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A report on the Road to Seattle from Caitlin in Victoria:

Last night in Victoria Warren, Maria, Gloria and their entourage shared their stories with us in Victoria. The crowd was saddened by their stories of devastation, encouraged by their stand against Weyerhaeuser, inspired by their strength and empowered to lend a hand.

Gloria spoke about the invasion of the church into their culture. She shared her early memories of when the man in the black dress with the purple sash made the elders throw their medicine pouches into a big fire. That’s the day she remembers her grandfather cried. And when the same man came to splash water on her and her sibling’s forehead and made her parents get married in the eyes of the church. That is the day she remembers her Mother cried.

Maria told us about her granddaughter Robin who took her first steps on the Trans Canada blockade last summer and she knows will be a warrior. Robin was recently diagnosed with epilepsy from the pollution in their traditional foods. The high rate of epilepsy in the small community of Grassy Narrows is not a coincidence. Epilepsy has been linked to the presence of pollutants used extensively in the lumber mills that rely on logging operations on their territory.

These are just a few of the stories that the blockaders shared with us about the devastation. The devastation from mercury poisoning, being forced onto a small reserve and than being relocated, residential schools, higher incidences of suicide, racist police and neighbors and now the clear-cut logging of their land.

Their story is also a story of hope as they continue their blockade into its fifth year and continue to heal their community from the effects of colonialism. Now is the time when the community needs our help to stop the bleeding so that they can focus on the healing process. For it is difficult to heal while blood is still being shed. As non-native settlers we have a responsibility to stand in solidarity with First Nations and aid in their struggles.

Many of us enjoy a life of privilege and have access to people and places of power. For instance the people living in Grassy Narrows must travel for over 24 hours to get to a seat of government, in comparison I live in Victoria only 10 minutes from our provincial government buildings.

Not only do we have an advantage to approach government and demand change, but we are often near to the source of consumption of these products that are being made by Weyerhaeuser. For instance the University of Victoria, which I attend, at a high price, continues to use Weyerhaeuser paper. We live in a time when there are easily accessible alternatives such as tree free and 100% PCW recycled paper. When 80% of the world’s forests have already been logged it is crime that we are still turning forests into paper.

Some universities have made the switch to 100% PCW recycled paper such as The University of Wisconsin and Princeton, and countless others have student run campaigns with this goal. It is only a matter of time before all Universities buy 100% recycled paper and we can help ensure this becomes a reality.

Now the Grassy Narrows group is off to Seattle to do more presentations and to confront Weyerhaeuser at their corporate headquarters. They are truly modern day warriors who are fighting for their rights and for the land that we all depend on. We are all on this earth together and so together we must care for her as she does for us.

If people want to get involved with the Paper Campaign at Uvic send me an e-mail caitlinp@uvic.ca.