WHEN: Friday January 20th
4PM-7PM
WHERE: 12666 72 Ave
KPU Surrey – Cedar – Room 1205 (A/B/C)
We will gather to listen to Billie Pierre of Nlaka’pamux Nation share their accounts of criminalization by the Canadian Government in their work to protect their traditional and unceded territory under threat of the TMX pipeline expansion.
Billie Pierre was one of several people who were violently arrested while in ceremony to protect salmon bearing Thompson River in Tk’emlups te Secwepemc (Kamloops BC).
In December 2022, Judge Fitzpatrick found all eight accused guilty of Criminal Contempt of Court, over two years after they were arrested in October 2020 on unceded Secwepemc’ulew. Those found guilty include Hereditary Chief Saw Ses, Secwepemc Matriarchs Miranda Dick and April Thomas, Nlaka’pamux land protector Billie Pierre and four settler supporters: Romilly Cavanaugh, Heather Lamoureux, Susan Bibbings and Laura Zadorozny.
Billie Pierre is mother and land defender from the Nlaka’pamux nation. She has been active in and supported various Indigenous movements since the 90’s.
In the past few years, she has focused on raising awareness about the negative impacts the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion is having on the Nlaka’pamux territory, and the threat it will continue to pose in the years to come if it’s ever operational.
Through the impact from the clearcut logging to the risks of pipeline ruptures, to the impact of global warming from the expansion of the Alberta tarsands, this project is an infrastructure to support this.
The effects of climate change on Nlaka’pamux territory can be seen by everyone. In 2020, Lytton BC, the heart of Nlaka’Pamux territory was burned by wildfires, and that fall, Merritt BC, was flooded. The causes of these environmental catastrophes can be linked to climate change and logging.
Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions.
