***Updated with demonstration photos below.
Today, those opposed to Site C held a demonstration outside BC Hydro gates. Arthur Hadland was arrested and I’ll have more details as I get them later on.
This is the view of the traffic backed up from that demonstration, largely Alberta vehicles with trailers.
This is not the location of the Rocky Mountain Fort Camp where Treaty 8 members are exercising their right to be on the land. https://lailayuile.com/2016/01/02/bc-hydro-issues-rocky-mountain-fort-campers-at-site-c-a-24-hour-eviction-notice-on-new-years-eve/
As reported earlier, that location is a 1793 heritage site the province has had no interest in protecting, that is scheduled to be logged. It is being reported that BC Hydro is evaluating the situation but campers vow to continue to exercise rights under Treaty 8 to be there. http://www.alaskahighwaynews.ca/regional-news/site-c/bc-hydro-evaluating-options-on-protest-encampment-1.2144933
These are three of the campers at that site-hope to have a story shortly on one in particular:
And this is another, Helen, the woman behind the post that resonated with thousands of Indigenous and non-indigenous people across North America: https://reclaimthewarrior.wordpress.com/2016/01/02/for-the-love-of-the-land-keeping-the-peace-river-from-the-site-c-bc-hydro-dam/
Updates later. Shawnigan Lake also had a big demonstration today,very well attended, media tours of the contaminated fill site but I wasn’t able to attend- watch for those stories too.
But until then, check out these storified tweets. There’s a story here. And it’s not being told. BC residents deserve to know why Harpers cabinet invoke cabinet secrecy on the environmental assessment certificates. So why isn’t the new PM investigating this? https://storify.com/lailayuile/why
Westcoast Views with Laila Yuile 
Great work you are doing in getting the word out on this and the Shawinigan Lake water situation.
Keep up the good work and being a bit activisty is to be admired. Aren’t we all a bit that way some days?
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The time has come when the only thing these bastards will understand is massive, determined and long term non violent civil disobedience.
Far from being undemocratic, it’s the essence of democracy.
How many of you have had your views expressed in the Legislature or Parliament? The process, like the various environmental processes we’ve seen, are about as democratic as a Soviet Show Trial.
Governments present a pale, fixed in advance sham set of hearings then try to tell us we’ve had our say and should shut and obey the law. I used to appear at so-called “run-of-river” hearings and the fix was so obviously in, I’d rather have a root canal without anesthetic than attend another.
God bless Arthur Hadland and may 1000s join him and defy, as all good citizens should, the Kangaroo Court system and not stop protesting until there’s fair play and true democracy.
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Yeah Rafe……about those “run of river” hearings……you are so right. It hasn’t changed. They are still rubber stamping new IPP’s on the Sunshine Coast to this very day. Both provincial and municipal governments are complicit.
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Many more would protest but they can’t. They have to go to work’. And they DO have to go. Bills to pay! But this system mutes them like slaves! They can’t afford to give the time to express themselves freely, too in debt to be free in any kind of way. That is the system we support- it works well for the tyrants and the crooks – but not for the people. Too busy, too worried, too tired to care. The people can’t afford the time to ‘bear witness’ or demonstrate or get tasered and go to jail over anything let alone spotted owls and marmots. Let ’em die! Who cares about BC Rail? The Peace River? Where is that, anyway? Or even to learn how they themselves have been cheated. They have million dollar handcuffs in the form of mortgages and debt. And rebelious youth? Now indebted by student debt. Now believing in greed, too. Scramble, claw and savage each other for the almighty dollar while the planet supporting us is ravished by the plunderers. Is it them? Yes. Is it also us? Yes it is: we support that system, we uphold those values, we all want ours AND we want to make a buck! Our only really brave champions are the old – they speak up! The snivelling majority just hang their heads and squeak. Pathetic! Watch and see…..the valley will flood.
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Treaty 8: BC Hydro made a single payment of $36,950, divided amongst 22 First Nations for the loss of their trapline, their land for the benefit of the WAC Bennett Dam, forever….. .
Summary of Compensation Payments made for Traplines and Improvements Thereon Related to Flooding of the Finlay and Parsnip River Valleys by B.C. Hydro
In 1968, B.C. Hydro built the Bennett Dam, west of Hudson Hope on the Peace River. The impact of the dam was the flooding of the Finlay-Parsnip River area and the formation of Williston Lake, which is 1070 sq. km.(1,761 km2)(2015) in size and has a shoreline of 1770 km. Large quantities of timber stands were flooded along with the Sekani reserve at Fort Grahame, known as Finlay Forks I.R. No. 1, as well as a nearby sawmill which employed 33 Indians. About forty Indians lived permanently in Fort Grahame, while most lived in trapping cabins along the Finlay River. etc.
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This is all so depressing. Under the blanket justification of “jobs”, the current government can commit or allow any atrocity, and except for the few determined protesters, who are often portrayed as “losers, or whiners, or tree huggers, or welfare recipients”, or any other demeaning terms, have their cause diminished.
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And I am here to tell who they really are and why they are there. They are not losers, whiners, or any other derogatory term people may use. And I call it like I see it and I know many of these people and their incredible determination to overturn a process and decision that is deeply flawed. Between the Liberal exemption of the proper review by the BCUC, to the cabinet secrecy invoked by the Harper government,there is much to be concerned and upset over.
And the concern you have is real. If they can remove the penalties for improper document destruction days before the whistle is blown on their deleted emails(saving staffers from charges on that action), exempt a $9billion + project from review by the agency deemed with the responsibility to do so… they can pretty much do anything Mosko. Count on it.
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Laila, Civil disobedience in this province has been hijacked by the provincial governments use of the Provincial Courts and indeed, it’s judges to stifle protest. This whole government, big business use of “the courts” is far worse than show trials.
In Tsawwassen during the time BC Hydro rammed huge transmission lines through our town, we residents felt the big boots of the provincial and corporate run court system.
Many of us were taken to court and told in no uncertain terms what would happen to us if we continued to “obstruct” BC Hydro. We never broke any Provincial, Federal or Municipal laws, nor charged with anything. Yet we were told by the Honorable Provincial Justice that our lives would be compromised negatively if we continued to protest. I will never forget the comment made from the bench that we might find it difficult to enter into the US if we were found in contempt of Court.
The Bench then went on to tell the Delta Police that they had better arrest us, (they had been reluctant to do so) or they would soon find themselves on the other side of the law.
We were up against the unlimited funds of BC Hydro and provincial government lawyers who would quite happily bankrupt us if we had the affrontry to fight back. We’ll never know if the entire court process we were dragged through would have actually stood up against challenges because we citizens didn’t have the funds to contest the rulings. That is a fact that isn’t lost on our politicians nor big business.
I wish everyone involved in this fight the ability to win but frankly, the government and its corporate friends have figured out since the 1970’s how to make sure the people can’t win. They have no qualms about manipulating the courts to ensure everyone who disagrees with them will stand before a Provincial Court Judge who will warn and threaten them to behave. Those who have the gall to disagree with the big projects mandated by a disreputable and corrupt government willing to bankrupt its citizens, may not find themselves in jail. Instead, this government will intimidate and threaten its citizens and critics who can’t afford the high cost of fighting back.
Maybe the best thing to do for those of us who can’t be there physically is to set up a GoFundMe account to pay the legal bills of those who will find themselves in front of an “Honorable” Provincial Justice.
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Perhaps a petition channelled via Change.org might be an idea. Just set up the petition to stop Site C and put it out there via Change.org. its worth a try and with their mailing list, the petition would reach millions. Not only do I get Canadian petitions I’ve received ?American ones also.
Right now some one has a petition on Change.org requesting that MSP be removed.
Even if the mainstream media doesn’t cover these issues a short worded petition gets the word out and if enough people get petitions they may start asking more questions.
Just think if 1 Million Canadians signed a petition to cancel Site C. Given this is an environmental issue if it were extended into the U.S.A. a few more million might be picked up, especially in California.
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So our own media doesn’t report, or if they do it’s a snippet of nothing here folks, move along. But we all know who’s paying their wage, who owns the media? It seems you have to go out of province to get the story. I’ve seen more in this paper than anything out of BC. Shows you where they are at (media in BC) and it’s not to inform citizens of the full extent of the issue(s). Sweep it under the carpet after their little tidbit of info – lol. Yes, the media in this province, be it paper, tv, legislative reporters are a sad bunch. Getting tired of the tv news, reminds me of the “Enquirer” you find at the local grocery stores except it’s live.
And E.A.F. that’s a good idea, worldwide reporting of this disaster. Get Change.org going. I’ve seen the MSP one and definitely signed that petition. Come on everyone step up and spread the word on your Facebook.
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http://www.vancouversun.com/business/site+protesters+prepare+arrests+historic+site/11636286/story.html?__lsa=f01e-9a30
http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/daphne+bramham+forget+oregon+high+stakes+standoff+taking+place+right+here/11634939/story.html
Have you ever seen a petition, regardless of how many signatures are on it, change anything? They are delivered to the legislature all the time.
No Rafe is right. Even a demonstration down here to support those up north.
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I was a mediator (still am, kinda) for over twenty years. I once offered to a CEO to ‘settle’ a corporate dispute for his HUGE company suing a smaller one for free – just to show him a ‘better way’. “Thanks, Dave, but you miss the point. We have way more money than they do. We use the courts to beat them into submission. We use the courts as a business tool. I don’t want to settle. I want to win but, more important, I want them to lose and get weakened by the process.”
Always remember: the courts are not there for you.
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petitions some times work. what makes petitions a good thing, is it puts out information. right now that information isn’t getting out. a petition going to a few thousand people’s e-mail might just help. It can also help with fund raising because it will be necessary to continue this fight.
A protest, on the lower mainland. its an idea, but the problem is, if not many show up, it doesn’t look good. Now targeted protests might work, like protests at M.L.A.s offices. In smaller towns they always get covered by at least the local media and word of mouth.
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[…] 3) ( photos of demonstration here) Separate demonstration at Site C BC Hydro gates results in three arrests, including Arthur Hadland- long time former Peace River politician https://lailayuile.com/2016/01/06/longtime-peace-river-politician-and-site-c-opponent-arthur-hadland-… […]
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[…] 3) ( photos of demonstration here) Separate demonstration at Site C BC Hydro gates results in three arrests, including Arthur Hadland- long time former Peace River politician https://lailayuile.com/2016/01/06/longtime-peace-river-politician-and-site-c-opponent-arthur-hadland-… […]
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[…] 3) ( photos of demonstration here) Separate demonstration at Site C BC Hydro gates results in three arrests, including Arthur Hadland- long time former Peace River politician https://lailayuile.com/2016/01/06/longtime-peace-river-politician-and-site-c-opponent-arthur-hadland-… […]
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[…] 3) ( photos of demonstration here) Separate demonstration at Site C BC Hydro gates results in three arrests, including Arthur Hadland- long time former Peace River politician https://lailayuile.com/2016/01/06/longtime-peace-river-politician-and-site-c-opponent-arthur-hadland-… […]
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[…] 3) ( photos of demonstration here) Separate demonstration at Site C BC Hydro gates results in three arrests, including Arthur Hadland- long time former Peace River politician https://lailayuile.com/2016/01/06/longtime-peace-river-politician-and-site-c-opponent-arthur-hadland-… […]
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