Friends of Wild Salmon and northern community organizations strongly support the First Nations and residents of Burnaby who are saying no to Kinder Morgan’s project that would dramatically increase tar sands oil exports through Vancouver.
Gerald Amos, chair of the Friends of Wild Salmon, said, “For years, we have been fighting to protect wild salmon against threats stemming from increased tar sands production. In the north, where we live, it’s been Enbridge’s Northern Gateway Project. Now it’s Kinder Morgan in the south. The Harper government has destroyed and subverted the laws and processes intended to protect wild salmon, and the communities reliant on them, and Canadians are being forced into civil disobedience.”
Prince Rupert commercial fisherman and long time Friends of Wild Salmon supporter, Des Nobels, stated, “We support our southern neighbors who are standing their ground against those who are placing Fraser River salmon at risk with this ill-conceived project. It’s time Canada has a serious conversation about energy and climate change and it’s increasingly obvious that the federal government cares more about the interests of the international oil industry than the interests of Canadian citizens, or the future of wild salmon.”
Todd Stockner, a Hazelton salmon and steelhead guide added, “When will the oil industry and Harper understand that Canada is going to have a conversation about the tar sands and energy policy, with or without them?”
Amos went on to say, “The greatest right we have is the right to be responsible for future generations. Yesterday the head of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, Stewart Phillip, was arrested in Burnaby. He, and the more than one hundred other citizens arrested so far, should know that thousands of northern residents respect and honour the courage and conviction they have demonstrated.”
Friends of Wild Salmon is a grassroots coalition of citizens in northern BC committed to protecting the abundance and diversity of wild salmon.
Gerald Amos, Chair, Friends of Wild Salmon
With support from:
Communities Against Super Tankers (CoAST), Haida Gwaii BC
Prince Rupert Environmental Society, Prince Rupert BC
Northwest Watch, Terrace BC
Douglas Channel Watch, Kitimat BC
Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition, Hazelton BC
Friends of Morice-Bulkley, Smithers BC
Fort St. James Sustainability Group, Fort St. James BC
Lakes District Clean Waters Coalition, Burns Lake BC
Gerald Amos: 250-632-1521 (cell); 250-632-5558 (home)
Des Nobels: 250-627-4147
Todd Stockner: 250-842-6401