‘We are not radicals’ – Kinder Morgan lawsuit defendants speak out “They’re trying to attack us and it’s backfiring. In fact, they’ve brought us more support – ten fold,” said one of the Kinder Morgan lawsuit defendants. They would hardly describe themselves as radicals: two SFU professors, a retiree, and an administration worker among them. But all were hit by a multi-million-law suit last week by Texas-based Kinder Morgan for claims they are thwarting pipeline survey work on Burnaby Mountain, and all will have to defend themselves in a courtroom hearing resuming Wednesday. Take biochemistry professor Lynne Quarmby. “I don’t think they could’ve bought themselves worse publicity,” she said Tuesday. On a typical day, you might find the scientist at a Simon Fraser University lab with her grad students using microscopes to look at what she calls pond scum. She studies genes that may unlock the mysteries of polycystic kidney disease. She jokes that she has no criminal record, and has not been the target of a terrorist investigation that she’s aware of. “I’m not some extreme radical – just a regular citizen,” she says with a laugh. “I still believe in justice and democracy. That’s why I was so shocked by this. I didn’t think such a thing could happen in our country.” Kinder Morgan’s lawyer, Bill Kaplan, told the B.C. Supreme Court on Friday that the long-time scientist was named in the multinational corporations claim because she published an op/ed in the Vancouver Observer stating her willingness to be arrested to stop the Trans Mountain expansion pipeline. Quarmby says she stands by that – “civil disobedience means peacefully putting your body in the way of an unjust event, and an unjust law. And I was 100% prepared for that.” The thing is, though, she says she hasn’t done much yet. She hasn’t put herself in front of company crews or been physically obstructionist. Quarmby believes she was targeted because she’s dangerous from a PR perspective: a bright, mild-mannered, law-abiding professional willing to stand up to the company. “Maybe it’s because I’m reasonable and level and just speaking about the scientific realities of climate change.” “I am writing and speaking at rallies, and maybe they feel like I’m starting to get people’s attention about this issue. They don’t want people to pay attention to climate change, that’s for sure.” “And I’ve been talking a lot about climate change,” she said. Commentators in mainstream media are taking notice. “Even for Big Oil, the lawsuit seemed excessive. It’s one thing to protect one’s business interests; it’s altogether another thing to act like a bully,” wrote Vancouver Sun columnist Pete McMartin. Another defendant is SFU administration worker Mia Nissen. She, along with fellow defendant Adam Gold, are activists who chained themselves to Chevron’s Burnaby refinery in May. The court will hear more specifics about why the pair were named by Kinder Morgan. But Nissen hardly considers herself a “ring leader” among those attending to Burnaby Mountain, whose numbers are starting to swell, and include guitar players and seniors holding coffee mugs. “So they think there’s a hierarchy, right?” said Nissen on Tuesday. “They’re singling out Lynne, Stephen [Collis], myself and Adam. They think we operate under the same hierarchical system that they do, but we don’t.” “They’re trying to attack us and it’s backfiring. In fact, they’ve brought us more support – ten fold,” she added. As an indication, a recent crowd funding effort for some of the defendants’ legal bills drew more than 500 people to give nearly $40,000 in donations in just three days. Another defendant is Alan Dutton – a former SFU sociology professor, retired non-profit worker, and a spokesperson for BROKE (Burnaby Residents Opposed to Kinder Morgan Expansion). He has his own and separate crowdfunding effort that is still a long way from reaching its $20,000 goal. He hopes people will give online to help defend residents like himself now facing possible fines and what could be millions of dollars in damage claims, he said. “The people who are protesting are ordinary residents – who come from a broad cross section of the community, and they have one common concern... that the proposed pipeline by Kinder Morgan does not proceed,” said Dutton on Tuesday. Some of Duttons concerns with the pipeline are its worsening effects on climate change, and the safety issues he sees with explosive and toxic bitumen crossing near school grounds. Officially, Trans Mountain is asking for an injunction barring protesters from blocking its crews from doing survey work at the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area Park. The company is also asking for damages and costs in a civil lawsuit over what it claims is trespass, assault and intimidation by protesters who chased away workers. “Our preference is to work cooperatively, and we respect the right to peaceful protest. However, we are required by the NEB to complete these studies in order to support our application, and we are pursuing our legal options,” a Trans Mountain spokesperson wrote this week. The company also names John Doe, Jane Doe and Persons Unknowns - a move seen by BROKEs lawyer as an attempt to round up more people, if the company wishes to. Complicating matters for the pipeline opponents though has been the range of activism. Nearly everyone, said Quarmby, are quiet attendees to Burnaby Mountain, holding placards and peacefully expressing their views. The RCMP say they support and protect this activity. Trouble is, a few young people are letting their emotions get the better of themselves, she said. Eighteen-year-old Jakub Markiewicz pinned himself under a Kinder Morgan jeep for several hours one week ago. Then on Friday, videotaped himself approaching a Kinder Morgan contractor truck that he believes was surveilling him. The truck rolls dangerously against him in the video – swearing and drama ensues. Likewise, during clashes with the company last week, defendant Adam Gold was recorded yelling “F*** off Texas!” over and over deep in the conservation forest where Kinder Morgan surveyors had gathered. He will respond to the companys intimidation charges in court, including the alleged use of a bull horn at staff at close range. But Quarmby believes the quiet, civil majority of picnics not pipeline opponents to the Trans Mountain expansion project – who don’t get the attention of news photographers and TV crews – will win the day. “When we sit around and talk, we talk about non-violence. What can we do within the law? We don’t want to damage property. We don’t want hurt people. We want to draw attention to the illegitimacy of this project.” “We are not radicals,” said the scientist. “We were having a hard time getting noticed, but [laughing] Kinder Morgan has helped us!” The Kinder Morgan court hearing resumes Wednesday to Friday in the B.C. Supreme Court at 800 Smithe Street in Vancouver, and is open to the public. With files from Sindhu Dharmarajah. vancouverobserver/news/we-are-not-radicals-kinder-morgan-lawsuit-defendants-speak-out?page=0%2C0
Posted on: Thu, 06 Nov 2014 13:23:48 +0000
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