North Coast First Nations are finding strong support for their legal challenges to the Enbridge Northern Gateway, with four nations benefitting from a grassroots fundraising campaign.
On Nov. 13 the Haida Nation joined the Gitxaala Nation, Heiltsuk Nation and Kitasoo Nation in the Pull Together campaign, which has so far raised more than $200,000 in four months.
“The Pull Together campaign is driven by people who care and are politically astute,” said kil tlaats ‘gaa, Peter Lantin, President of the Haida Nation.
“They can see how the future of the country is shaping up and want to be part of it.”
The four nations join the Nadleh Whut’en and Nak’azdli Nations as part of the campaign, which was started by community groups in Northern B.C. and is managed by the Sierra Club of B.C. Pull Together has been so successful that organizers have increased their fundraising goal from $250,000 by the end of the year to $300,000, and the Sierra Club noted all monies raised “are being matched by an anonymous donor”.
“British Columbians do not want First Nations to stand alone against Enbridge and they’re demonstrating this with passion, creativity and their wallets,”” said Sierra Club BC campaigns director Caitlyn Vernon.
“It’s incredible to think that Pull Together began in the summer with a community group in Terrace raising $2,000, and now we have raised a hundred times that.”
For more information on the campaign, which has so far included 50 community events, 30 participating businesses and over 1,000 individual donors, visit www.pull-together.ca.