Thread by @AJEnglish

THREAD 👇

Canada says the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion is in its best interests. But Indigenous leaders and land defenders say they weren't meaningfully consulted.

We travel more than 1,100km to map the fight aje.io/fnzy8

Despite being hailed by some as a leader in the fight against climate change, Canada is going forward with a project to expand a multibillion-dollar oil pipeline to the west coast aje.io/fnzy8

The pipeline begins in Edmonton, Alberta. The original pipeline has been in operation since 1953 and carries ~300,000 barrels of oil a day to Canada'ss west coast for export overseas.

A new phase of construction on a second pipeline started on Tuesday aje.io/fnzy8

The pipeline has divided dozens of Indigenous communities whose traditional territory runs along its path.

Since the existing pipeline began operations, the company has reported about 84 spills aje.io/fnzy8

These tiny homes at the Blue River encampment are on wheels, designed to be driven to areas along the pipeline path to block construction.

For Mayuk & Kanahus, the camp is the epicentre of their struggle to protect their traditional Secwepemc territories aje.io/fnzy8

Although the pipeline fuelled controversy during Canada's recent election campaign, with the Green and New Democratic parties pushing to cancel the expansion - PM Justin Trudeau insists the project will move ahead aje.io/fnzy8

How long the gov't of Canada will retain ownership of the pipeline, however, remains an open question.

The gov't says it's undertaking an engagement process with Indigenous groups along the pipeline route aje.io/fnzy8

The Indian Resource Council advocates for dozens of oil- and gas-producing First Nations across Canada,

CEO and president Stephen Buffalo says the pipeline expansion would provide a crucial source of revenue for cash-strapped communities aje.io/fnzy8

So who owns the land?

In Canada, the term "Aboriginal title" refers to Indigenous peoples' inherent right to the use of and control over their traditional territories.

Yet nations have been forced to prove their title exists in order for it to be applied aje.io/6fvt9

Both Trans Mountain and Ottawa conducted separate rounds of consultations with more than 130 Indigenous groups in recent years.

We analysed consultation data and found just 3% of 25,000 reported consultations from 2015 to 2018 were conducted in person aje.io/6fvt9

In Merritt, British Colombia, a small Indigenous community has found itself at the centre of the fight against the pipeline.

The majority of the community relies on an aquifer to access clean water. The pipeline poses great risks for the use of that water aje.io/fnzy8

The pipeline also affects marine life.

The expansion would lead to a ~580% increase in tanker traffic in Burnaby & North Vancouver - a key habitat for southern orca whales & other marine life aje.io/fnzy8

Indigenous peoples are not the only ones opposed to Trans Mountain.

Environmentalists, politicians & residents in the Vancouver area especially, have stood alongside Indigenous nations to say unequivocally they will not let this project go forward aje.io/fnzy8

Read more and follow our map as we trace Canada's Trans Mountain pipeline battle 👇: aje.io/fnzy8