As Trans Mountain protests continue, environment minister says to move on
As opponents of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion protested across the country Monday, Canada’s environment minister said the project needs to move forward.
Protesters gathered outside the offices of Liberal MPs calling for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to pull its support for the controversial pipeline.
The rallies follow Ottawa’s announcement last week that it will spend $4.5 billion to buy the pipeline and ensure the project is completed.
“The crazy buyout of this pipeline project has actually united people from the left and the right,” said Peter McCartney, a campaigner for the Wilderness Committee, who led the rally outside Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould’s office in Vancouver.
Jolan Bailey, a campaigner with advocacy group Lead Now, said more than 100 events were held in cities across the country, including Calgary, Regina, Toronto and Halifax.
A rally in Environment Minister Catherine McKenna’s riding of Ottawa-Centre drew more than 100 people, Bailey said.
Outside the House of Commons on Monday, McKenna reiterated her government’s support for the pipeline expansion and said it’s time to move on.
“A decision was made, as I say, by the federal government over a year ago. Also by the former government of British Columbia. We need to provide certainty to investors and we also need to bring people together,” she said.
“The environment and the economy
go together and this project will go ahead.”
In Vancouver, about 100 people attended the protest, holding signs saying “No consent, no pipeline” and chanting “Keep it in the ground.”