This is What a Spill Looks Like: Pictures and Stories from the Nathan E. Stewart Disaster

“This is What a Spill Looks Like”: Photographer, First Responder Share Images, Stories from 2016 Great Bear Rainforest Oil Spill

by RAVEN

August 29, 2017

VICTORIA - RAVEN (Respecting Aboriginal Values and Environmental Needs) presents "This is What a Spill Looks Like", a fundraising event in support of the Heiltsuk Nation. The event features underwater and wildlife photography of the Great Bear Rainforest by April Bencze and a talk by Jaimie Harris of the Heiltsuk Nation.

The pair are fundraising to keep wild fisheries safe from spills and support the Heiltsuk Nation who are struggling to recover from a devastating spill in their traditional territories. Both Harris and Bencze were in Bella Bella in the fall of 2016 when the tug, Nathan E. Stewart, spilled over 110,000 litres of diesel fuel straight into the Heiltsuk’s main marine harvesting area.

After spending weeks fighting to contain the oil spill, the Heiltsuk are now preparing a civil case against Kirby Corporation, and the government of Canada, to recover damages for loss of Aboriginal rights to food, social and ceremonial harvesting, and the loss of their commercial harvesting of marine resources.

“For thousands of years we have created clam gardens, and seeded them, to ensure we would always have access to that resource. Our harvesters come down with a punt full of clams and call it out on the radio: come get clams! And everyone comes down, old people who can’t go out themselves, single moms, people who need that food, they come down to the dock and help themselves. And now it’s gone.” – Ayla Brown

The Heilsuk were instrumental in standing against the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline project, joining 6 other Indigenous Nations in a legal challenge that ultimately resulted in the cancellation of that project’s permit. RAVEN, in partnership with Sierra Club B.C., raised $600,000 for Indigenous legal costs through the Pull Together campaign.

Says Heiltsuk Chief Marilyn Slett, “Everything that we do as people is tied to the land and to the sea- our history, our stewardship, our culture, our livelihood. Who we are is tied to the land and sea, so we have a responsibility to be stewards of the territory, so that is why we filed, to protect our way of life for the future.”

“We’ve felt such a generous outpouring of people just reaching out to us from all over the world. It’s a good feeling knowing that we’re standing together united in solidarity with British Columbians at large.”

Now, the Heiltsuk aim to expose the actual state of British Columbia and Canada’s “world class” oil-spill response system. The small First Nation are reaching out for assistance to prepare their case and to stand up against lawyers from the Department of Justice and Kirby Corporation.

If they can demonstrate how the poor spill response impacted directly on their community’s breadbasket, their case may support increased environmental awareness, better safety measures and/or restrictions on oil shipping, and real improvements to spill response.

Events:

August 30th

Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea, 6 pm-9:30

with pre-show reception from 6-7 $25

Tickets: fundraise.raventrust.com/sidneybc

August 31st

The Hub, Cowichan Station 7:30-9:30

By donation, at the door.


September 1st

Fulford Hall, Salt Spring Island 6-9:30

with pre-show seafood bbq $30

Slideshow & Talk 7 pm : by donation.

Tickets: fundraise.raventrust.com/saltspring

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For immediate release
Contact: Ana Simeon, campaigns manager:
778-677-4740 (cell)
Ana will arrange interviews with Heiltsuk representative(s) if desired.

Ana Simeon
Fundraising Campaign Manager
RAVEN (Respecting Aboriginal Values & Environmental Needs)
Office: 250-383-2331​, ext. 201​

Cell: 778-677-4740
www.raventrust.com