When a cluster of luminaries in top hats gathered in 1885 to hammer the very last spike on Canada’s new coast-to-coast railway into the ground, the symbolism was obvious: The fledgling nation of Canada was now one, from sea to shining sea.
Almost a century and a half later, over 40,000 kilometres of steel track still knits the country together — and that’s exactly why those looking to support Indigenous anti-pipeline protesters have seized upon the railway as the target of their disruptive actions this week.
The blockades reached a breaking point Thursday, with both Via Rail and Canadian National rail shutting down major parts of their network. Escalating protests across the country are in support of those fighting Coastal GasLink’s natural gas pipeline set to be built across Wet’suwet’en land in northern B.C. In response, those protesting in solidarity are striking at the rail network that knits the country together.
The targeting of the railway is no accident, protesters say.
Nikki Sanchez, a Pipil Maya Nation member who was part of the six day encampment at the B.C. legislature this week said there’s “historic irony” to the fact that railways were the infrastructure that was shut down as part of this movement.
“It’s very historically significant because the project of colonization, as well as the extinction of the buffalo, was facilitated by the laying down of the Trans Canada railway,” Sanchez said.
Alex Boyd – The Star – Feb 14, 2020.
Want More Investigative Content?
