Ottawa climate change protestors go on trial

from a news release

Thirteen Canadians, including an Ottawa-based couple, go on trial today to argue the federal government’s climate change and energy policy is dividing Canadians and creating the conditions where a growing number of people feel compelled to openly challenge the government’s unethical approach.

“This government is taking the country in exactly the opposite direction that we need to go,” said Graham Saul, one of the defendants, and one half of the aforementioned couple. “While most of the industrialized world is slowly putting in place policies that will help us phase out oil, coal and gas and increase renewable energy and energy efficiency, the Harper government is slashing support for renewables and efficiency, gutting environmental regulations and providing billions of dollars in subsidies to the richest oil companies in the world.”

In an ongoing effort to shine a light on the federal government’s failure to take action on climate change, three of the defendants have engaged in a fast on Parliament Hill for the past 11 days. (see climatefast.ca)

 “None of us want to be arrested, handcuffed, detained or imprisoned, but these are extreme circumstances we are facing,” said Elizabeth Bernstein, another defendant. “We feel that we have a responsibility to use all the nonviolent means at our disposal to challenge these reckless and unethical policies.”

The 13 defendants were arrested on 26 September, 2011, during a demonstration on Parliament Hill in which roughly 200 people risked arrest to protest the climate change and energy policies of the Harper government. They were charged with engaging in a prohibited activity contrary to the Trespass to Property Act and also issued a trespass notice that banned them from attending Parliament Hill for a period of one year.

Expert witnesses will include Dr. John Stone, one of Canada’s leading climate change scientists and Steven Guilbeault, Deputy Director of Equiterre.

The trial begins three weeks before thousands of people from across Canada are scheduled to gather in an act of peaceful civil disobedience in Victoria, B.C. (see DefendOurCoast.ca) 

The trial is scheduled to begin at 9am on Monday, October 1 at the Provincial Offenses Act Court, 100 Constellation Crescent, Courtroom 104. The 13 defendants are Lyn Adamson, Elizabeth Bernstein, Trevor Hache, Nadine Hawkins, Graham Saul, Rita Bijons, Kenneth Billings, Donald Dietrick, Maria Heynen, Donald Milligan, Josephine Wood, Anirt Rojo, and Daniel Snyder.

For more information, contact:

Defendant Graham Saul:  grahamksaul@gmail.com or 613-710-2819     

Or Defence Attorney Mark Ertel of the firm Bayne, Sellar, Boxall: 613-236-0535     

 

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