Exercise 4

August 11, 2022 By: Hstanhope

My position on this environmental issue is small and based on what feels right to me. I have taken previous education in indigenous history, and it has opened my mind to the horrors they have gone throughout with the Canadian government and how Canada come to be as a nation. It is downright shameful, and I do not think the Canadian government can start reconciliation when also having a part in the pipeline business, as it threatens the indigenous people’s way of life.
This article is about the pipeline that is being built across BC that is funded by RBC Bank. The BC government states they received approval from the 20 nations across BC, however many nations are challenging that approval. These few nations stated that the government received permission from the elected band leaders, not the hereditary chiefs. The hereditary chiefs are stating that the approval the government received is not valid on the non-reserve lands, that the pipeline is ruining habitats and hunting grounds for the people who live off the land. By 2030, Canada has a goal to reduce their carbon footprint by 40%; however, when the pipeline is completed it, it will make it impossible for Canada to reach that goal due to the oil sands that are associated with the new pipeline.
As a nation wanting to take a step towards reconciliation, when we need hear the voices of more than just the elected leaders of the First Nations. In our history, Canada has done a poor job in listening to the voices of the First Nation leaders. This is another example of how Canada jumped through the loophole to get what it wanted. Instead of bringing the elected and the hereditary leaders together to ask permission and discuss, they only reached out to the elected leaders, leaving the hereditary leaders out. First Nations are connected to the land and all patrons need to come together when making decisions for their land. The indigenous peoples have been on these lands far long that anyone else and when it comes to their land that we share, they need to be brought into the discussion.
Climate change is seen throughout everyday life, with the extreme temperatures and natural disasters that tend to follow. Canada’s goal is to reduce the carbon emissions by 40% by the year 2030, however, they want to build a pipeline to transport natural gas across the province. If there were to be a spill or an accident, the natural gas would ruin the environment surrounding the pipeline and destroying the environment in which the indigenous peoples rely on. I am aware that natural gas is a major part of our everyday life. However, I was expecting the Canadian government to choose an earth friendly route and choose a type of energy to save the climate and our earth. We are continuing to make the same mistakes, such as pipelines, that brought rising and changing temperatures all around the world. The Canadian government went the easy route building a pipeline next to one that was already there. With all the current information and technology available regarding climate change and how to reduce carbon emissions, I believe the Canadian government could have put the pipeline money to effective use and found a way to have incorporated renewable energy in everyday life.
The role of civil disobedience is seen within this next article is shown through protesting for the protection of the indigenous rights for their land. The indigenous peoples of British Columbia protested the construction of two different pipelines, Trans Mountain pipeline and Coast GasLink pipeline. Many were arrested for protesting, standing, and blocking the construction of the pipeline in defending their land and trying to make the shift to clean energy. I believe that if we made a shift committed to clean energy, we would be able to create jobs for the population and stop the rise in global temperatures, slowing and reversing climate change.
References
Royal Bank defends funding B.C.’s Coastal GasLink pipeline despite environmental concerns | CBC News
Trans Mountain pipeline, Coastal GasLink, and Keystone XL projects (thenarwhal.ca)