On Nov. 17 we sounded the alarm
Tags: Global Warming, Climate, Activism, Social Justice, Social Change

Demonstrators at the November 17th action organized by Climate Justice Victoria outside MP Laurel Collins’ Office.

Blog by Chris Gusen

Yesterday, the Trans Mountain Crown corporation — the publicly owned company that Trudeau created when he bought the Trans Mountain pipeline back in 2018 — held their Annual “Public” Meeting. While the CEO of the Trans Mountain Crown Corporation recorded a video update on the taxpayer-funded pipeline expansion, people across the country took to the streets to make one thing clear: it’s time to defund TMX.

A not-so-public meeting

The contrast could not have been clearer. What the Canadian Development Investment Corporation (CDEV) had advertised as a public meeting turned out to be nothing more than four white men in suits, awkwardly reading statements from their nondescript offices. Meanwhile, from coast to coast people of all ages and backgrounds flexed our people power with creativity, song, noisemakers and light. The whole day of action was a stirring reminder: we will win because we love life more.

In an attempt to appear to engage the public, Trans Mountain invited people across the country to submit their questions in the weeks leading up to the meeting. Thousands of people responded by emailing CDEV with legitimate questions about the $12.6 billion (or likely more) we’re collectively spending on TMX. For example, “How many boil water advisories in First Nations communities could we end with that money?” or, “How many units of affordable, low-carbon housing could we build?” TMX’s Ian Anderson didn’t even acknowledge the barrage of tough questions in his prepared remarks. It’s not clear if he ever will. Naturally, he didn’t mention the climate emergency either, nor did he mention the recent report showing that the pipeline expansion makes no economic sense. He certainly didn’t acknowledge the ongoing collaboration between the state and Big Oil to criminalize Indigenous people exercising their rights to protect the land. Instead, he rattled off a series of figures (barrels-per-day, labour costs, revenues, time-to-completion) that seemed designed to numb the viewer. Even Anderson himself looked profoundly bored.

“Maybe if I say it boringly enough people won’t realize what I’m doing is so evil.” — Ian Anderson, probably

Our so-called leaders are asleep at the wheel

In many ways, that’s exactly what yesterday’s actions were about. Our society is in crisis. But our so-called leaders are asleep at the wheel, hypnotized by greed and complacency. Meanwhile, the pandemic, the climate emergency, rising inequality and resurgent white supremacy are overlapping in nightmarish ways. It’s up to us to wake politicians up.

If they still won’t listen, it’s time for them to get out of the way. Our people-powered movements are ready to tackle these crises head on, and build a much better world in the process. We need to put our big, bold ideas for a just transition into action as soon as humanly possible. It’s time to defund TMX, end all fossil fuel subsidies and mobilize our whole economy around a Green New Deal that leaves no one behind.