Documentary Reflection

February 16, 2022 By: Benjamin Carson

Simmons, Matt. “These 12 B.C. Mines Pose Risks to Salmon, Caribou, Water: Report.” The Narwal, May 17, 2021. https://thenarwhal.ca/bc-mines-risks-2021-skeenawild/.

This article reflects a report by Skeena Wild Conservation Trust which showcases how B.C. mines continue to pollute watersheds and develop without First Nation’s consent. Of the 12 mines identified there are some devastating details. At the top of the list is Teck, whose Elk Valley Coal mines are releasing selenium and calcite into the Elk River. Following suit are Gibraltar and Copper Mountain mines who are polluting the habitats of salmon, and endangered sturgeon species. The tailings of the former now feed a whopping 24 million litres of polluted water into the Fraser River daily because of an expansion that was granted by the province.

My anthropocentric opinion is that the mining industry needs to go hand-in-hand with innovation. Solution building, whether subsidized or not, does well to drive the economy. That point aside, I am shocked that the province is allowing known polluters to expand as it simply does not seem rational. While mining can continue to pollute in the short-term, what does this mean in the long term for First Nations culture/subsistence, or the tourism industry? What about additional healthcare costs due to diseases associated with heavy metals? My less anthropocentric opinion is that given all the devastation already incurred, all mining should be shut down regardless of its value to humans.

Civil disobedience could be a good tactic to draw attention to the matter, as honestly, I was unaware that this was happening until I read the article. However, the tactics within civil disobedience need to be carefully selected. Acts like arson and bombing only seem to mobilize other radicals, not the general population. This was evident in the 1960s with the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ), who used bombing as their principal tactic. After an entire decade of actions, the tactics never amounted to much and the real change had been driven through elected officials (e.g., the Liberals with the Quiet Revolution). Daniel McGown shared similar reflections in his involvement with the Earth Liberation Front (E.L.F).[1] The footage of activists sacrificing themselves to pepper spray and other law enforcement tactics had more of a unifying effect than arson. As is highlighted in If a Tree Falls: A Story of the E.L.F. there was confusion and fallout after the more radical tactics were applied.[2] Lest we forget that Gandhi’s hunger strikes are a proven formula. Civil disobedience can help when it aligns with human sacrifice, but when the intent appears to be harming other people the wider public support begins to unravel.

[1] Marshall Curry, director, writer, producer, and Sam Cullman, co-director, producer. “If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front.” 2011. Marshall Curry Productions, 1:25:40.

[2] Ibid.