Nanaimo anti-fracking rally October 19th - Elsipogtog Solidarity

Elsipogtog Solidarity – Nanaimo anti-fracking rally October 19th

by Idle No More and the Mid Island chapter of the Council of Canadians

On Saturday October 19th, Idle No More and the Mid Island chapter of the Council of Canadians will be gathering at Maffeo Sutton Park with other concerned citizens and then marching to Nanaimo RCMP headquarters in solidarity with the Elsipogtog First Nation in New Brunswick.

The rally begins at 2:00 pm and the march will commence at 2:30.

The Elsipogtog First Nation have been blocking exploration for gas fracking on their traditional territory to protect their water supply for the community and future generations.

Idle No More and the Council of Canadians denounce the excessive use of violence by the RCMP and stand in solidarity with those in Rexton, New Brunswick and around the world who oppose shale gas/fracking.

Angela Giles, Atlantic Regional Organizer for the Council, said, “To defend the rights of an American company, the RCMP came in with essentially para-military units including snipers, to remove the opposition. The New Brunswick government does not have the social license to allow fracking and the people will continue to fight for the future of their families, their province, and the environment.”

“Protesters in Rexton are standing up to a Texas company that wants to profit on the backs of New Brunswickers while placing the water and the environment at risk,” says Emma Lui, Water campaigner for the Council of Canadians. “Indigenous communities like the Elsipogtog First Nation are on the frontlines of defending water and the land for everyone, and this should not be criminalized.”

October 19th is also the Global Frackdown with over 200 events in over 20 countries. People across Canada and around the world are standing up in opposition to the fracking process.

There are fracking moratoriums in France, New York state and in Quebec (The Quebec moratorium triggered a $250 million lawsuit from Lone Pine Resources under chapter 11 of NAFTA).

“The Clark government wants to addict the BC economy to the frack pipe and we need to let people know how destructive this process is to the environment and to stand in solidarity with those who are willing to stand up and put a stop to this practice.” Says Paul Manly of the Mid Island Council of Canadians, “We stand in solidarity with the Elsipogtog First Nation and the protesters in Rexton New Brunswick.”

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For Immediate Release

For more information contact:

Paul Manly

paulmanly@shaw.ca250 729-1254