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“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

Apparently, some of the disruptive and law-breaking groups were ‘chilled’ by the belief that they were being spied on


I know I really should care --- and it is a slippery slope to be on because who knows what /who might be next (if in fact the allegations are actually true) --- however I’m sorry, and I really don’t give a crap!

According to a document released by the BC Civil Liberties Association yesterday (July 8th)...
The BCCLA complaint alleged that, contrary to sections 12 and 19 of the CSIS Act, CSIS was monitoring environmentalists who were opposed to the Northern Gateway Pipeline Proposal, and sharing this information with the National Energy Board (NEB) and petroleum industry companies.

The BCCLA further alleged that this spying activity was deterring individuals from associating with environmental groups and expressing their opinions and that this chilling effect interfered with the freedoms of expression and association as protected by Section 2 of the Charter. Specifically named in the complaints were Dogwood Initiative, ForestEthics Advocacy (now Stand.earth), Sierra Club BC, Leadnow.ca, and the #IdleNoMore movement. 

According to the BCCLA, they are ... arguing that the Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC) report suggests that CSIS monitors environmentalists generally for “domain awareness” and that information on some individuals and groups is collected “incidentally”.iv We believe that this amounts to keeping tabs on peaceful environmental groups, which is not only unlawful under the CSIS Act, it suggests a bias in the spy agency that sees environmentalists as an inherent threat. 

Apparently, some of the groups were “chilled” by the belief that they were being spied on ... and that while SIRC acknowledged these concerns were reasonable based on the public information available ... it was ultimately found that these fears were unjustified based on the confidential evidence.

The groups noted above, along with many others, effectively ensured that the Northern Gateway Project would never see the light of day ... and continue to attempt to see the same for the Trans Mountain Pipeline Project.

Illegal protests ... road blockades ... chaining themselves to gates ... blockading equipment from going about legal business ... putting a halt to, and stopping, road construction ... and essentially costing BC, and Canada’s, resource sector billions upon billions of dollars --- along with loses in spin-off jobs --- expansion of supply companies --– loses in new manufacturing --- and billions in tax loses to all levels of government.

Full-time protesters, the Sierra Club, two faced First Nations service station owners ... Tiny House Warriors, #IdleNoMore, multiple layers and levels of First Nations governments often times at odds with each other, and a host of granola eating hippies and protest groups; all have had their way over and over again,  They have continuously broken the law with impunity, all the while trying to drive our resource industries into the ground.

If you were spied on, or kept tabs on, tough banana’s – I DON’T CARE. What I do care about however, is the safe environmentally sound production of Canadian resource industries --- including pipelines and oil and natural gas development.

The BC Civil Liberties are on the wrong side of this, and I feel confident the majority of British Columbians will agree.

On June 18th the Tiny House Warriors ... “responded to today’s official approval of the Trans Mountain Pipeline by insisting that it will never be built on Secwempemc land”.

These same so-called ‘warriors’ then go on to shower total disrespect to their elders:

“The fact that they have a few sellout Indian Act chiefs supporting their pipeline in no way legitimizes it. The salaries of these sellouts are directly paid by the Department of Indian Affairs and they have no right to speak for the people who are the rightful titleholders of the land.”

The elders and Chiefs ARE elected by First Nations people ... and because of this THEY DO have the right to speak for the people they are the leaders of.   

So, after all that, can we please simply lock up protesters breaking the law, and hold them in jail while they await trial on any number of charges that would and could apply.

It’s just my opinion, however it’s long past time for this to be done.
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