Great Bear TIS- Jasmine Thomas Interview

Jasmine Thomas of the Saikuz nation

As part of the Great Bear Rainforest Tripods in the Sky (TIS) with Neil Ever Osborne.

About the TIS

The Issues

Enbridge Inc. has a long history of pipeline oil spills throughout Canada and the US, including a ruptured pipeline in Michigan less than a year ago that spewed one million gallons of crude oil into the Kalamazoo river system. The Northern Gateway pipelines would cross sensitive salmon spawning habitat, bisecting more than 1,000 rivers and streams. Once the oil reached Kitimat, it would be loaded into super oil tankers and transported through the difficult-to-navigate routes, whose channels cross the Great Bear Rainforest, the largest temperate rainforest in the world. After reaching the coast, the oil would continue on to international markets, contributing to our global dependence on fossil fuels and the climate change crisis. The pipeline project has been called the defining environmental battle of our time; one that will define Canada’s international reputation.

The Assignment

In order to fully appreciate what is at risk, it is important to take stock of the ecosystems and people who will be affected by the pipelines. ForestEthics has enlisted LightHawk and the International League of Conservation Photographers to fly over the proposed pipeline route, taking aerial photographs and video footage to document the land and communities that would be impacted. By conveying the dramatic beauty of the landscapes and the tenacity of the people, this visual communication project will assist the campaign to stop the pipeline project from becoming a reality.