Vannessa, Sarah & Stone Letter of Support – Idle No More
** Updated to include the name of the third person arrested yesterday **
Idle No More supports the actions of Vanessa Gray, Sarah Scanlon and Stone Stewart , who were arrested on December 21st for shutting off a valve in efforts to stop Enbridge’s #Line9 across Anishinaabe territory.
We contend that the operation of Line 9 is in direct violation of Indigenous rights and self-determination as stated in the United Nations Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous People. This pipeline carries 300,000 barrels of oil per day and crosses multiple rivers and major waterways. These waterways include Lake Ontario and the St. Clair River which drains from Lake Huron into Lake St Clair and into other major Canadian and US waterways. Enbridge’s Line 9 puts the health of millions of people at risk and further jeopardizes a delicate eco system.
We are aware that Line 9 is directly connected to Line 6B. Line 6B recently leaked over 1 million barrels of bitumen in Kalamazoo, Michigan, becoming one of the worst inland oil spills in North America.
Vanessa Gray’s home community, Aamjiwnaang First Nation, is inundated with over 60 industrial facilities. Line 9 is one of them. This area has been dubbed “Chemical Valley”. The chemicals released from these plants have impacted all aspects of community life– from the water they can no longer drink, to the the air they breathe, and to the land they can no longer safely grow food on. In addition, these toxic chemicals negatively impact the reproductive health of people in the territory.
Vanessa Gray and Sarah Scanlon have taken a stand and are calling on oil companies and the Canadian government to stop the tar sands destruction and end the desecration of Indigenous territories. We stand in solidarity with them.
Please join us by supporting Vanessa and Sarah. If you would like to make an interac transfer donation to the legal defence fund please email stopline9@gmail.com and use the password: solidarity.
Idle No More