Letter: Vote YES to Opposing Pipelines and the Tar Sands

LettersGabriel Velasco — Published March 21, 2016

Grassroots movements across the continent are leading the charge to amputate the tar sands in all directions, in an attempt to block the oil’s access to export markets.

Whether its Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline going west towards the Pacific, or the Keystone XL going south towards the United States, courageous movements—led by Indigenous communities—are blocking access and taking a stand.

Through the Line 9 and Energy East pipelines, tar sands oil is trying to break through the east and reach the Atlantic. It has now become our duty to resist, and to join the movement to end tar sands development and end pipeline construction.

All fossil fuels projects are vestiges of the past. They represent the old way of doing things, the old way of thinking about our relationship with the environment.

Pipeline projects and further tar sands development are inconsistent with moving towards a sustainable future. They build infrastructure that holds us hostage to a fossil economy—an economy that will soon be obsolete.

We must take power back from government, corporations and the billionaire class, in order to invest in an alternative economy that prioritizes the efforts of local communities towards environment sustainability and social justice.

Students play an instrumental role in raising awareness and building coalitions that have the power to shift our economy and fundamentally transform our energy policies.

As students we are the next generation, we will be forced to inherit this broken economy that is shackled to corporate interests, unless we stand up and fight today. Indigenous communities, environmental groups, unions and activists have taken the first step. Let’s join then in the fight for our future.

From March 29 to 31, vote “yes” to the CSU opposing the Energy East and Line 9 pipelines, as well as any form of tar sands development.

— Gabriel Velasco