EXTRACT The Pipeline Wars Vol. 1 Enbridge

by Carrie Saxifrage

There's a war underway in Canada, one that could change the course of a nation and a planet. With oil prices at record highs, oil giants are determined to get Canadian oil across to markets in Asia and around the world. But to get there, that oil has to make its way through British Columbia, home of the legendary Great Bear Rainforest, the fiercest environmental groups in the country and First Nations who plan to defend their land with their lives. The ambitious $5.5. billion Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline proposal, if approved, will give Alberta the go-ahead to expand development of its oil sands, which climate scientists say will trigger catastrophic climate change. The award-winning team from the Vancouver Observer, winners of the Canadian Journalism Foundation's 2012 Award for excellence in journalism, spent hundreds of hours reporting on the pipeline issue and capturing peoples' voices. The Pipeline Wars Vol. 1 Enbridge takes readers into First Nations' communities amid wild landscapes of Northern British Columbia; it navigates readers through the web of pipeline politics, through crowded streets filled with protesters, and behind closed doors at an oil and gas export summit. Here's what reviewers are “Read this book. Extract does a great job of giving voice to some of the people on the front lines and giving you the information you need to engage in the debate.” —Bill McKibben, climate activist and 350.org founder “ The Pipeline Wars is a terrifying tour-de-force that opens a grim window on the this is not just about British Columbia, but about the world. Excellent, important work.” —William Pitt, Truthout editor and New York Times bestselling author “We need information and hard facts to make thoughtful, forward-thinking decisions that reverberate long into the future. Here’s a book that cuts through the self-interested rhetoric of climate deniers and the fossil fuel industry.” —David Suzuki, environmentalist and David Suzuki Foundation founder

186 pages, Paperback

First published November 21, 2012

About the author

Carrie Saxifrage's work as Sustainability Reporter covering the Northern Gateway Pipeline for The Vancouver Observer has garnered significant critical acclaim. She worked as a nurse and environmental lawyer in the U.S. before moving to a homestead in British Columbia. Her pursuit of adventure includes long distance ocean swims, mountain climbing and kayaking. In 2006, she committed to the most life-affirming adventure yet: advocacy for a stable climate.