BC Hydro dropped off an impressive stack of paper yesterday claiming they are making an application for an injunction in B.C. Supreme Court to keep people who are protesting the Site C dam project from camping overnight at its Vancouver office at 333 Dunsmuir. So it is not an actual injunction even--just the threat of one. 

The camp has been operating 24 hours a day at the Dunsmuir Street building since it began on March 13, 

Hydro claims the camp 1) poses "health and safety risks" 2) "impedes emergency evacuation routes," and 3) camp members "are intimidating employees and passers by."

All of these claims are false. A fire marshall has inspected the site and cleared it. BC Hydro itself has blocked exits and removed door handles. The camp members are all polite and helpful to all passers by. 

So this is (another--similar to the Rocky Mtn Fort injunction) bullying measure trying to stifle the right to peceful protest and the truths about the Site C project that the camp are expressing.

The provincial context for the Rocky Mountain Fort camp and the Treaty 8 Stewards of the Land resistance to the controversial project includes the Lelu Island Declaration opposing Petronas and LNG development, the Unist’ot’en camp resisting TransCanada/Enbridge/Pacific Trail pipelines, the Secwepemc protest in the Mount Polley disaster aftermath, the Tahltan defence of the Sacred Headwaters against development on Klappan Mountain—all within the context of the legal rights and rightful occupation of traditional lands established in the Supreme Court of Canada’s 1997 Delgamuukw decision.

Read more. . . Links to full articles:

Northword articles - Campfire Sites of Decolonization

On the Wedzin Kwa

The Tricky Business of Protocol and Permission

- This is a crucial time to support Lelu Island in every way we can! On January 23rd, 2016, the nine allied tribes of Lax Kw'alaams signed the Lelu Island Declaration calling for protection of Lelu Island and Flora and Agnew Banks from corporate resource extraction for all time. The Declaration, also signed by Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, MLAs Jennifer Rice, Doug Donaldson, and Robin Austin, and MP Nathan Cullen, came about in response to continued attempts by Petronas and its North American branch, Pacific Northwest LNG, to begin work on a liquified fracked gas facility at Lelu.

- The federal government released its Draft Environmental Assessment for the project on Feb.11 - in spite of its lack of authority on traditional, unceded indigenous territory. On March 11th, the 30-day comment period for the assessment will end, and the Government will release its final decision on the project by March 22. The company has said they are ready to begin construction immediately. 

- In May 2015, the Lax Kw'allams people voted 100% NO to the LNG project, despite being offered $1.4 Billion from Petronas. Lax Kw'allams hereditary leaders have been occupying their territory since August to turn away contractors pushing the rejected project forward. 

"Our Traditional ways of life and the resources which have sustained our people are not to be pawns in the Christie Clark Government's LNG dreams. Development within our Traditional territories must have our Free, Prior and Informed consent. The people of Lax'walams spoke very clearly in their rejection of the 1.25 billion dollar offer from Petronas, and this camp builds upon that rejection. This issue is not just a First Nations issue but one that will affect all British Columbians, especially those who rely upon healthy and abundant Fish stocks, of a variety of species at the mouth of the Skeena River."

                        - Lax Kw'alaams Hereditary Chief Yahaan (Donald Wesley) 

"Construction crews on the Site C dam failed to adequately control sediment and runoff into the Peace River, potentially hurting fish populations, Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) investigators have found." See more at The Alaska Highway News

Prince Rupert Port authority demands Lelu Island Camp be dismantled. Although its 'authority' is questionable. See full story at The Northern Review