Fish Farms out! Action Now! Premier Horgan!
by Fish Farms Out Now!
October 12, 2017
"What was done to the buffalo to starve a people is now being done to us and our salmon"
- Tsastilqualus Umbas, from Yalis.
"We have no more fish, because of those fish farms"
- Musgamag'w Hereditary Chief He'mas Tłalalitła, Bill Wilson.
"We aren't interested in a prolonged discussion. We are interested in action."
- Chief Bob Chamberlain, KHFN.
“The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch and do nothing.”
- Albert Einstein
Exercise your civic duty to support indigenous frontline resistance to the daily accelerated threats to wild salmon from the ecological and human disaster of open-pen fish farming.
Join Fish Farms out Now!, an ad hoc group of settler and indigenous social and environmental justice and indigenous rights activists, Friday the 13th at noon for an emergency action at Premier John Horgan's constituency office in solidarity and support of the Namgis, Mamalilikala, Lowitsis, Musgamagw Dzawada'enuxw, Kwikwasut'inuxw Haxwamis and Gwawaenuk First Nations' on-going Marine Harvest fish farm occupations on Swanson and Midsummer island.
On October 10th, 40 hereditary leaders representing eight Kwakwakā'wakw nations hosted an historic, ceremonial event with Premier John Horgan and Ministers Lana Popham, Claire Trevena and Scott Fraser in their Big House in Alert Bay to bear truth, backed by science, of the devastating impacts of thirty years of open-pen fish farms placed along salmon migration routes, without consent, on the Indigenous culture and food fishery, which has suffered a tragic collapse from introduced European fish pathogens entering the marine environment from these feedlots.
The Chiefs and elders have sent a clear mandate to the Premier and his cabinet members: No more studies, reports or negotiations-- fish farms out of their territories now!
The Premier's response to his hosts and the emergency situation of "empty freezers" and to the 30 year efforts of the Namgis and Musgamagw peoples was once again a general promise to protect wild salmon without any action commitments or timelines or guarantees whatsoever to do what is within the Provincial Governments' power to remove the Marine Harvest fish farms at Midsummer and Swanson islands, a minimum show of good faith.
We will gather peacefully in honour of the Salmon Peoples to send a message to the Premier that he can do better and it is time for the government to distance itself from an industry that is destroying wild salmon populations, threatening the sacred food supply of the Salmon Peoples since time immemorial and damaging entire marine and forest ecosystems. It is time to match words with action and to recognize the sovereignty and jurisdiction of First Nations on their own unceded territories. It is time to implement the governments commitment to UNDRIP: No consent, no fish farms on stolen native lands!
This action will be taking place on the ancestral lands of the Coast Salish peoples, who have never given up their inherent rights to self-determination over their lands, territories and waters.
This action will keep in mind that the new NDP government has made promises to move these fish farms to closed containment on land and that we are hopeful and encouraging them to honour these promises within a meaningful timeline.
We are asking all involved to maintain an attitude of friendliness, respect and assertiveness. The action will include drumming, open mic, leafletting and art. Please bring placards, something to sit on ( if needed) and a bag lunch.
N.b. A diversity of roles can be involved on this action and people are welcome to be present as observers/ picketing and/or leafletting.
The #50 BUS from downtown Victoria will take you right to the action.
ROUTE INFORMATION:
https://bctransit.com/victoria/schedules-and-maps/route-overview?route=50
No comments:
Post a Comment