Tobique protesters seize NB Power truck
Published Wednesday July 1st, 2009
A standoff continues at the Tobique hydroelectric dam in northwestern New Brunswick after protesters from the Tobique First Nation seized a NB Power company truck over the weekend.
Photos of the seizure posted on Facebook show a man wearing a dark blue shirt with the words "SECURITY" standing watch as the driver of a NB Power truck collects his belongings from the passenger side. The driver is then escorted away and the truck is locked behind a chained fence.
"I told him we were seizing the truck on behalf of the Tobique First Nation," said Stephen (Red Feather) Perley, a community member and part of a security group created by the Tobique band.
Perley said that the driver was given food and water and treated well until RCMP officers arrived on the scene.
As of Tuesday night, members of the First Nation kept the truck locked behind the chain link fence surrounding the dam's generating station.
RCMP Sgt. John de Winter said that he wasn't aware of any damage to the vehicle since it was first seized over the weekend.
"The situation's been peaceful. There's been no confrontations that we're aware of," he said.
The truck seizure is part of a larger dispute stretching back half a century. Tobique protesters claim that NB Power agreed to provide the Tobique First Nation with free power in exchange for allowing a hydro dam to be built on the Tobique River in the 1950s.
Last year, however, NB Power tried to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid bills. That kicked off a 600-day protest that has blocked a section of road leading to the dam's generating station.
Tobique protesters set up a checkpoint forcing all NB Power employees to register with community members before being allowed to do work at the generating station. Protesters say the driver whose truck was seized over the weekend failed to do so.
"Essentially, this is a very sensitive issue, and right now we're discussing it with those involved and keeping it at that at this point," said Heather MacLean, spokeswoman for NB Power.
On Monday provincial Aboriginal Affairs Minister Rick Brewer met with Tobique band members to discuss the situation. Additional talks were held on Tuesday between officials from the minister's office and the protest organizers.
"It was a very positive meeting and discussions are ongoing. We're going to continue to try to sit down and hammer out a process that addresses the issues that Tobique has," said Nichole Bowman, spokeswoman for Aboriginal Affairs.
Perley said that the protesters are strongly backed by the Tobique community, and that other residents in the area have stopped by to express solidarity with the protesters.
"We've had a whole community of people that keeps us focused. It's not just a few that make the decisions around here. It's a communal decision," Perley said.
He reaffirmed that Tobique protesters would not return the NB Power truck until the dispute over the hydro dam was resolved.
"Canada will no longer take advantage of us," Perley said.
Disabled
Search Articles
More CE Network Sites & Partners:
Comments (8)
All comments are subject to the site Terms of Use. For a full commenting tutorial click here.
Our editorial team relies on filtering technology and our visitor community to identify inappropriate comments. In the event that a site user has submitted offensive content that has evaded our filter, please select the option to Flag As Inappropriate presented within the comment. Thank you for helping to keep this site clean.
At the CHANCEe you thought the Tobique residents are being criminal, or for those of this mindset, aside from pointing to the fact that the government was criminal in stealing Canada in the first place, I will say the following:
Taking NB Power to court is Not a simple solution? Time and Money (amongst a myriad of other factors are needed in this approach). Just look at the current Tobique Land claim issues! It is safe to say that this community does not have the $ or time (remember, power is being cut now). I am certain the community has thought of this. But, due to pending cases in court and current circumstances, they have decided on a peaceful protest. And the seizure of this truck is no more than seizure of a vehicle that has trespassed where permission was not granted. Not criminal. But, I guess the courts/police, who have done a great job so far (sarcasm!) with the law will Try to decide. Oy.
2. The NB Power worker was not trespassing as a) reserves are not private land, and b) as with all utilities, NB Power has an easement on any property their equipment crosses... can I charge a meter reader for trespassing on my property each month?
3. It is not a peaceful protest if they are breaking laws to make their point.
4. If there was an agreement between Tobique and NB Power, then let's see it.
Arrest Perely and Moulton for theft, and cut off the hydro until the bills are paid in full.