Documentary Reflection

June 13, 2025 By: Bryce Feltrin

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/alberta-premier-says-province-working-proposal-new-crude-oil-pipeline-port-2025-06-11/

Alberta B.C. Pipeline Push, June 11, 2025.

The link is a Reuters article that Alberta’s premier plans to propose a new crude‑oil pipeline from Alberta to the Port of Prince Rupert in B.C., aiming to boost energy export diversification beyond the U.S.A.  As a British Columbia resident, I’m torn. I recognize our dependence on resource development and the potential economic gains. Yet, the local environmental risks and disturbance of habitat are concerning. I would lean against this pipeline, believing that long‑term ecological health of our province is more important than short-term financial gain.

I think civil disobedience works when applied properly, like non‑violent civil disobedience can challenge narratives. For example, Fairy Creek activists exposed logging in sacred ecosystems, turning private corporate decisions into provincial policy conversations. Their actions triggered legal deferrals and integrated First Nations stewardship into planning. Similarly, Earth First!’s radical actions forced a shift in environmental discourse decades earlier. Rothwell’s documentary shows how disrupting logging roads and making those disruptions visible compelled policymakers to react. It demonstrates that civil disobedience isn’t just symbolic, it reshapes public will. Environmental activism, particularly civil disobedience, has a proven track record in Canada and beyond. Rothwell’s How to Change the World shows its power to challenge the status quo. Fairy Creek shows it can guard ancient forests and elevate Indigenous voices. In contrast, the proposed Prince Rupert pipeline with its potential cultural and environmental fallout highlights both the necessity and urgency of the same tactics today. Civil disobedience remains a potent force for positive change, and in this case, it’s essential to defend ecological integrity and community rights.