Contributed

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER – Illegal anti-pipeline protests run risk of stirring up racism

Feb 12, 2020 | 5:52 AM

KAMLOOPS — THE THRONE SPEECH yesterday was more than a nothing burger — to borrow from a trend in meat-like products these days, it was a beyond-nothing burger.

Doesn’t matter; it was over-shadowed by the pipeline protesters outside the Ledge anyway.

When I wrote a few days ago that it’s time to put a stop to protests, I was talking about the Trans Mountain pipeline and the fact it’s a done deal.

Since then, protests against the Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline project have exploded. There was even one near TRU where traffic was held up for a short time.

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Dozens of protesters have been arrested from B.C. to the East Coast at roadways, bridges, shipping ports and railways.

At the Legislature, some MLAs were blocked from entering the building before the Throne Speech.

The protests have been accomplishing their purpose, which is to disrupt the economy and raise awareness of the issue. They are designed to generate arrests for publicity purposes.

But the strategy has its limits. While many non-indigenous people have been involved in the protests or support the cause of stopping the pipeline, the issue originates with the opposition of several Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs.

It’s the kind of situation made for race-based confrontations. Courts that issue injunctions to uphold the laws of the land are not racist. Police who enforce the laws are not racist for doing so.

But racism rears its ugly head as a certain segment of the public uses the controversy as a platform for their rants. Canadians in general — racist or not — support the concept of peaceful, legal protests but draw the line at illegal actions, and when protests block access and disrupt commerce, they become illegal.

That’s when the whole exercise becomes self-defeating.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and newspaper editor. He writes five commentaries a week for CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.