Province-Wide Day of Action to Show Unbroken Wall of Opposition to Pipelines and Tankers in BC

SMITHERS, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Oct. 11, 2012) - Communities across BC are planning a province-wide Defend Our Coast day of action to show growing opposition to the risks posed by tar sands pipelines and tankers. Rallies will be held at MLA's offices across the province on Wednesday, October 24th, and participants will link arms to symbolize BC's unbroken wall of opposition.

Local volunteers are organizing the events, in a diverse range of communities including Masset to Chilliwack, with province-wide support and facilitation by online campaign organization Leadnow.ca.

"The majority of British Columbians have serious concerns about the expansion of tar sands pipelines and tankers," said Nadia Nowak, Local Outreach Coordinator for Leadnow.ca. "People from all walks of life - First Nations, ranchers, fishermen, business owners, foresters, teachers - are stepping up and coming together like never before to form a wall of opposition and call on our provincial leaders to defend our coast."

The day of action will follow the Defend Our Coast mass sit-in planned for October 22nd at the provincial legislature in Victoria, which has been endorsed by more than eighty community, union, business and Aboriginal leaders, including David Suzuki, Stephen Lewis and Chief Jackie Thomas of the Yinka Dene Alliance.

"As a tradesperson in Northern BC, I know that environmental protection, climate stability, and economic security are intertwined," said Karen Anderson, a local event organizer and journeyman carpenter in Prince George. "To me, the risk of a pipeline spill or a tanker accident is just too great. Too much is at stake."

Support for the community-based events reflects recent polling data by Stratcom that shows a majority of British Columbians oppose the proposed Enbridge and Kinder Morgan pipelines.

"Despite the clear opposition of British Columbians, the federal government is trying to ram pipelines through our province, and our provincial government is sitting on the fence, suggesting that BC's coast can be bought," said Nowak. "These local events will make a powerful visual statement to show the unprecedented depth and breadth of this movement, and make sure our politicians know that we are organizing in the communities they represent," said Nowak.

For more information on the Defend our Coast BC-Wide Day of Action, please go to the website: http://defendourcoast.ca/actions/