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Domestic Terrorism in British Columbia

by albertacowpoke | July 5, 2009 at 05:19 pm

241 views | 40 Recommendations | 10 comments

A natural gas pipeline that runs through northeastern British Columbia, near the Alberta border has been bombed for the second time in three days. Officials call it an act of domestic terrorism.

The pipeline is owned by Encarna. This is the sixth time in the last nine months that this pipeline has been attacked along a 10 -15 kilometer stretch near the small community of Pouce Coupe.

The RCMP said that several resources are being devoted to this investigation, including the National Anti-Terrorism Unit.

Encarna has also offered a reward for information leading to the capture and conviction of the culprits.

This last attack occurred while crews were repairing the damage caused by a previous attack. The attack caused a real risk to the lives of the repair crew and the residents of Pouce Coupe.

For the second time in three days an Encana natural gas pipeline that runs through northeastern BC near the Alberta border has been bombed and this has officials calling it an act of domestic terrorism.

The latest attack on the pipeline network marks the sixth bombing in the past nine months. All of the bombings have taken place along a 15-to-20 kilometre stretch of pipeline near the small community of Pouce Coupe.

RCMP say several resources are being devoted to the investigation, including the national anti-terrorism unit.

With recent scares on gas pipelines in British Columbia, terms like ecoterrorism and ecotage are popping up again. According to CSIS, as many as 2,000 moderate or extremist environmental organizations are estimated to be active in Canada. Far from the first event to disrupt oil production, or other practices deemed dubious by environmental extremists, this is one in a long line of activities to rock B.C.

The above article goes on to talk about and describe five eco scares to remember. The are:

Meat Truck Bombs

Tree Spiking

Energy Targets

Mink farm raid; and

Seedling attack

Read more here

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Paschen

at 19:32 on July 5th, 2009

I have been following some of this and it seems to increase and this not only in BC or the Yukon, but World wide.

albertacowpoke

at 19:41 on July 5th, 2009

In most cases, at least here, it is due to some kind of dispute with the pipeline or oil or natural gas company. For the most part they do a decent job negotiating with landowners, but they do have their bottom line.

I have just gone through that process. They used 13 acres here for a 42 inch pipeline. That was 2 years ago. Last year they seeded it but nothing but weeds came up. Phone calls did nothing so last week I took pictures (12 of them) of all the weeds, some close up and e-mailed them. I had a phone call withing 30 minutes.

Today they cut it all.

Iffy (not verified)

at 22:33 on July 5th, 2009

There has been a militant uprising by Canada's native communities since 1990. Starting with the Oka Crisis, where armed Mohawk warriors engaged in a siege with the Canadian Armed Forces, and a sympathy road-blocking and infrastructure bombing campaign that has gone on since. Canadians can pretend it isn't happening but there is anger with its native peoples.

albertacowpoke

at 03:15 on July 6th, 2009

Iffy yes there is anger with our native people over many issues. The stand off in Oka was over a golf course. The Canadian Forces had a Brigade Group tied up in this stand-off. There have also been bridge blocked in Montreal during that time frame. There have been protests in various spots across the country. I'm not sure that this is one of those incidents.

Barbara McPherson

at 09:56 on July 6th, 2009

I think part of the issue is the danger of 'sour gas' close to people's houses and livestock. In BC the provincial government sells mineral rights and the property owners only own the surface. The gas and oil companies can bring equipment onto the property and drill even if you don't want their money or their presence on your land. I know I would be pretty irate if that happened to me.

albertacowpoke

at 10:06 on July 6th, 2009

Sour gas is definitely a danger. There have been some real horror stories associated with this. In Alberta there are only surface rights as well. The Alberta Energy and Utility Board is supposed to be the arbitrator if there is a conflict between the land owner and the energy company or pipeliners

Three years ago I was involved with a landowners group to negotiate per acre payment for surface rights for a 42 inch pipeline. The bottom line was, no matter what opposition would be raised by a landowner, the pipeline company was able to get an injunction to pipeline through your property.

The end result of a dispute would be that the pipeline project goes ahead and the arbitration may take up to 3 years to be heard and a decision made.

So the bottom line is the pipeline goes ahead, you don't get paid for your surface rights and if you lose you only get 85% of the money offered to you intially.

The AEUB, which is appointed by the government, is mostly on the side of oil companies. After all this is, or was, a major source of funds for the government.

158

at 13:49 on July 6th, 2009

Are there any known terrorist groups in BC?

albertacowpoke

at 14:00 on July 6th, 2009

Not that I.m aware of. I think this smells more of someone that is disgruntled, either a former employee or a landowner that feels he got screwed by either the government or Encarna. This is only speculation on my part. Terrorist groups can lay low anywhere. A good question though.