Ready for justice, powered by the crowd?
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 09 April 2019 23:00
- Written by editor
Dear PAOV
Today’s the day!
While Heiltsuk Nation members and leadership gather in Vancouver, we’re reaching out online and around the world to join hands in supporting an historic legal challenge.
First, we want you to know why we’re investing in this case, when there are so many other hot spots along the coast that clamour for our attention.
We’re going all in to raise $425K because we’re absolutely floored by the guts and grit of the Heiltsuk Nation.
On the eve of the celebrations following their historic victory over of the Enbridge pipeline and tankers project, the Great Bear Rainforest Nation suffered an unthinkable disaster. The Nathan E. Stewart — an articulated tug barge — ran aground in the Nation’s prime fishing and harvesting territory. Spilling diesel and crushing precious abalone beds, the crash devastated the livelihoods and cultural practices that were were experiencing a renaissance after generations of colonial violence and resource mis-management.
Mariners to the core, the Heiltsuk sprang into action: as first-responders to the oil spill, working alongside commercial spill response crews, they saw first hand what a sham Canada’s much-touted “world class oil spill response” really looks like. A cursory environmental impact assessment conducted by the polluter made it clear to the Heiltsuk the spill response was more of a public relations exercise than a genuine recovery operation. Two years after the spill, the area is still closed to fishing and harvesting.
Sometimes, disaster can catalyze profound change. Here's Jess Housty, Heiltsuk councillor: "Enbridge was a huge project. It took a lot of time and resources and capacity to win on that file. But it's not the only project. It's not the only issue. I think having that win under our belt, and having a really strong sense of cross community connections that have been built around the issue makes us feel so much more empowered when we’re strutting into this new battle. We have allies in the wider world, stronger relationships with our Nations up and down the coast, and we have a really strong and clear capacity as a nation to stand up, to fight and to win."
The Nathan E. Stewart sank, but the Heiltsuk are rising.
#RavenPeopleRising weaves incredible footage from the Great Bear Rainforest together with passionate voices from generations of Heiltsuk coast protectors: watch and share it here.
Since the sinking of the Nathan E. Stewart, this incredible community has raised $137K for Heiltsuk coast protectors. Now, we’re asking to you to put your weight behind the Heiltsuk and reach out to your network for support by setting up online fundraisers, organizing events and involving your workplace, your school, or your business in crowdfunding for justice.
If it hadn’t been for First Nations leadership, there’s no doubt that pipelines from the tar sands and tankers loaded with diluted bitumen would be transforming the Pacific Coast. The Heiltsuk have played a leadership role from the very outset in mobilizing a unique and beautiful coalescence of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, united over our common love for the land, for the water, and for one another.
The Heiltsuk have stood strong for all of us. Now it’s time for us to stand strong, for them.
Get started: we’ve got three ways to play:
- Make a donation right now.
- Sign up to host a film screening in your school, community or living room!
- Become an online fundraiser. Takes 5 minutes, and the average person raises $800. Online fundraising is the secret sauce that has helped us beat Enbridge and fight back hard to stop Kinder Morgan.
Working with Heiltsuk leaders, elders and youth over the past years has rubbed off: we have seen first-hand, again and again, how a small group of dedicated people can band together to defeat Big Oil. Though the impending consequences of climate change can feel overwhelming, we take courage in the unceasing faith of the Heiltsuk that the work they are doing today — in the courts, and in their community — will restore their marine livelihoods and assert their stewardship responsibilities over precious resources. It’s an honour to be invited to stand with them.
When Indigenous Peoples rise, we all do. See you on your feet and in the streets,
Andrea and Ana
Ps Ready to organize? This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.?subject=Join%20a%20RAVEN%20Webinar%20April%2023" target="_blank" style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;color: #007C89;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">JThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.and learn how you can use cutting-edge tools to champion Indigenous rights and environmental protection.
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