Speaking at the Enbridge Hearings?
Photo: Andrew S. Wright
Thousands answered the call to action and signed up to speak at the ongoing Enbridge Joint Review Panel hearings, including many Sierra Club BC supporters. This is an unprecedented number of people participating in a federal review process. The strength and breadth of the opposition is clear.
We heard from many people who are nervous about public speaking, but signed up anyway to speak for an oil-free coast. We admire your courage and applaud your determination.
The proposal by Enbridge Inc. to build a crude oil pipeline from Alberta to the north coast of B.C. threatens our rivers and our salmon and would bring supertankers to the Great Bear Rainforest. By speaking up, we can call for a different future, one with clean water, abundant salmon runs and jobs in fishing and tourism. We can stand in solidarity with all the First Nations who have declared their opposition to this destructive project.
Here are some resources to help you prepare your statement for the panel.
Read the Joint Review Panel FAQ guide (PDF)
Watch the Our Coast, Our Decision webinar
Listen live to the hearings for inspiration
Visit the Pipe Up Against Enbridge website for lots more information and while you're there, send a message to be shared in the collaborative Hope the Whale art project.
Remember, when we speak from the heart, we can influence decision-makers - we've seen it happen with the recent Juan de Fuca hearings. You don't need to memorize statistics to make an impact with your statement. Simply tell your story - it's a great way to get your point across.
As campaigner Caitlyn Vernon summed it up at the January 4th rally outside the Victoria hearings: "We know that the JRP process is seriously flawed. First Nation decision-making authority is not being recognized. Climate change is not being considered. The federal government has stripped the panel of its authority. And now, the public is even being excluded from a public process. And yet, what is happening here – during these hearings – is important. People are coming together to speak out for the future they want to live in. A future where people and salmon come before profits. Where we value the ecosystems we all depend on. A future with transit, not tankers..."
Thank you for speaking up for your vision of the future.
