-Slavoj Zizek

As we all move slowly into the second week of October, grabbing thicker jackets on our way out the door, wearing chunkier socks, drinking hotter beverages, we can see that in nature things are starting to change—leaves are rustier, grass is sparser and the last, desperate bees try for warmth indoors. Fall has this kind of grey realism about it—people mean business now. And as fall begins, the fall of corrupt institutions, kleptocratic governments and social inequities are given a chance to follow suit. After all, they have—as the leaves—worn out their welcome.

October has always been a month of protests: In 1917, the Bolsheviks led a revolt on Petrograd, beginning the first Socialist state; in 1969 the “Days of Rage” protestors took to the Chicago streets to voice their opposition to the Vietnam War; in 1990, Germany officially reunified after its Berlin wall came down; and, less commendably, in 1970, the FLQ kidnapped James Cross and Pierre Laporte in Montreal, executing Laporte.

However they manifested themselves, whether they were ultimately good or bad, the undercurrent in each of these protests was the same—something is wrong, and so something needs to change. Let’s kick off October by looking at this week’s protests (by no means is this a comprehensive list; it’s merely a smattering; feel free to add, in the comments section below, anything that I’ve missed!).

Idle No More

On Monday, Idle No More called a Global Day of Action to remember the October 7^th signing of The British Royal Proclamation in 1763, which legally mandated Canada to recognize Indigenous land rights. Groups across Canada convened to make their voices heard, and many people added videos to the Idle No More website showing support.

Shawn Atleo discusses the day’s significance:

250 years later, Indigenous peoples continue to struggle for sovereignty, especially against large-scale projects such as…

The Pipelines

Idle No More’s October 7 protests, in addition to remembering the Royal Proclamation, took aim at Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline, as well as the 14 other new or expanding oil and gas pipeline projects in Canada.

Torontonians meanwhile took to a concert near Finch station on October 6 to call attention to Enbridge’s Line 9 pipeline, because, as you can see here, the pipe runs right through Toronto, (something Enbridge would rather we didn’t know).

Also, on October 9, protestors in Montreal disrupted the National Energy Board hearings on the Line 9 project, interrupting those speakers who supported the pipeline. Young protestors launched loudly into stories about a fictional “Mr. Enbridge”, making it difficult for the pipeline to be promoted.

Quebec had more than a pipeline to oppose though, as protestors continued to show their indignation over the misguided…

Charter of Values

On Sunday October 6, around 200 demonstrators in Quebec City gathered to again remind us all how ill-considered the Quebec Charter of Values—that proposed ban on noticeable religious symbols on public sector workers—really is. Adil Charkaoui, the Muslim leader who also organized September’s 5,000-strong protest in Montreal, led the demonstration.

Here’s a video from the protests (okay, this video is not October, it’s the September 29 protest. But hey, it’s the same astrological sign, so let’s watch it.)

Where and how people publicize their religion continues to be a source of contention, but I think we can all agree on when religion is used incorrectly. I speak of course about…

Westboro Baptist Church

Get Shot, a U.S. punk band, protested the WBC’s draconian anti-gay dogma this week in a rather unlikely way: They filmed a porno. Laura Lush, the group’s bassist, was filmed stripping and masturbating on the organization’s front lawn in Topeka, Kansas. She said, in a comment on Facebook, “As a bisexual woman and the bass player of a ridiculous punk band, I wanted to spread my legs and cause controversy.” The video, should you wish to see it, is somewhere on this site (NSFW).

And in other nude protest news…

Spain’s Anti-Abortion Plans (link: NSFW)

Activists for the feminist group FEMEN broke into a Parliamentary session in Madrid on Wednesday to voice opposition to the conservative government’s proposed abortion law reform, which would limit women’s access to abortions. FEMEN (NSFW link) is known for their topless protests, having staged them in such enclaves as the Vatican, the London Olympics, and a “Topless Jihad” in front of the Great Mosque of Paris.

As I said above, if you have any more to share, or if you have a burning opinion you just can’t hold onto much longer, feel free to drop in the comments section below!

Let me elaborate on what this inconvenience entails. A river of thick corrosive tar has covered backyards and driveways. It’s like playing lava—the black parts are magma and the green parts are land—only this stuff contains carcinogens. The spill’s effects on residents and the damages it has caused have yet to be assessed. But consider that the 2010 Enbridge’s 877,000 gallon oil spill into Michigan’s Kalamazoo River caused symptoms such as nausea and vomiting for nearby residents.

And the clean-up is slow. About 12,000 barrels of oil and water from the Arkansas leak have been vacuumed up so far, with no date for completion. Oil is still being removed from the Kalamazoo River spill three years ago and cleanup costs should rack up to $1 billion once it’s done.

Generally, there are about 364 pipeline leaks in the U.S. each year. Last week alone, three oil spills were  reported. There was a 2,200 barrel spill in Alberta last Monday. Two days later, fifteen gallons spilled in Minnesota. A broken pipe at Suncor Energy Inc. contaminated the Athabasca River in Alberta the very next day.

Good thing Harper cancelled 3,000 environmental screenings on the potential damages of new resource developments. Potential damages like pipeline leaks. Are you kidding me, Stephen? Environmental screenings are what keep resource developments in check, ensuring less harm done on the environment. Meanwhile, we await Obama’s decision on Keystone XL, a tidy little pipeline extending from Alberta’s tar sands to an oil refinery in Texas.

There are a lot oil spills, and they seem inevitable as long as we’re transporting oil. Oil companies keep tabs on their pipelines by running infrequent tests on them and using “leak detection technology”. And when one of them bursts, leaks, ruptures, or fails us on a huge scale, taxpayer dollars are diverted to cleaning up the mess.

That’s because we’re talking bitumen here, a peanut-butter-thick substance that is exempt from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund—which, after a spill, pays the oil removal bill. The mentality is that bitumen isn’t oil before it makes it to the refinery, even though it can spill and cause more damage. So companies like ExxonMobil and Enbridge contribute nil to the fund that cleans up their mess. Whatever the fund doesn’t cover is compensated by the government. However, incidents like this one can result in charges on the company.

If the $5-billion Keystone XL doesn’t get Obama’s OK, that doesn’t mean the oil can’t be transported. Transportation can still be done via train, which comes with its own slew of spills. For example, a train transporting crude oil from Canada spilled 15,000 gallons of oil when it derailed in Minnesota on Wednesday.

We hardly hear about the frequent occurrence of oil spills anymore—although we should. We should be enraged. When oil spills hit this magnitude, it’s guaranteed that people and the environment suffer. Oil is being transported because there’s a demand for it. But at this point, it seems irresponsible to transport it—or even extract it.

Protesters gather outside the Enbridge annual general meeting. Photo by Jen Chow.

About 200 protesters gathered on King Street today as Enbridge held their annual general meeting inside the King Edward Hotel.

The mass of protesters had congregated on the street to voice their opinions on the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline, which would stretch 1,172 kilometres from Bruderheim, Alta., to the port of Kitimat, B.C. The proposed cost of this venture is in the range of $5.5 billion dollars. The pipeline would transport oil from the tar sands to the west coast for export to a growing Asian market as well as the western United States.

The pipeline would also move through lands which belong to dozens of First Nations groups. A group known as Yinka Dene Alliance, made up of B.C. First Nations, traveled by train across the country for eight long days to arrived in Toronto yesterday. Their goal is to inform people and raise awareness about the damages the Northern Gateway pipeline could cause to the environment and to their homes.

I arrived at the protest, a little damp from the light rain, to see a wide variety of signs and banners raised above the crowed. People were gathered in the middle of the street, chanting “No pipeline, no tankers,” along to the loud beating of drums.

Signs in all capital letters read “SHAME ON ENBRIDGE” and “WATER NOT OIL”—among various other anti-Enbridge slogans. Natalie Guttormsson, who was holding a large yellow sign with the red lettering “RESPECT INDIGENOUS PEOPLES RIGHTS,” said her sign means,  “recognizing that we are living on their land and when they say no to a project it means no.”

Natalie Guttormsson (far right) hold a banner in protest. Photo by Jen Chow.

As it began to rain down harder, the people only became louder. “NO TANKERS, NO PIPELINE, NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE,” rose loud above the sounds of the lunch hour traffic. They came to inform and raise awareness and that’s what they did.

I continued to scour the crowd for someone from the Yinka Dene Allience who was able to answer some of my questions. After asking several different people for an interview I met with Ted White, a councillor for the Aamjiwnaang First Nation. “I’m here to support the people in B.C. about the pipeline going through there,” he said.  “We’ve had problems (in Sarnia) with this company there alone.”

Standing with White was Al (who didn’t give his last name) also from the Aamjiwnaang First Nation, a strong silent type, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and a camo hat. He joined in our conversation: “The problem there hasn’t even been solved yet and they’re starting more problems on the other side of the country” he said. “They have to deal with these problems first.”

Many people at the protest were there to show their support for the Indigenous people in western Canada. A large number of those  I spoke with at the protest were from the Sarnia area, where another Enbridge project is located. According to Toban Black, Enbridge Line 9 crosses water sheds in the area and is connected to industries in Sarnia and Sarnia Lambton. Black is concerned because tar sands bitumen is processed there. “There is a bigger picture that the Northern Gateway struggle is part of,” he said.

Zack Nicholls, who was taking shelter from the rain, stood inside a bus shelter with his four year old son seated in a stroller is also from Sarnia. “I got the four year old with me,” he said. “Generally, I wouldn’t bring him all this way out but I felt it was important to get out and just be part of something big.” There was a real sense of frustration deep within the calming demeanor of his voice.

The Conservative government’s decision to get rid of the environmental assessment will pave the way for a lot more problems to occur, Nicholls added, especially with the Enbridge pipelines.

“In Sarnia there is just a constant barrage of releases from all the different refineries and the government does nothing. Every single time they do nothing,” said Nicholls. “We do stuff in Sarnia but they’re always just such tiny little events. I needed a pick me up. To be here with hundreds of other like minded people.”