First let me start by saying I have no objection to and even support hearing, reading, seeing the news from both sides of a story, or even at times three sides to a story. For Black Press to give the Eco Cult a free hand at manipulating pubic opinion is where I say they are crossing the line. This is not open independent reporting, this is a blatant free hand at misleading information campain by the The Eco Cult Collaborative. The latest attack by Black Press is a highly twisted story that most readers would see as an outright attack on an already approved project under the highest environmental standards compared to anywhere else in the world, then top that off with the full approval of all 20 First Nations on the path of a pipeline being put down by Coastal Gaslink.
Next let me confess, I have been an environmentalist all my life, I am heavily dependant on fishing salmon, steelhead and many other species of fish. I am also an avid nature photographer that dabbles into both video and still photography. I love our backyard, and I am here defending it from outside interference. All my life I have supported local decisions made by local people, that said let’s continue.
I am not sure why Black Press has chosen to allow the writer of a crass left wing environmentalist website (Narwhal) a free hand at manipulating local opinions. I am referring to the latest article they published out of The Northern View called “Feds quietly backed off while Coastal GasLink pipeline work killed fish in B.C. The title is highly and intentionally misleading.
Wow! The headline “Coastal GasLink pipeline work killed fish in B.C.” scream out at local readers. In a terrified moment my mind races in thoughts of my life of fishing coming to a dead end.
I quickly read on to discover a number of truths missed in my panicked thoughts. The first being the fish were not salmon or steelhead, but a total of 31 longnose dace, and to add more deceit by pretending it was the result of the recent other articles also published by Black Press all over BC in most of its newspapers shouting out “Coastal GasLink opponents say water overflowed a dam on Clore River” however the Clore River story happened in early January 2023 and the dead fish story happened in October 2021. So it turns out the recent overflow story had nothing to do with the dead fish back in October.
31 dead longnose dace, one good preditor bird could catch and eat that many for breakfast.
The writer Matt Simmons is being paid by taxpayers by way of a NDP/Liberal grant, its incredible that even Eco Cult websites pretending to be news can apply for this grant. Look how he takes what should have been a story about terrorists attacking a legitimate project that will significantly add to our governments ability to fund programs in Canada, and turn it into a story about an evil empire attacking its citizens?
The Tides Foundation helps fund Narwhal to the tune of 40 Thousand Dollars recently, plus indirectly (eco money laundering) by the Wilburforce Foundation $185,653.00 as do many of the other charities. Other outside interference comes from European Climate Foundation, McConnell Foundation, Metcalf Foundation, Institute for New Economics, Eburne Mill Fund, Reader’s Digest Foundation, Meta,Tides Canada Initiatives Society plus the National Observer owned and operated by the Tides Foundation. Top this off with Justin Trudeau trying to control the narrative with the Local Journalism Initiative. (I left out a lot more, but what we posted proves my point already)
Look at how this spin doctor twists the truth.
Matt writes, “Federal fisheries officers later exchanged emails about the incident.” Matt wrote in a previous paragraph “On a dreary gray day in late October, passers by gawked at a scene outside a hotel in Smithers, B.C. The charred remnants of several trucks sat in the parking lot in the wake of what police described as a “targeted attack” in the pre-dawn hours of the morning.” In response the DFO said “Vincent Harper, section head with Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s habitat protection program, replied the following day. “Discussed this with Brenda today,” ” Harper wrote, referring to another manager at the federal department. “We both agree that we should avoid monitoring in this area while these types of activities are still occurring.”
So officers of the law are not allowed to fear for their safety, caused by the same people, ones like Matt Simmons who are hell bent on trying to stop this legitimate project.
Next he writes “Fisheries and Oceans Canada, commonly called DFO, confirmed in a statement to The Narwhal that it could be scaling back some monitoring of the 670 kilometre project due to safety concerns, but it declined to provide details.”
Even with this information “We schedule monitoring site visits taking into account risks to staff safety and attend sites when conditions are deemed safe,” a spokesperson wrote in an email. “Civil protests, reports of violent activities and inclement weather for travel are all factors that DFO considers when assessing field work safety for staff.” Matt goes on to say the following.
Matt Simmons translate that into “Feds quietly backed off while Coastal GasLink pipeline work killed fish in B.C.” and somehow Black Press does not see a problem with that.
Instead of putting the blame on the terrorists who are illegally blocking a fully approved pipeline, and additionally approved by 20 First Nations bands, Every band on the pipeline route) somehow Matt feels justified in creating, fabrication, a story about fish being killed?
Instead of putting the blame on the terrorists who are illegally blocking a fully approved pipeline, the spin doctor blames Coastal Gaslink
Once again Black Press allows its paper to print what used to only be printed in “Letters to the Editor” are now so desperate for a story they printed it as their own.
Matt Simmons writes ” ‘There are no safety concerns whatsoever’ Aaron Hill, executive director of Watershed Watch Salmon Society, said even if the federal department’s fears were founded, that shouldn’t prevent fisheries officers from fieldwork.” comments by yet another Tides Funded organization.
Then Matt goes on to say “Shannon McPhail, co-founder of Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition, agreed and said the government should issue a stop-work order.” another Tides funded organization.
More Black Press in local papers, who can forget this one? “New fish habitat damage allegations levelled at northwest B.C. pipeline project”
We read “Coastal GasLink opponents say” Missing is who said it, why? then “This time Wet’suwet’en opponents” what Wet’suwet’en opponents? then “the David Suzuki Foundation say” who at the David Suzuki Foundation are you quoting?
Here is another “twist and shout” story, twist the truth and shout it out in Black Press. Nothing Coastal Gaslink did was outside of environmental regulations, it was the simple right solution to the given problem, and outside of the control of humans, you cannot control the weather.
Here is what CGL said in regards to this minor incident, “To manage the rise in water levels due to higher temperatures last week, we initiated a temporary overflow of our barrier at the Clore River yesterday. Work on site was paused during this activity for our crews to manage the flow of water. The overflow ended as water levels upstream subsided, and isolation was restored the same day. We expect to resume work today.”
Let’s not forget the dead fish story was from the previous month.
Further down in the story the writer quotes Lillian Wilson and takes her word for it that she is a “Wet’suwet’en hereditary chief” when we already know she is not, nor is she employed by the Office of Wet’suwet’en. All of this despite qualified environmental inspectors continue to closely monitor the work on-site to ensure appropriate sediment control and flood mitigation measures are in place.
Then in another story by Black Press we read “The federal fisheries department confirmed officers and biologists were at the location Jan. 13 but declined further comment.” This from the Terrace Standard on January 17th 2023. No mention made to date about any violations at all, gee I wonder why?
Also of note is that the Pacific Northern Gas pipeline also crosses the same headwaters and has done so safely for over 50 years. The transmission line was constructed in 1968 from a point 50 kilometers north of Prince George at Summit Lake on Enbridge’s Westcoast Energy pipeline system west through to Prince Rupert and Kitimat on the British Columbia coast. Funny how Black Press never mentions this existing pipeline that is under a major servicing this very same year? But then again when this gas line services not only the Office of Wet’suwet’en but many aboriginal communities that rely on exactly the same gas for heating of their homes. See Office of the Wet’suwet’en – Heated with LNG. Also left unsaid is the “product” in the CGL Pipeline is exactly the same “product” that is in the Pacific Northern Gas pipeline that heats the Office of Wet’suwet’en.
It begs a serious question, just who is Black Press representing? Are they joining forces with the extreme left? Is it because that is where their primary funding will come from? It leaves us local citizens having to decide where we will invest our own money? Why should we support a press who appears to cross the line just to get a story they can make money from?
"Now you know the rest of the story"
brought to you by
"Two Feathers"
In the event we are using copyrighted material, we are doing so within the parameters of the Fair Dealing exception of the Canadian Copyright Act.
See our Copyright Notice
I despair for journalism whenever I see an article from Simmons or Amanda Follett Hosgood as it is not much different from pure propoganda having to be vetted by one of the Wickham sisters.
Looks like Black Press read your article and realized the problem they had become part of in their (opinion) piece in the Terrace Standard.
OPINION: Activists use ‘journalism’ to sue RCMP
Wow great work you have here
Another horrible article by Simmons today which he paints the Haisla as greedy and Molly’s group as the saviours of humanity. It is so slanted towards Molly’s group and a few people who depend on getting their name in the paper for funding (see the name Stewart Phillip) that you need to read the article with your head tilted on your shoulder