A Burnaby group that’s been steadfast in its opposition to the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion is warning against escalating protests.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s approval of the contentious project came as no surprise to Karl Perrin, a member of Burnaby Residents Opposing Kinder Morgan Expansion, or BROKE.
But government approval doesn’t mean much, according to Perrin.
“It’s a done deal as far as Trudeau is concerned and that makes it very difficult, but that was true in Clayoquot Sound as well,” he told the NOW.
Perrin hopes that, like the protests against clear-cut logging in Clayoquot Sound in the early 1990s, a compromise will come out of Burnaby’s fight against the Kinder Morgan expansion.
While there are no immediate plans for BROKE to hold protests in the city, Perrin said he would be joining Climate Convergence, a grassroots network of folks fighting for climate justice, at an emergency rally outside Tuesday night in Vancouver.
“In any case, there will be escalating protests,” Perrin said. “Probably something like Clayoquot 2.0 with many more people being arrested, including Mayor (Derek) Corrigan from Burnaby, the NDP candidate for MP Carol Baird Ellen, and others that have committed to, as Mayor Corrigan says, to stand in front of the bulldozer.”
Burnaby’s mayor said he felt “depressed” after Tuesday’s announcement.
“It’s a very, very depressing result after years of advancing what I think has been a very cogent case to deny the pipeline,” he told the NOW. “I think there will definitely be continuing protests, and it will be a very difficult and controversial project to bring through.”
Asked if he will follow through on his bulldozer promise, the mayor didn’t exactly say yes or no.
“I think everybody knows that when you say something like that, it’s symbolic. It means that you will be taking this farther in regard to the opposition, and that’s really where we’re going to find there’s thousands and thousands of people in the Lower Mainland, here in British Columbia, who feel very passionately about this issue,” he said.
Corrigan added, while it’s too early to say, he suspects the city will appeal the federal government's decision.
