Pipeline protest greets Trudeau
ACTIVISTS IN LONDON ERECT ‘CRUDEAU OIL’ MOCKUP AT CANADA HOUSE
The explosive debate around the Trans Mountain pipeline followed Justin Trudeau to Britain’s capital on Wednesday, as environmental activists confronted the prime minister with calls to cancel the contentious project.
The activists from Greenpeace UK sought to make their point with an elaborate protest that included erecting a fake pipeline around the Canadian High Commission — next to iconic Trafalgar Square — that was labelled “Crudeau Oil.”
Rappellers also scaled two of the diplomatic mission’s Greek-style pillars and unfurled large banners with the same words while British police and high commission staff stood on the sidewalk below and watched.
The 30 activists had simply hoped to make their message with Trudeau in town, but they actually saw him — albeit for only a few quick seconds — when he departed the high commission for a women’s rights event at city hall.
Trudeau didn’t stop to make small talk while walking briskly to a waiting car as the activists yelled “Climate leaders don’t build pipelines” and “Leave the tarsands in the ground,” but he did thank them for coming out.
Wednesday’s protest provided an unexpected start to what was to be a packed day of meetings for Trudeau, who met with both the Queen and British Prime Minister Theresa May.
According to May’s office, Trudeau told his British counterpart that Canada and Britain will be able to quickly pursue a new trade deal after Brexit.
“Prime Minister Trudeau said he believed that, post-Brexit, the U.K. and Canada governments would be able to move in rapid fashion towards a new trade deal that will be particularly beneficial to both countries,” a Downing Street spokeswoman said in a statement.
“They agreed the bilateral trade and investment relationship would continue to go from strength to strength.”
Trudeau will be attending a meeting of Commonwealth leaders on Thursday, where climate change is expected to figure prominently.
The Commonwealth is expected to specifically focus on ocean protection while Trudeau has made defending the environment a key priority for Canada’s G7 presidency this year.
Pat Venditti, campaigns director at Greenpeace UK, said it was “very hypocritical of the prime minister to be here in London talking about climate change while building a climate-wrecking pipeline that can only lead to more fossil fuels being burned.”
Venditti, who originally hails from Niagara, said the activists wanted to show their objections to the Trudeau government’s plan to expand the Trans Mountain pipeline.
“Many, many people oppose this, including First Nations, the province of British Columbia, the residents of Vancouver and Burnaby,” said Venditti, whose organization did not ask permission for the banners or fake pipeline.
“And we’re here to support them and to say if Mr. Trudeau wants to be a climate leader, he has to leave pipelines out of it.”
Trudeau has been struggling to resolve a veritable war between B.C. and Alberta over the Trans Mountain pipeline, which he supports in the hopes of increasing oil exports to Asia and decreasing Canada’s reliance on the U.S. market.
B.C. Premier John Horgan has said his province opposes the pipeline over environmental concerns, despite what Trudeau says are historic investments in ocean protection and other measures to mitigate against environmental damage.
The prime minister convened a meeting with the premiers of those two provinces on Sunday, prior to his trip to France and the U.K., after which he asserted that the pipeline would get built.
While the Greenpeace activists in London were clearly trying to make a splash, not everyone was impressed.
“I don’t think anything about the context, but this type of protest is narcissistic,” said bypasser Ares Nikolle, who was not aware of the Trans Mountain pipeline debate.
“Why don’t you get a lawyer and politicians to get the message through. Go through policies and make a meritorious argument that’s intelligent, researched and cited that actually weighs the pros and cons.”
Trudeau arrived in London on Tuesday night following a two-day stop in France, where he and President Emmanuel Macron appeared to strike up a solid political alliance aimed at advancing progressive policies on the world stage.
The U.K. is one of Canada’s most important allies.
However, Trudeau isn’t on the same wavelength with May in the way he is with Macron, which suggests the tone and substance of discussions in London could be very different.