From subMedia.tv
Over 50 indigenous communities in the US and Canada, signed a historic pact to stop the expansion of Canada’s Tar Sands oil extraction project.
Indigenous Leaders endorsed a treaty, in which they vow to support each other to stop infrastructure that would aid further development of the “Tar Sands.”
For more info go to treatyalliance.org
From It’s Going Down
A Love Letter to Sacred Stone Camp
[from Hamilton, ON]
For weeks, your numbers and our hearts have swelled in unison.
The world is watching as you spark the revolution.
We all wish that we could join you but realize we have ways to help from here.
We have work to do right here.
And so we offer up a small act of resistance. Of defiance.
A rejection of their narrative.
Enbridge is funding the Dakota Access pipeline, as well as Line 9 here.
As of one week ago, a merger made them the largest energy delivery company on Turtle Island.
But the era of oil snakes is over.
Gone are the days where companies can profit off death and destruction unopposed.
Enbridge has blood on their hands.
We have made this clear by using our hands to cover their Hamilton office in red prints.
A message was left on the windows to have it known we stand in solidarity.
There are those that will conflate this with an act of violence.
Yet stay silent as corporations use the mouths of hounds as weapons against women and children.
These are people who value property above people.
Things over beings.
Some of us have blood responsibilities to protect the land and water.
The rest have the responsibility to support those protectors.
We fight for the water and land. For life.
And for a world where we don’t have to.
We are with you. We are watching.
We stand with Standing Rock.
Anonymous submission to MTL Counter-info
On the night of Monday, April 11, a demonstration in Montreal in response to the second police killing in under two weeks attacked the SPVM. Sandy Tarzan Michel, an Anishinabe man, was murdered by police on the anishnabeg reserve in Lac Simon, Quebec, last Wednesday, April 6. Police shot him several times after running him over with a police cruiser. Sandy’s nineteen year-old brother was also assassinated by police in Lac-Simon in 2009.
After Sandy was murdered, other people who live on the reserve confronted local police and tried to block the entry of provincial police (the Sûreté du Québec) who were called to assist the local force, leading to three arrests. When someone is killed by police in Quebec, a different police agency is called in to “investigate”, and the SPVM has since received the assignment in Lac Simon.
Around 100 people gathered outside St-Laurent metro station and listened to speeches from Anishinabe organizers. As the demo took the street, participants could be seen donning and distributing masks. The demo turned east on Ste-Catherine as bike cops flanked both sides of the march at the point where the most masked people were located. Over the next forty-five minutes as the demo proceeded relatively calmly, people were clearly expressing their grief, sadness, and anger in different ways, with some marching silently and encouraging others to do the same, and others chanting slogans wishing violence upon the police.
At the intersection of Ste-Catherine and de Lorimier, members of the crowd struck the flanking bike cops on each side with rocks, while setting off smoke grenades on the sidewalks that obscured the cops’ visibility. The bike cops quickly fled. With no cops in the immediate vicinity of the demo, a few minutes later, people paint-bombed and smashed the windows of the Ministry of Public Security building on Parthenais. The Ministry of Public Security oversees the provincial prisons in Quebec (which are disproportionately populated by Indigenous people) and the Sûreté du Québec – both institutions that maintain colonial occupation in so-called “Quebec”. The riot police charged the demo quickly thereafter, and succeeded in dispersing the demo despite some attempts to fight them off with volleys of rocks. No arrests were made.
As anarchists, we initiated attacks in this space because we’re not struggling for less murderous police, but for the destruction of all forms of policing. When the police kill someone, sexually assault someone, imprison someone, we believe in vengeance, but we don’t want to stop there. By opening up space and time in the streets through attacking the police, people create the conditions to destroy other components of the material infrastructure of colonial society. We believe this is an important step to nurture the relations of care, trust, and reciprocity that are essential to any rupture with the colonial, capitalist, and patriarchal control of life. In the particular setting of this demo, we acted to open the possibility of complicity with Indigenous people who see the inherently colonial institutions of Canadian policing, in their entirety, as enemies. While aware that some Anishinabe participants were calling for a peaceful protest, we hope that others recognized us as possible future accomplices.
After Monday night, we’ve noticed some self-proclaimed settler/white allies reacting harshly to the direct actions that took place against institutions they ostensibly oppose. The way in which they have taken one or two individuals’ call for a peaceful march to represent the interests of a whole community speaks to the failure of allyship politics. The idea of being a good ally by following the instructions of an oppressed group inevitably confronts the problem of contradictions amongst people of the identity category in question. In so-called Canada, there is no shortage of combative anti-colonial resistance to take inspiration from; whether it be from the people who confronted police on the anishnabeg reserve last Wednesday, the struggles against ecological devastation in Elsipogtog and Lelu Island, the fight from the barricades over two decades ago during the ‘Oka Crisis’, or the continual war against colonialism that has been fought on many fronts since settlement began.
There are a multiplicity of ways that people are fighting the systems that harm them and their environment. While some Anishinabe and other Indigenous people want the institutions that dominate them to be violently confronted, others place hopes in the channels that these institutions present to them as means of change, such as symbolic protest. Would-be ‘allies’ need to reckon with this reality, and find our own paths in fighting domination instead of following a representative out of guilt and moralism.
We want to foster relationships of complicity, rather than allyship, with all those who struggle against systemic violence. Fuck the police, fuck quebec, fuck canada.
Resistance to LNG on Gitwilgyoots Territory
In late August, a crew of women of Tsimshian, Haida, Nisga, and Gitxsan bloodlines initiated the defense of Lax U’u’la (Lelu Island) and the Flora Bank1 from LNG industry destruction. The Gitwilgyoots Tribe Sm’ogyet Yahaan (hereditary chief) and Ligitgyet Gwis Hawaal (hereditary house leader), and their families began a defense camp on Lax U’u’la, which is Gitwilgyoots traditional hunting and fishing territory. They were also joined by various significant hereditary people from other Tsimshian tribes, and a motley crew of native and non-native outside supporters.
This camp has been set up to prevent any further destruction of their land, as Petronas and Pacific North West LNG (PNW LNG) are planning on building a $11 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant on Lax U’u’la, which is at the mouth of the Skeena river near Prince Rupert, BC. They have been conducting environmental and archaeological assessments since 2012, which have resulted in over a hundred test hole sites and cut blocks, and have in the process cit down several culturally modified trees. This plant would be fed by 3 pipelines, including the recently provincially-approved Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT), owned by Trans Canada, which crosses through multiple indigenous territories, and which is currently being met with resistance from the Gitxsan people at the Madii Lii encampment. This proposed LNG plant has been opposed not only by the Sm’ogyet Yahaan, but has also been unanimously refused by the 9 allied Tsimshian tribes of Lax Kw’alaams, who turned down a $1.25 billion offer by Petronas at 3 separate meetings in Lax Kw’alaams, Vancouver, and Prince Rupert. Regardless, in preparation for the LNG plant construction, Petronas/PNW LNG have been trying to continue to conduct environmental and engineering assessments around Lax U’u’la, which include test drilling that are actively destroying habitat essential to all the salmon that run throughout the Skeena Watershed.
One of the major rivers that flow into the Skeena is the Wedzin Kwah (so-called Morice/Bulkley), which is the river currently being protected by the Unist’ot’en Clan, grassroots Wet’suwet’en and their supporters. The ‘Unist’ot’en Camp’ was also started to resist mega petro-infrastructure (including another major pipeline project of the Trans Canada corporation). The Unist’ot’en, Madii Lii, and Lax U’u’la are the first three bold frontlines against LNG development in the Skeena Watershed. At the time of this writing, others are organizing towards opening new action fronts in this bioregion.
The importance of the salmon is not abstract or theoretical. In addition to the negative mental health effects of disconnection and destruction of the land, most communities that live within the Skeena watershed rely on the salmon, oolichan, and other seafood to feed their families. Even if you are broke, and can’t afford food at the grocery store, you can still rely on the river’s steady supply of wild salmon to feed your kids and get through the winter. The same can be said of wildlife such as moose, deer, beaver, berries, etc…which would all also be heavily affected if these projects are realized. Many people also maintain a relatively autonomous income within the current capitalist reality by harvesting sustainably from this bounty.
Those who depend on our labour and obedience have always seen people’s ability to sustain themselves independently as a threat. Forced state dependence was and is a goal of colonization. Dependence must be created to limit community mobility to bordered areas (such as villages, cities, or reserves). These areas are easily controlled, and any resistance or insurgence can be monitored and mitigated. Those who know how to live with the seasons and off the land are a threat, as they do not need what the state provides to thrive.
The Canadian state and international corporations are investing in resource extraction projects all across so called Canada. The impact of these extraction projects on life-sustaining resources such as clean water, wild game, and medicinal plants in not an unintentional side-effect of capitalism. It’s killing two birds with one stone. The pipelines, mines, fracked gaslands, and railroad expansions are not individual projects—they are all part of the same effort to maintain a society and lifestyle that is dependent on dwindling natural resources, while at the same time destroying the potential for any life outside of the state’s control.
This struggle is also inextricably connected to indigenous cultural revival, decolonization of the land, our minds and social relationships, anti-patriarchy and genuine reconciliation between natives and non-natives. Of course, this also means the destruction of the state and capitalist economy.
To date, the resistance to Petronas/PNW LNG’s project has mainly been on the water. Their project is still in it’s initial stages, in that there are still some engineering assessments that need to be performed prior to beginning construction on the actual plant. In practice, this has primarily taken the form of trying to prevent the workers from performing any work, and disrupting environmental and engineering assessments. This means escorting environmental surveyors off of the Flora and Agnew Banks, preventing the drill boat from entering and anchoring on the banks, slowing down or turning back charter boats bringing workers to the barges. So far, these efforts have been limited and unfortunately has only temporarily shut down drilling operations. However, with the growing force of warriors and expanding solidarity it is still possible to break Petronas and Christy Clark’s dream.
There is also resistance by re-asserting that Lax U’u’la is used as a place of healing and ceremony. Infrastructure is continually being constructed and there are other preparations for defense of the island itself (which also serve to maintain and expand water operations). Several structures have been built, and once there is less consistent confrontation, there is the intention to use these spaces as a place to teach youth about ancestral ways of living off of the land, and to heal from the continued traumas of colonization.
For thousands of years, communities have sustained themselves by the plentiful offerings from the Skeena River and surrounding landmasses. These resource extraction projects threaten to destroy people’s ability to live off of the land, as opposed to the state. European colonization brought the near extinction of the prairie buffalo, and if we don’t fight, the wild pacific salmon will surely follow.
If we wish to see victory in this struggle against petro-corporations and the Canadian state we must continue to provide solid material support. We also need to proliferate social agitation and disruption of daily life in the population centers throughout this region and beyond.
There are many ways to show solidarity with this ever-expanding and fierce resistance. Funds are always needed for boat fuel/maintenance, and the camp is specifically trying to raise enough money to buy crab traps, new boats, and fishing line so that they continue to harvest food in and around Lax U’u’la, to provide for their elders and communities. You can also always come and visit the region on your own, with a buddy or with a crew to contribute on the ground of this growing defense camp. Struggle is always strengthened by a de-centralized and broad attack, solidarity can also include resistance to industrial developments in your own backyard (Site C Dam, the Trans Mountain and Line 9 being just a few examples). These projects are also facilitated by the bureaucrats who work for the governments and companies and who’s offices are located in urban centres. In the past, solidarity has been shown through noise demonstrations and other actions against these offices and company infrastructures.
You can donate to the Lax U’u’la defense through their GoFundMe page at: http://www.gofundme.com/lelu_island
Useful websites:
Stop Pacific NorthWest LNG/Petronas on Lelu Island—on Facebook
1. A lot of the focus of this struggle has been the eelgrass and the Flora Bank, and how this habitat is essential to development of juvenile salmon that run all throughout the Skeena. While we don’t want to diminish the importance of this habitat, we also recognize that these crucial areas do not exist in isolation. The Flora Bank can not be separated from Agnew Bank, the surrounding landmasses, and the currents, sediments, and creatures that surround and impact it in more ways than we can possibly imagine. We caution against the strong focus on the Flora Bank—if the LNG processing plant is moved to Ridley Island (a neighboring island not surrounded by the Flora Bank), it will still facilitate a capitalist society and reinforce a colonial state.
300-1080 Beaver Hall Hill
Montreal, Quebec H2Z 1S8
600-1060 Robert-Bourassa Boulevard
Montreal, Quebec
Since late August 2015, Sm’yooget Yahaan, (the Gitwilgyoots hereditary chief of Lax U’u’la and surrounding waters) and his supporters have set up an occupation camp on his traditional hunting and fishing territory on Lax U’u’la (Lelu Island). This camp has been set up to assert title to his traditional territory, as Petronas and Pacific North West LNG are planning on building an $11 billion dollar liquified natural gas (LNG) plant on this traditional Gitwilgyoots territory, at the mouth of the Skeena river near Prince Rupert, BC. This plant will be fed by 3 LNG pipelines, including the recently provincially-approved PRGT, which crosses through Gitxsan territory, which is currently being met with resistance from the Gitxsan people through their Madii Lii encampment.
Who is involved?
The Petronas/Pacific Northwest LNG consortium which have proposed the Lelu Island LNG processing plant have subcontracted their environmental and engineering assessments to Stantec, Inc.
Natural Resources Canada has recently stated that the environmental assessments performed by Stantec on the island “likely underestimated” the environmental impact of the LNG plant on the Flora Bank. Stantec is currently attempting to continue environmental and engineering assessments, despite clear opposition from the Gitwilgyoots hereditary chief and the village of Lax Kw’alaams.
Stantec is also involved in several resource extraction projects targeted by Le Nord Pour Tous/Plan Nord. These include the Deception Bay Port Facility servicing Xstrata’s Raglan Mine and rail development for the Kamistiatusset Iron Ore Mine.
Fuck ’em
Montreal Offices :
300-1080 Beaver Hall Hill
Montreal, Quebec H2Z 1S8
isabelle.jodoin@stantec.com
T: (514) 281-1010
600-1060 Robert-Bourassa Boulevard
Montreal, Quebec H3B 4V3
300-1200 Saint-Martin Boulevard West
Laval, Quebec H7S 2E4
martin.thibault@stantec.com
T: (514) 281-1010
For more information & updates :
www.laxuula.com
https://www.facebook.com/Stop-Pacific-NorthWest-LNGPetronas-on-Lelu-Island-949045868451061/
www.flora-lelu.tumblr.com
Anonymous submission to MTL Counter-info
On Monday morning, during peak rush hour traffic, we blockaded the Notre-Dame highway with debris and construction materials. We dropped two banners which read “CONTRE LE DÉVERSEMENT DANS LE ST-LAURENT” (Against the dumping in the St. Lawrence) and “SOLIDARITY WITH ALL LAND DEFENDERS”.
On November 3, the city of Montreal plans to dump 8 billion liters of raw sewage (including industrial and medical waste) into the St. Lawrence river. This raw sewage is not only polluting the St-Lawrence, but affects all the communities downstream. Residents of Kahnawake have already demonstrated their anger with Mayor Coderre’s careless treatment of this river through several demonstrations, including stopping railway traffic.
Stopping the flow of morning traffic is a small gesture that speaks to the necessity of stopping this city, this economy, this entire civilization whose proper functioning rests on the displacement or outright attack of all forms of life.
– anarchists
From subMedia.tv
Indigenous militants made good on their promise to block train tracks in order to bring a halt to the dumping of billions of litters of raw sewage into the St. Lawrence River. Trains along Canadian Pacific Railway tracks were stopped in both directions and a call has been made for more people to join in on the struggle to stop the dump and block the tracks.
For more info visit mohawknationnews.com and reclaimturtleisland.com
Over the course of the last month, several counter-informational initiatives inspired by the struggle of the Unist’ot’en camp hit the streets of Montreal.
Posters and graffiti in the neighborhood of Hochelaga.
A billboard in the Mile-end was painted with “OKA 25 YEARS, THE RESISTANCE CONTINUES. NI PATRIE, NI ÉTAT, NI QUÉBEC, CANADA
(No nation, no State, no quebec, no canada).
In the neighborhoods of St. Henri, Parc-Ex, and Hochelaga, several moments of indigenous resistance to the Canadian State were chronicled with graffiti and posters. Kanehsatake, Gustafen Lake ’95, Ipperwash ’95, Kanehstaton ’06, Sharbot Lake ’07, Akwesasne ’09, Tyendinaga ’08, Elsipogtog, Unist’ot’en
From subMedia.tv
Yesterday subMedia.tv witnessed the fierce spirit of the Tsimshian people and their supporters as they faced off with the RCMP, Prince Rupert Port Authority and Petronas LNG workers. The Tsimshians attempted to disrupt the delivery of a barge with surveying and drilling equipment. The surveyors are subcontractors for Petronas, a Malaysian owned company that wants to build a fracked gas facility on Lelu Island, unceded Tsimshian territory. The Tsimshians have occupied Lelu island and have built a protection camp, to defend the island, and the Flora banks, a sensitive eco-system essential for the survival of juvenile salmon and migrating crustaceans. The Tsimshians have called on supporters to come to Lelu Island and stand with them, bring boats or send money and supplied. For more information visit bit.ly/leluisland
From subMedia.tv
First Nations women and supporters sent a clear message to TransCanada this Wednesday evening that the Energy East pipeline is not welcome through First Nations lands.
“What we want TransCanada to understand is that no means no. This is Kanien’ke, this is Mohawk Land and we are tired of occupation, we are tired of environmental disaster.” said Lickers at Wednesday night’s hearing. “This is our land and we are going to protect it.”
Amanda Lickers and Vanessa Gray were 2 of several First Nations opponents to the Energy East present to express their outrage at the public hearings hosted by the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal.
The purpose of the hearings is to establish a community report to submit to Office of Public Hearings on the Environment (BAPE) and the National Energy Board (NEB).
“But the consultation process does not work”, states Lickers, whose family is from Six Nations of the Grand River, “the NEB hearings for Line 9 were clear as day – between technical and engineering data to basic violations of treaty and territory agreements, Enbridge should have been denied their application but instead they were rubber stamped.”
“TransCanada’s Energy East pipeline threatens the chance of a sustainable future.” says Vanessa, co-founder of Aamjiwnaang and Sarnia Against Pipelines. “TransCanada has already proven to be a dangerous company for Indigenous peoples protecting their territory. Taking back our inherited right to live with the land means we must defend the land and water at any cost.”
After Lickers and Gray took the stage with a banner, the room erupted in chants from supporters, “No consent, no pipelines” and “No tar sands on stolen native lands” as dozens of supporters shut down the hearings in support of First Nations.
The process for public consultation excludes First Nations interests by relying on Crown policy for assessing environmental impacts. “Energy East itself actually violates the Haudenosaunee constitution – the Great Law of Peace – as it jeopardizes future generations access to clean, drinkable water, while expanding the environmental destruction of the tar sands at ground zero in Athabasca.”
But it isn’t just tar sands mining and pipeline transport that those opposing the pipeline development are concerned about. TransCanada requires super tanker transport and new marine terminals to be built for the Energy East, which puts the entire St. Lawrence waterway at risk of bitumen spills as well as threatening delicate Beluga habitat.
