Exercise 4
February 18, 2026 By: T00783350
Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion
One of the issues that have been prominent in the Canadian media in recent years and are still causing controversy is the issue of the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion (TMX). This is a project that will increase the capacity of the existing pipeline from Alberta to the coast of BC by three times.
As I reflect on the pipeline and its implications, I find myself torn but generally opposed to the pipeline as it is currently allowed. The science on climate change is clear: we must cut emissions quickly to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. It seems contradictory to expand fossil fuel infrastructure on this front. The risk to coastal ecosystems and indigenous communities is also a pressing concern. The recovery from sills in these areas can be very difficult.
On the other hand, I recognize the concerns about economic livelihood and jobs in areas that rely on energy development. This is, of course, a dilemma that arises in the transition to a low-carbon economy.
The documentaries produced by unit 4 have demonstrated that civil disobedience has played a key role in environmental progress. From grass-roots protests against clear-cutting, through nuclear power plant blockades, civil disobedience has brought issues into the public sphere and influenced the terms of debate.
A current example of environmental civil disobedience in Canada is the Fairy Creek Blockade on Vancouver Island, where indigenous land rights defenders were trying to prevent old-growth logging. At Fairy Creek, hundreds of protesters were arrested over several years for failing to leave logging roads and for blocking access to logging areas. The government and logging corporations claimed that the blockades were illegal, while the protesters maintained that they were necessary to protect irreplaceable ecosystems.