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The Wall Street Journal reports, “In a sign of the tension ahead, a group of protesters issued a statement [on Wednesday] saying it staged a peaceful sit in at the British Columbia office of a senior Conservative lawmaker, James Moore, to exhibit opposition to the pipeline project.”

Moore is the federal industry minister, he’s also Harper’s senior regional minister for British Columbia.

Vancouver 24 Hours further explains that, “Organizer Anjali Appadurai said about 12 people occupied Moore’s office at 10 a.m. …Appadurai said police were called and spoke with protestors but did not interfere. The action comes a day after the federal government approved the Northern Gateway pipeline with 209 conditions.”

The Tri-City News notes, “[Appadurai] said the action was only the beginning of activist’s attempts to shut down the pipeline proposal. Those involved in the demonstration, she said, were concerned citizens and that the protestors were not affiliated with any single environmental organization.”

That said, we’re proud that two Council of Canadians organizers — Leila Darwish and Brigette DePape — participated in this action.

Unfortunately, as the Georgia Straight reports, “Moore’s staff has come up with a clever way to defeat anti-Enbridge demonstrators who’ve occupied his office today. ‘The receptionist has locked the door and closed the blinds, and they’re not letting us use the bathroom, either,’ protester Amanda Nahanee told the Straight by phone.”

The Tri-City News adds, “Port Moody Police Department Const. Luke van Winkel confirmed that police had been notified about the demonstration and that officers have been in contact with both office employees and protestors.” He says, “The protesters have been informed that the office will be closing at 4 p.m. and that all parties must exist the building upon its closure. It is our hope that everyone will leave peacefully without requiring police intervention.”

And late last night, the Globe and Mail reported, “Nine people staged a sit-in at Conservative MP James Moore’s B.C. constituency office Wednesday to voice their opposition to the project. Four were arrested after they refused to leave, but were quickly released by police and not taken into custody.”

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Brent Patterson

Brent Patterson is a political activist, writer and the executive director of Peace Brigades International-Canada. He lives in Ottawa on the traditional, unceded and unsurrendered territories of the Algonquin...