Exercise #4: Documentary Reflection

April 17, 2023 By: Alexis Begg - T00047868

Exercise #4: Documentary Reflection

 

The recent report on an environmental issue in my local hometown of Ladner, BC is the debate about the proposed expansion of the Delta Port. The port promises that it can mitigate the impacts of the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 expansion on endangered species like Chinook salmon and the southern resident killer whales [1]. Even given this promise, there are many scientists who argue that the port’s final plan still impacts more than 100 species of concern in the heart of the Fraser River estuary [1]. While the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, which is a federal Crown corporation, has been pushing for this project for more than a decade, scientists, First Nations, conservation groups, locals and even one of the port’s own tenants have vocally opposed the idea [1]. If built, the new terminal would require an artificial island about the size of 150 football fields in the heart of the Fraser River estuary. As someone who lives in Ladner and someone who has lived in Tsawwassen, I’m against the development of the Terminal 2 Port. I have hosted beach clean-ups along the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal, and I know from speaking with local ocean organizations that the current ferry terminal and terminal port already disturb the salmon and killer whale migration patterns. As of today, the two areas of artificial land that hold the ferry terminal and current port already add noise into the waterways which can impact killer whales’ communication abilities and their ability to find food. From reading articles, there seem to be far more negative impacts on wildlife than possible positive aspects.

 

When I thought about the coursework I wanted to connect the proposed expansion of the Delta Port to the documentary “If a Tree Falls” by Marshall Curry came to mind. In the documentary, there were examples of groups of people that demonstrated radical measures to try and get attention for environmental conservation. I don’t think that the documentary’s kind of civil disobedience would make a positive impact that the local people, me included, would hope to end the proposal of the Delta Port. An example of civil disobedience that caught global attention was the anti-logging protest that became Canada’s biggest-ever act of civil disobedience [2]. Although the message was sent about the Vancouver Island ancient forests, the wrong message about the anti-logging protests stole more of the show compared to the story of the importance of the Fairy Creek old growth. When protests become bigger and more violent than intended it can make people hear more about the violence which can negatively capture people’s attention. Instead, peaceful protests that do not disturb anyone or any work can still send a message about a need for change. If there was a protest like the one at the Vancouver Island Fairy Creek at the Tsawwassen terminal expansion I don’t think that the civil disobedience would work in a way that would change anything. The example at the Vancouver Island Fairy Creek shows that sometimes protesting can cause the opposite effect and not bring the positive change that maybe was initially intended by the people protesting. Sometimes I think less can be more and if people wanted to protest about the expansion of the Delta Port they could do better by writing letters and getting signatures that would possibly have a greater effect and get more people in the know about the negative effects of the proposed expansion compared to the news being flooded with images of protestors being treated unkindly or protestors blocking everyday life.

 

Links:

[1] https://thenarwhal.ca/port-of-vancouver-roberts-bank-scientists/

 

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/08/canada-logging-protest-vancouver-island