National Day of Action Against the Tar Sands, Line 9 and Fracking – Toronto
The Deets:
Saturday, May 10th, 2014
1:00 pm
Start at Toronto City Hall (Nathan Phillips Square), march to Queen's Park
Toronto, Ontario
The Call Out:
Fwd: On May 10th people from coast to coast to coast will be rallying to defend communities from pipelines, dirty energy projects like tar sands and fracking, and runaway climate change while standing in solidarity with Indigenous communities on the front-line of struggles from BC to New Brunswick.
On the West Coast, the Wet'suwet'en and Gitxsan are taking steps to halt tar sands and fracking pipelines through their unceded traditional territories. On the East Coast, the Mik'maq are rising up against companies like SWN Resources which are violating treaties with fracking exploration. In Northern Alberta Indigenous communities continue to challenge the tar sands mega project at its source.
In Toronto we have an opportunity to play our part in stopping tar sands expansion by stopping Line 9 -- a 38 year old pipeline built for regular oil which is set to transport tar sands dilbit and fracked Bakken crude from Sarnia to Montreal. Due to its contents, the pipeline has a 90% likelihood of rupture, threatening the most densely populated corridor in the country, including 18 Indigenous communities who have not been properly consulted.
Not only does Line 9 put at risk drinking water, sensitive ecosystems, and human health in Ontario, it will allow for tar sands expansion which will further poison downstream Indigenous communities, accelerate climate change, exacerbate extreme weather conditions, and divert resources from green job alternatives.
The Harper government shamefully eliminated the requirement for environmental assessments for pipelines and the National Energy Board has rubber-stamped Line 9. But the movement against the project continues to grow: 10,000 people have signed a petition and 30 community and labour groups have signed an open letter demanding the Liberal government of Kathleen Wynne conduct a provincial environmental assessment of Line 9.
Recently The Chippewas of the Thames First Nation appealed the NEB decision and the City of Toronto has demanded the provincial government conduct an environmental assessment of Line 9, joining 6 other municipalities.
On May 10th at 1pm, rally at City Hall and march to Queen's Park to demand an environmental assessment and join with thousands from across the country to show solidarity with Indigenous struggles, defend communities and the climate, and demand a clean energy future. In doing so we must acknowledge the devastating legacy of colonialism that settler society has inflicted upon Indigenous populations and find a new way forward which respects the inherent rights of the original peoples of this land.
#NoTarSands
#NoFracking
#NoLine9
Endorsed by:
Greenpeace
Toronto West End Against Line 9
East End Against Line 9
Toronto Climate Action Network
Toronto 350
Mining Injustice Solidarity Network
Toronto International Socialists
Women's Coordinating Committee for a Free Wallmapu [Toronto]
Centre for Social Justice
Socialist Project
Greater Toronto Workers Assembly
Steelworkers Toronto Area Council
Young Communist League
Council of Canadians (Toronto)
OPIRG York
ClimateFast
Bathurst United Church
KAIROS Toronto Centre/East Group
Toronto Environmental Alliance
If your group would like to endorse the action, please send an email to NoLine9rally@gmail.com
National Day of Action: www.defendourclimate.ca
Open letter for EA: http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/views-expressed/2014/03/wanted-environmental-assessment-on-enbridges-line-9
More info on Line 9:
http://rabble.ca/news/2013/01/mcethicaltm-enbridge-line-9-and-tar-sands-gigaproject
http://desmog.ca/2013/10/21/pipeline-expert-90-percent-probability-line-9-rupture-dilbit
http://www.desmog.ca/2013/11/05/federal-government-failed-consult-first-nations-line-9
Tar Sands:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/13/world/americas/oil-sand-industry-in-canada-tied-to-higher-carcinogen-level.html?_r=4&
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/may/19/tar-sands-exploitation-climate-scientist
http://acfnchallenge.wordpress.com/
Unist'ot'en Camp:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5x6k5yvq5k&feature=youtu.be
www.unistotencamp.com
Fracking in Mi'kmaq territory:
http://aptn.ca/news/2014/04/15/swn-returning-new-brunswick-mikmaq-plan-r...
https://www.facebook.com/MonctonAntiFracking
#30#
**Photo by Krystalline Kraus
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