Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney is poised to greenlight a massive new oil pipeline project, sending shockwaves through the country's First Nations communities who fear another devastating environmental disaster on par with the notorious 2016 Nathan E Stewart oil spill.
The prospect of large oil tankers traversing treacherous waters off the coast of British Columbia has sparked outrage among Coastal First Nations, who insist that an oil tanker ban must remain in place to safeguard their way of life. They argue that the risks outweigh any potential economic benefits, particularly when compared to the catastrophic consequences of a single incident like the Nathan E Stewart grounding.
The Heiltsuk Nation, whose community of Bella Bella was just 10 nautical miles from the grounding site, is still reeling from the aftermath of the spill, which saw 110,000 liters of diesel oil spilled into the sea. The ecological damage has been irreparable, with invasive species thriving in the disturbed ecosystem.
The pipeline project would allow for the transportation of at least one million barrels a day to Asia, posing an enormous threat to this already fragile environment. Many are warning that the risks associated with shipping oil through such treacherous conditions cannot be ignored.
"We've been fighting for justice through this colonial legal system and it's really a process of 'show me your receipts'," said Marilynn Slett, chief councillor of the Heiltsuk Nation. "But how do you show a receipt for the loss of our ability to transmit our knowledge and our cultural practices between generations?"
The UN's international marine organization has been lobbied by the Heiltsuk delegation in an effort to secure changes to maritime law, which currently excludes them from compensation for cultural losses.
David Eby, BC Premier, is also adamant that the tanker ban must remain intact, citing the risks of an oil spill and its devastating economic consequences. "Scraping the ban would be a grave mistake," he warned.
As Canada wrestles with the demands of both environmental protection and economic growth, it remains to be seen whether Prime Minister Carney will heed the warnings of Coastal First Nations or push forward with plans for this contentious pipeline project.
The prospect of large oil tankers traversing treacherous waters off the coast of British Columbia has sparked outrage among Coastal First Nations, who insist that an oil tanker ban must remain in place to safeguard their way of life. They argue that the risks outweigh any potential economic benefits, particularly when compared to the catastrophic consequences of a single incident like the Nathan E Stewart grounding.
The Heiltsuk Nation, whose community of Bella Bella was just 10 nautical miles from the grounding site, is still reeling from the aftermath of the spill, which saw 110,000 liters of diesel oil spilled into the sea. The ecological damage has been irreparable, with invasive species thriving in the disturbed ecosystem.
The pipeline project would allow for the transportation of at least one million barrels a day to Asia, posing an enormous threat to this already fragile environment. Many are warning that the risks associated with shipping oil through such treacherous conditions cannot be ignored.
"We've been fighting for justice through this colonial legal system and it's really a process of 'show me your receipts'," said Marilynn Slett, chief councillor of the Heiltsuk Nation. "But how do you show a receipt for the loss of our ability to transmit our knowledge and our cultural practices between generations?"
The UN's international marine organization has been lobbied by the Heiltsuk delegation in an effort to secure changes to maritime law, which currently excludes them from compensation for cultural losses.
David Eby, BC Premier, is also adamant that the tanker ban must remain intact, citing the risks of an oil spill and its devastating economic consequences. "Scraping the ban would be a grave mistake," he warned.
As Canada wrestles with the demands of both environmental protection and economic growth, it remains to be seen whether Prime Minister Carney will heed the warnings of Coastal First Nations or push forward with plans for this contentious pipeline project.
! I mean, can't we prioritize our planet over profits? The thought of those massive tankers traversing through those treacherous waters is just too much. We need to protect the environment and the First Nations communities who are already suffering from past disasters like the Nathan E Stewart spill.
. The Heiltsuk Nation is still recovering from that disaster, and now they're facing another potential catastrophe? No way! I'm all for economic growth, but let's not sacrifice our planet's future in the process.
. We need to listen to Indigenous voices and acknowledge the historical injustices that have led to these environmental disasters.
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. Like, 10 nautical miles is not a lot to ask from a government, right? I mean, how hard can it be to keep the coast safe? 
They're basically saying 'show us your receipts' for their cultural heritage, which is super valid, tbh 
. I'm all for economic growth, but not at the cost of the environment and First Nations communities' way of life 
.
cant we just have a convo about it instead of trying to fix it through some outdated law?
I'm just gonna say it - this is a huge deal that's being swept under the rug 
. The fact that these communities are still dealing with the aftermath of an oil spill 9 years ago and now they're expected to live with the risk of another disaster is just unacceptable 
. We need to think about the long-term effects on their way of life, not just the economic benefits for the country 
. I'm all for progress but we can't sacrifice our values or the well-being of others for the sake of growth 
.
. The thought of those massive tankers traversing through treacherous waters is already giving me anxiety 
, and I can only imagine how the Coastal First Nations feel about it.
. They're fighting for justice, but it feels like their voices are just getting lost in the noise 
. It's time for us to listen and take action 
. We need to make sure we're protecting our environment and our communities, not just making a quick buck 
. We need to find ways to balance progress with protection, instead of choosing between the two 
. Let's do better than this 
.
I'm totally with the Coastal First Nations on this one! 
The thought of large oil tankers traversing those treacherous waters is just terrifying. We can't ignore the risks to their way of life and the environment – it's not worth it, IMHO. 
.
And now they're just gonna go ahead and put all that at risk because... economic growth, I guess? 
1 million barrels a day is a lot, let's prioritize sustainability over profits 
It's so not worth it! And those First Nations people have been through so much already with the Nathan E Stewart spill... 110k liters of oil just floating around in the water... 