This Changes Everything

“Democracy, Divestment, and the Wins So Far” (Pages 337-348)

Klein describes the actions of the small island community of Bella Bella toward plans by Enbridge and the Canadian government to construct a new oil pipeline close by their waters.

When a review panel from Canada came to the island to discuss the plans, the indigenous community met them with their chiefs in full ceremonial dress, with festive dances, a planned feast where the visitors would be guests of honour, and students lining the roads with posters and placards with messages about saving their island and way of life. It was “the culmination of a huge planning effort driven by [the] whole community” (337).

Schoolchildren and students researched for months before, looking into the history of pipeline tanker spills and impacts on sea-life, so they would be ready to give testimony to protect the land and waters of their ancestors and of future generations. 

The review panel were unnerved by these scenes. They temporarily cancelled the review meeting, claiming fears about their safety, and turned down the invitation to the feast. To the community it was like a slap in the face, after all their efforts.

Klein points out what’s strange about this is the way the entire spirit of the community’s actions had been misunderstood.