Battle Against Using Enbridge Pipeline To Carry Tar Sand Poisons Through Great Lakes Region Not Over

News from Catch, the Hamilton, Ontario-based group called Citizens at City Hall

(A brief foreword note to this news from Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper – Although handpicked stooges for the Harper Government, through the rubber stamping federal Energy Board, has given its approval to this, let’s continue to put pressure on the new majority Ontario government of Kathleen Wynne applies a full environmental assessment review, at the provincial level, to this plan to pipe this toxic crud from Alberta’s tar sands through our Great Lakes region.

The Great Lakes are a source of drinking water for tens of millions of Canadians and Americans, and as a fishery, recreational and tourist draw – let alone a habitat for countless species of wildlife – are vital to the health and economies of Ontario and several U.S. states that surround them. A pipeline project that could pose a significant risk to the Great Lakes should not be decided by a Harper government with an open record of gutting environmental protection efforts at the behest of its tar sands.

 Residents across Great Lakes region must not allow Harper’s pro-tar, anti-environment government to have the final say on piping this toxic material through one of the world’s largest, life-sustaining sources of fresh water.)

A Line 9 worksite occupation launched this past July 17^th is only the latest challenge to Enbridge’s plans to expand the flow in its Sarnia to Montreal pipeline and begin shipping diluted bitumen from the Alberta tar sands.

There was a similar action earlier this week in Etobicoke, and the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation has won the right to appeal the March National Energy Board decision that had seemed to clear the way for the controversial project.

And in a further blow to Enbridge’s potential bitumen export plans through an ocean port in Maine, massive public intervention has convinced the South Portland city council to block tar sands passage through that city. On July 9, the council voted 6-1 to “prohibit loading crude oil, including tar sands, in bulk onto marine tank vessels and would block construction or expansion of terminals and other facilities for that purpose” at a meeting attended by nearly 500 people. A ratification vote is scheduled for July 21.

This morning individuals from Six Nations and others occupied an Enbridge Line 9 worksite near Cambridge located on Haudenosaunee territory guaranteed under the Haldimand deed. A media release from the group says they intend to operate “an action camp” and provide teach-ins on Six Nations history, indigenous solidarity and direct action methods.

“This isn’t just about line 9 – or Northern Gateway, Energy East or Keystone XL. This is about pipelines – all of them.” Danielle Boissineau, of Turtle Clan, states in the release. “This is about the tar sands and how destructive they are to expand, extract and transport.”

This map shows planned tar sands pipe route from its northern Alberta point of origin, through Great Lakes region to parts in northeastern United States.

The Chippewas of the Thames First Nation note that Line 9 “crosses the Thames River … that runs through the Chippewas traditional territory and provides a source of drinking water to the First Nation. Their appeal is based on the failure of the federal government to consult with the First Nation, something the Chippewas argue is being done with some western Canada pipelines.

“We know that there is a lot of public debate about oil pipelines because we are beginning to see that the old ways of doing business are no longer acceptable because of issues like global climate change and species extinction,” said Chief Miskokomon. “Our elders have taught us that when we don’t respect Mother Earth our actions will come back to us”.

The director of lands and environment for the First Nation said aboriginal people in Ontario also have concerns about the Energy East pipeline proposed by Trans Canada. That project runs from Alberta to New Brunswick, partly via an existing natural gas pipe and partly requiring new construction. Like other attempts to ship bitumen to an ocean port, it is facing extensive opposition and controversy.

In an echo of Enbridge’s actions in Hamilton and elsewhere along Line 9, it has been revealed that Trans Canada has given $30,000 to one of the Ontario towns in the path of its pipeline in return for a promise that the town will not comment on Energy East. Enbridge handed out monies along Line 9 to municipal governments and police forces including nearly $45,000 to the Hamilton police department.

The grant to Mattawa came with a written agreement that stated “the Town of Mattawa will not publicly comment on TransCanada’s operations or business projects.” The Toronto Star exposed the gag clause in early July, and after Avaaz gathered 30,000 signatures against it, the town council removed the clause earlier this week.

It has never been revealed if there were conditions attached to the Hamilton grants from Enbridge, but the Hamilton 350 Committee is continuing to seek provincial intervention to block the police from accepting corporate donations.

The limits on public involvement and the restricted list of issues that were imposed by the NEB on the Line 9 case are also being appealed by Forest Ethics in a case that’s expected to go before the Federal Court of Appeal in October. 

CATCH (Citizens at City Hall) is a volunteer community group that encourages civic participation in Hamilton. Our members attend and report on meetings of city councillors and other City committees, and carry out related research and activities.

For more on CATCH, visit the group’s online site at http://hamiltoncatch.org/index.php .

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