Early Christmas present

The Sacred Headwaters of the Skeena, Nass and Stikine have been protected from future fracking activities based on an agreement between the province of BC, Shell Canada and the Tahltan Central Council. Canadians across the country we can take heart at the announcement.   Through persistence and hard work, regular Canadians are standing up for a future where humans and nature thrive together. Truly a gift that will be critical in maintaining the health of some of the largest Wild Rivers of the Great Bear.

While BC government, the Tahltan and Shell deserve kudos this really is an achievement that belongs to a number of unruly elves. It took a blockade by Tahltan elders back in 2005 to shift things from the status quo of “drill baby drill.” It took a detached analysis of the economic value of salmon to the region combined with new field work by the Skeena Fisheries Commission to re-enforce the salmon values in the headwater. And it took thousands of committed community members from up and down the Skeena to get out and express their desire to pursue a different vision of development for this region.
But my favorite elf this Christmas has to be Shannon McPhail of the Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition. She and her crew have put sweat, blood and tears into making this gift happen. The hours of sacrifice she has offered for this cause has been inspiring. I hope that all those that live down stream of these headwaters raise a glass this Christmas to unruly elves and the change they inspire.