This film was released in June, 2017, and makes reference to Kinder Morgan as the pipeline owner.
Chris Young, The Canadian Press, May 29, 2018: “The Trudeau government is taking an extraordinary step in its push to ship more oil sands crude to global markets and will buy the Trans Mountain pipeline from Kinder Morgan for $4.5-billion after the company lost interest in an expansion project beset by fierce opposition from environmentalists, Indigenous groups and the B.C. government.”
Additionally, several First Nations continue to challenge this pipeline expansion by appealing to Canada’s highest courts. Despite this, and even during the current Covid-19 Pandemic public health emergency, the build out for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion has been deemed an “essential service” and construction continues. Despite the change of ownership from Kinder Morgan to Canada, the conditions and threats described in the film remain so, including the growing climate crisis. Sarama, May, 10, 2020
I want to thank all those who generously helped with making the film, either directly, or indirectly. Here is a list of those who contributed to make this film. I hope I have not omitted anyone!
Sarama diving at Ogden Point, Photo credit: Evan Shaler
This Living Salish Sea
Principal filming was on location in the Salish Sea basin, on the unceded territories of the Coastal First Nations. Osiem-Thank you \O/
FILM CREDITS
Writing, Narration, Production, Direction, Cinematography and Editing
Sarama
Special Thanks for Narration Assistance
Colleen Elson
Soundtrack
Wayne Harjula
Animation
Colton Hash- Grassroots Rendering
Essential Support and Assistance
Lyonoor Lardein
Additional Cinematography
Robert Alstead- icycle.ca Productions
Rahman Bazlur
Karen S. Bowden
Terry L. Brown- The Amphibiographer
Grant Ellert
Garth Everett- Keepemstraight Media Services
Greenpeace
Scott Knowles
Lyonoor Lardein
Mary Miller
Eoghan Moriarty- Mindagape Creative
Roy Mulder- UW1 Digital Media Production
Randy Parker- Waterlogged Productions
Shawn Soucy
Bob Turner
Jeremy Williams- River Voices Productions
Lukas Zapata
Rebecca Ziegler
Red rock crab feeding amongst seaweeds
Additional Photography
Peter Battistoni
John Denniston
Lyonoor Lardein
Rob. W. MacDonald
James B. Pawley
C.M. Rolston
Don Scagel
Evan Shaler
Alan Sirulnikoff
Eleonore Stacha
Stuart Thomson
Niall Williams
Aspen Wing
Backlit kelp forest
Additional Media Resources
Canadian Government City of Burnaby Archives Canadian Coast Guard Chemical Safety Board, (U.S.A.) Earth Science & Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Centre, eol.jsc.nasa.gov National Academies of Sciences, (U.S.A.) National Aeronautics & Space Administration, (U.S.A) National Energy Board, Canada National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, (U.S.A.) New Westminster City Archives Vancouver City Archives
Maps and Visualizations
Global Temperature Anomaly Visualization, Lori Perkins/NASA Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency- AMSR2 Data NASA Scientific Visualization Studio Kinder Morgan pipelines map, Kinder Morgan The Salish Sea Map, Stephen Frelan, Western Washington University
Gospel Rock overlooking the Salish Sea
Music
Eli, Eli
Written by Hana Sanesh Arranged and Performed by Janine MacLeod
Deep River
Written and Performed by Michael Lacoste
Song
Shi’shal’h First Nation Drummers and Singers
Deep Space
Written and Performed by Michael Lacoste
Song
Coast Salish Drummers and Singers
Song
Dene Drummers and Singers
Round Tower
Written and Performed by Michael Lacoste
First Flight
Written and Performed by Michael Lacoste
Around the Globe
Written and Performed by Glenn Loft with Drumming by Eddie Gardner
Ooo Yah
Written and Performed by Michael Lacoste
Future Passed
Written and Performed by Michael Lacoste
Women’s Warrior Song
Written by Martina Pierre, Sung by Megan Gerbrandt
Coast Salish Anthem
Composed by Chief Dan George Performed by Chief Ian Campbell and Coast Salish Drummers and Singers
The Blue Ocean
Written and Performed by Shie Rozow Publisher- LVOE Music Publishing Courtesy of RealCues
Change
Written by
David J. Taylor, Simon Paradis, Kim Fontaine, Kara Stanley
Performed by David J. Taylor
Guitar Instrumental- Matthew Lovegrove
Bitumen-laden Aframax tanker passing under the CN rail bridge at the 2nd Narrows
Additional Audio
Salish Sea Hydrophone Network
Publicity
Billie Carroll- Rhizome Up! Media Society, Green Film Series
Fundraising Campaign
Beverly Saunders- SustainablecoastBC.ca
Production Assistance
Evan Shaler
Boat Support
Tim Bartoo
Ric Careless
Fernando Ferreira
Brad Hornic
Michael C. Klein
Dona Reel
Jim Saunders
Evan Shaler
Richard C. Till
Ruth Walmsley
Kayak flotilla water-based protest against Kinder Morgan. Photo credit: Ruth Walmsley.
Sponsoring Funders
Brad Benson
Mikal Baker
Ric Careless
Lisa French
Judith Hammill
Takeko MacDonald
Robert (Don) MacDonald
Dona Reel
Dorothy Riddle
Arleigh Rolind
Suzanne Senger
Roger Swickis
Loa Thorarinson
Kim Tournat
Ta’ ah Amy George & Elders at the Healing Walk, 2013
Supporting Funders
Katie Angermeyer
Teresa Bigham
Laurie Bloom
Eric Bowers
Charles Bolyan
Nick Caputo
George Connell
Marina Crawford
Julia Currie
Jan DeGrass
Gibsons Green Team
Synnove Godeseth
Bobbie Harvey
Mark Hiltz
Tammy Hudgeon
LeeAnn Johnson
Karen McIvor
Gayle Neilson
Rick O’Neill
Dr. James B. Pawley
Melissa Rayfield
Judy Renouf
Glen Richards
Pia Sillem
Sandra Slobodian
George Smith
Karen Stein
Jack Stein
Donna Thompson
Marge Umezuki
Mary Webb
Lola Westell
Janice Williams
Joanna Zilsell
Octopus hiding in den.
Sponsoring Assistance
iTorch Canada
LEHR Outboards
Multirotorheli
Nanaimo Dive Outfitters
Special Thanks
Charlene Aleck
Robert Alstead
Clarrisa Antone
Sut’lut Antone
Scott Avery
Lorne Berman
Naomi Bothe
Robert Bothe
Stephanie Buffum
Grant Callegari
Candace Campo
Tamo Campos
Nick Caputo
Jesse Cardinal
Ric Careless
Rose Clarke
Eriel Deranger
Billie Carroll
Mel Clifton
Stephen Collis
Mayor Derek Corrigan
Keith Collyer
Pauline Collyer
Chief Calvin Craigan
Jan DeGrass
John Denniston
Sarah Doherty
Arlene Elliott
Colleen Elson
Dr. Wiley Evans
Garth Everett
Dr. Eoin Finn
Naomi Fleschhut
Kim Fontaine
Eddie Gardner
Megan Gerbrandt
Ta’ah Amy George
Rueben George
Dr. Helen Gurney-Smith
Judith Hammill
Wayne Harjula
Colton Hash
Jason Herz
Barbara Higgins
Dr. Frank James
LeeAnn Johnson
Dan Kingsbury
Bonnie Klein
Dr. Michael Klein
Scott Knowles
Gretchen M. Krampf
Dr. Manfred Krautter
Melina Laboucan-Massimo
Michael Lacoste
Lionel Lepine
Matthew Lovegrove
Dr. Rob W. MacDonald
Janine MacLeod
Elizabeth May
J. Markiewizc
M. Markiewizc
Alexandra Morton
Eoghan Moriarty
Wes Nahanee
Richard Nelson
Carl Olsen
Rick O’Neill
Irwin Oostindie
Simon Paradis
Kelly Patrick-Moore
Dr. James B. Pawley
Jeffrey Paleczeny
Keith Perreur-Lloyd
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip
Lynne Quarmby
Dona Reel
Dianne Sanford
Beverly Saunders
Jim Saunders
Suzanne Senger
Evan Shaler
Alan Sirulnikoff
Andrew Smith
Eleonore Stacha
Feodor Stacha
Kara Stanley
David J. Taylor
Carleen Thomas
John Thompson
Richard C. Till
Bob Turner
Tim Turner
Kevin Washbrook
Dr. Andrew Weaver
Christianne Wilhelmson
Janice Williams
Greg Wood
Hollie Wood
Ruth Walmsley
Shirley White
Joanna Zilsel
Alabaster nudibranch
Thanks
Sharon Abreu
Marija Bresev
Ross Barrett
Charles Boylan
Karen S. Bowden
John Dafoe
Alan Dutton
Chief Ian Campbell
Jonathan Faille
Geordie Harrower
Robert Higgins
Michael Hurwicz
William Huston
Dr. Tony Ingraffea
Greenpeace
Kylie Hutchinson
Eoin Madden
Dennis Olson
Eric Peterson
Khelislem Rivers
Tim Sars
Vera Scroggins
Ruth Simons
Xenoa Skinteh
Bonnie Smith
Joe Stanton
Dr. Sandra Steingraber
John Stonier
Johan Stroman
Dr. David Suzuki
Rex Weyler
Michael Wilson
Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation
Burnaby Residents Against Kinder Morgan Expansion City of Burnaby
Friends of the the San Juans
Future of Howe Sound Society
Georgia Strait Alliance
Hakai Institute
HealingWalk.org
Keepers of the Athabasca
Marine Life Sanctuaries Society Musqueam First Nation
Raincoast Conservation Foundation Raincoast Research Society RealHearings.org
MySeatoSky.org
Sechelt First Nation
Squamish First Nation
Sunshine Conservation Association Sunshine Coast Salmonoid Society Tsleil-Waututh Nation Sacred Trust Vancouver Unitarian Church
Wilderness Committee Centre for Whale Research
Joan Phillip speaking after the Kelowna screening. Photo credit: Naomi Bothe.
Inquiries and information: www.livingsalishsea.ca
Copyright, Sarama, 2017 All rights reserved. No reproduction without permission
As communities were evacuated because of fires, and vast areas covered in heavy smoke, 2018 has been the most devastating fire season in recorded B.C. history, beating the previous worst fire season in 2017, creating the worst air quality in the world, right here, with scientists attributing these events to human- caused climate change. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau flew into Nanaimo under heavy smoke, to hold caucus meetings. On the ground, environmental activist-protectors stood with Indigenous leaders to voice their continued opposition to the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion project and Trudeau’s decision to buy the pipeline for a reported 4.5 billion dollars. But economist Robyn Allan has said the deal could eventually cost taxpayers between 15-20 billion dollars.
In the years of resistance to the pipeline expansion, more than 400 people have been arrested, with many facing heavy fines and prison sentences. But in a ruling on August 30, 2018, the Federal Court of Appeal quashed the project, in a historic and scathing 266-page unanimous decision. The applicants were several First Nations, Environmental NGOs, and the cities of Burnaby and Vancouver, vs The Attorney General of Canada, the National Energy Board, and Trans Mountain Pipeline ULC.
Chief amongst the issues:
– Failure by the Government of Canada to properly consult First Nations.
– A flawed National Energy Board Hearing, not considering tanker traffic.
– Failure to protect Southern Resident Orcas- under threat of extinction.
In 2012, upon hearing of Kinder Morgan’s expansion plans, I decided to make a film on the issues; this took more than five years to complete. This Living Salish Sea was supported by people in several communities and has been screened in many towns in B.C. and Washington State. But when MP Elizabeth May hosted a special screening of my film on Parliament Hill for MPs and Senators, none watched it, despite there being several screenings. I had repeatedly invited my MP, Pamela Goldsmith-Jones to inform herself and watch the film, but she did not attend. She did however, support the approval of the Kinder Morgan expansion and purchase, as did other Liberal MPs from B.C. Meanwhile, the Government of Canada and of Alberta have spent millions on a slick ad campaign promoting the pipeline expansion.
Within thirty minutes of the court ruling, shrewd Kinder Morgan/Trans Mountain shareholders voted more than 99% in favour of selling, acquiring a large profit. Shortly after, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau finalized the purchase, saying he was intent on completing the pipeline expansion, putting the government in a direct conflict of interest in regard to any new First Nations consultations or a NEB process and approvals.
I am honoured that the film was used in many fundraising events to help support the First Nations in their battle, which resulted in such a historic legal victory.
This Living Salish Sea is based on facts and science and shows the beauty and diversity of our marine environment. You may watch the film online by clicking on this link: https://vimeo.com/272886759
If you are able, please donate to help support the costs involved to make and present this film.
This important issue is not over yet, and is less about the path taken, which we cannot change, and more about the path ahead, which we can.
Sarama, 09-03-2018
References:
Wildfires and climate change, Radio Canada International: http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2018/08/16/british-columbia-wildfires-worse-due-to- climate-change/
Federal court of appeal decision: https://decisions.fca-caf.gc.ca/fca-caf/decisions/en/item/343511/index.do
Robyn Allan, National Observer: https://www.nationalobserver.com/u/robyn-allan
