Reflector • January 17, 2019

FREE January 17, 2019 rtheeflector www.TheReflector.ca What is MRU student Crowchild Pipeline Christmas takes on Classic comes protestors like when you racism and with a price and promoters don’t celebrate microagressions towards a clash in the holiday? in new comic good cause! Calgary (Pg. 5) (Pg. 10) (Pg. 16) (Pg. 2) News Editor Nathan Woolridge news [email protected] Heard it through the pipeline Pro-pipeline rallies taking place across the province Nathan Woolridge News Editor On Dec. 17, 2018 the plaza our resource sector from coast and energy sector in Alberta — the pipeline built. surpassed the 250 vehicle goal outside of Calgary’s Municipal to coast. Today Calgary city even acknowledging the low One of the first rallies was with an estimated 600 vehicles Building was flooded with an council is sending a strong occupancy rate of downtown held in northern Alberta in joining in. These convoys have estimated 3,000 people — message and we hope other Calgary offices. Grande Prairie around mid- also happened in large scales these people came together for municipalities across the But, Nenshi also found December. There was an across the province. a pro-pipeline rally organized country will do the same in himself at the center of ‘boos’ estimated 1500-2000 people There are also plans for an by Canada Action. support of their constituents,” and loud remarks when he in attendance to support pro- even larger-scale convoy to In a statement, Canada said Cody Battershill, began to discuss climate pipeline efforts. Oilfield Dads go from Western Canada to Action says that they have Canada Action’s founder and change. and Rally4Resources helped Ottawa in support of the oil, “organized multiple events spokesperson. “Good luck changing hearts organize the rally. gas and energy sector. in the past, and is excited to The Calgary event heard and minds,” Nenshi shot back In an email statement, Canada Action’s website promote this positive, non- from Battershill, Councillor to some individuals in the Rally4Resources said, “More says, “A coalition of grassroots partisan, supportive showing Peter Demong and Mayor crowd that were vocal during than 500,000 Canadians earn pro-resource groups is by the City of Calgary and their Naheed Nenshi. his speech. a living working in the oil and organizing a convoy from backing of the energy sector.” Demong started his speech At one point, Battershill had gas industry. The devastating Western Canada to Ottawa and The event at City Hall was talking about city council’s to step in and ask the crowd price drop of Western Canadian hosting a rally on Parliament also attended by the mayor and support, but was quickly to stop shouting when Nenshi Select Oil is not only crippling Hill. some members of city council. dismissed when he began began to speak in French — our economy, but our families, “This project is a massive Canada Action said in a talking about Quebec’s city a message he was aiming our jobs, our province and our undertaking that no one statement that city council was council and their support for towards the people of Quebec. nation.” group can fund on their own. on location to support pipelines the pipeline construction. When the crowd settled, Prior to the rally, We would like to be able to and the energy sector. Canada And when he mentioned that Nenshi said, “You have to speak Rally4Resources also said “We fully fund any participants Action said it’s important that Calgarians should be buying their language” when trying to anticipate this to be the largest who want to join but can’t, the city’s support receives Canadian cheese to support get your message across. pro-oil and gas rally in Canadian due to finances. Taking attention. other industries, he was The mayor ended his speech history, and it will also include this amount of time off for “Canada’s a leader in practically ‘booed’ off of the with “Let’s get that pipeline a 250 vehicle convoy; showing anyone in the oil and gas protecting people and the stage. built.” our unwavering support for the sector is a huge sacrifice but planet. Global oil and gas Nenshi quickly swooped up oil and gas industry and new there has never been a more demand is growing and it’s to the microphone to try and Pro-pipeline rallies pipeline development.” important time to be heard,” never been more important recover for his colleague. He Similar rallies have been says representatives from to speak up in support of the started off well talking about held across the province — all Hitting the streets Canada Action. men and women that work in the importance of the oil, gas with a similar message to get The Grande Prairie convoy Divide over pipeline spills onto street Solidarity and consent, focal point of Calgary demonstration Andi Endruhn, Jenna Tytgat Layout Editor, Staff Writer Outside the TransCanada the ‘hereditary leaders’. elders and pipeline company tower on Jan. 8, as puffs On Jan. 7, the RCMP arrested failed to reach a resolution, of breath rose into the air, 14 members of the Gidumt’en have gone viral. Images peaceful protesters in support Clan, of the Wet’suwet’en First depict armed RCMP members of the Wet’suwet’en Nation in Nation, saying that they had arresting members of the B.C. knelt on the cold concrete, violated the terms of an interim Wet’suwet’en Nation in -20 °C, as pro-pipeline protestors sang court injunction requiring the lying face down in the snow. “O Canada.” removal of a blockade along The blockade that had been Members of the Wet’suwet’en a forest service road issued in maintained along the forestry have been denying workers of December. The Wet’suwet’en road marked the entrance into Coastal GasLink, a subsidiary have prevented pipeline crews Wet’suwet’en, which is yet of Calgary based company from entering the area. unceded, and recognized as TransCanada, access to the The arrests, which the RCMP sovereign territory by Canadian area. They are stating that they say occured after a several law as per the Delgamuukw- Abbey Shaw burning sage at Wet’suwet’en solidarity do not have the permission of hour long meeting at which the Continued on Pg. 3 protest, Jan. 8, 2019. Photo by Jenna Tytgat January 17, 2019 • the reflector 3 Continued from Pg. 2 group that had gathered with a together.” Gisday’wa case in 1997. It states sign reading “Foreign-funded, Shaw expressed her concerns that the Wet’suwet’en people, eco-shaming radicals NOT about the pipeline project under their hereditary leaders, welcome”. She said that she regarding consent. still held the rights to 22,000 does not believe the pipeline “The whole world is talking km2 of Northern B.C. route should be moved. about consent right now, in The demonstration — one “I’m here because of my every area, and this is a live and of many events hosted across concern that people don’t living colour example of how the country on the 8th, in understand the necessity of we need to respect consent,” response to a press release these pipelines,” she said. she said. from the Wet’suwet’en First “Where do they think the “I think that we are at a time Nation asking “all people of money comes from? It transfers where people are forgetting that conscience” to act in a day of from Ottawa.” this is about lives and that there international solidarity. “The pipeline is also going is no situation where financial In Calgary, perhaps more to feed towns along the way, security trumps someone’s life.” than any other when it comes they’ll have a stable source of The Calgary demonstration to pipelines, protestors met gas to heat their homes.” was one of the smaller examples counter protesters, with a heavy Amongst the shouts and of solidarity in Canada, yet there police presence rounding out chants, Abbey Shaw walked was a division of Calgarians the scene. through the crowd in a heavy that was clearly displayed. Demonstrators occupied the patterned coat carrying a Michelle Robinson, an public sidewalk with signs and purple bucket with burning organizer for the Calgary event various chants of ‘Solidarity, sage. spoke with CBC Calgary saying Consent’, and ‘Kill that pipe’. “The sage is meant to cleanse that many people “have an They sang, played drums and and purify, so [I’ve] basically assumption that [Indigenous burned sage. Pro-pipeline gone through and smudged people] are all anti-pipeline advocates countered with their anyone who has come to the when some of us are pro- Efforts at reconcilliation by the Canadian government own chants of ‘Build that pipe,’ march,” she said. “[People] pipeline, but we are all anti- were frequently brought to contrast violence against banners and signs. can wave the smoke over their violence and I would think all Indigenous people by the protestors. Photo by Jenna Judy Johnson stood near head and it helps to bring peace Canadians can get behind that Tytgat the back of the pro-pipeline [and] bring everybody here message.” Fall reading break: The earlier, the better? Rosemary De Souza Features Editor Unlike several post- would prefer the break to fall secondary institutions, in between the Thanksgiving Mount Royal University has and Remembrance Day its fall reading break earlier holidays. than most universities in the “From what I see in my province, and some students classes, the Thanksgiving are looking for a change. break is just way too early in The University of Alberta, the semester,” says Vernon University of Calgary and the in an email to The Reflector.

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