HIST 3991 Environmental History – Assignment 1- Exercise #4: Documentary Reflection

September 27, 2022 By: Jennifer Marshall

Exercise #4: Documentary Reflection

 Since 2016, there has been active opposition to the development of the new Trans Mountain Pipeline through BC. Environmental activists have been strongly opposed to this pipeline project and the negative impacts it will most certainly have on the environment. Ironically, this pipeline not only passes through my hometown of Kamloops, but also directly through my neighborhood of Westsyde, and behind the hills of my home near Lac du Bois. Due to this fact, I have kept myself informed on the developments of this project and educated myself on both the positive and negative repercussions of this expansion. Although I understand the current societal pressures on fossil fuels and energy sources, I am strongly opposed to the pipeline expansion after researching the history and environmental impacts of pipelines. Trans Mountain has stated on their website (https://www.transmountain.com/project-overview) that they will reclaim and rebuild any disrupted lands, as well as minimize any residential disruption. I have already seen proof, firsthand, that this is not necessarily the whole truth. Local farmers have been unable to use fields for crops for over a year, water supplies and electrical usage have been disrupted, and delicate ecosystems, forests and protected grasslands have been disturbed.

In my opinion, the government’s decision to approve (and repeatedly fight for) the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project was purely financial. The blatant disregard for the impacts to traditional Indigenous lands, protected grasslands, marine life, wildlife, delicate ecosystems and side effects from any potential oil spills is mind blowing. Hundreds of thousands of environmental activists have waged protests, rally’s, signed petitions, held demonstrations, and even built transportable tiny homes. This is a perfect example of civil disobedience.

Wikipedia defines civil disobedience as “the active, professed refusal of a citizen to obey certain laws, demands, orders or commands of a government (or any other authority).” I personally feel that the only way to ‘get though’ to the government, is by banding together with shared beliefs, and creating a voice strong enough to be heard on parliament hill. I believe that the environmental activists that have fought long and hard against The Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project have finally reached this point. Although the government may have plugged their ears and covered their eyes with dollar bills, long ago, other pipeline contributors have heard enough. Multiple insurance providers have backed out of contracts, projected construction costs have soared, and debt repayment rates have risen. In addition, environmental activists have pushed for better land reclamation, and caused certain areas of the pipeline to be rerouted around invaluable ecosystems. In fact, according to a recent CBC news article “”Trans Mountain no longer continues to be a profitable undertaking,” “…According to the government-owned pipeline corporation, the projected cost of twinning the Trans Mountain pipeline has nearly tripled because of natural disasters, environmental protection measures and rising debt payments.” (https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/budget-officer-trans-mountain-expansion-1.6497263) I firmly believe that although the construction of the pipeline could not be completely stopped, civil disobedience and environmental activists have certainly paved the way for positive change.