檚 listen, learn and hope for a peaceful and satisfactory end to this current unrest, we all deserve a harmonious homeland. 聽
Ingrid Abbott is a freelance broadcaster and writer who has adjusted her driving route twice due to protests, she will be listening to AM 730 Vancouver鈥檚 traffic station from now on.
