The CBC continues to be actively complicit in the violence on the Coastal GasLink pipeline. Prior to the very serious violence of February 17th, the CBC had played an agitating role by fully endorsing the claims of the hereditary chiefs while providing scant coverage of the efforts of the elected chiefs. They minimized that all bands along the pipeline route have approved construction and saw the pipeline as one means to a brighter future.
The CBC developed a sympathetic narrative for the protesters who were arrested in November 2021 for being in breach of a Supreme Court injunction, preventing obstruction of the work along the pipeline. The CBC also played coy in not recognizing the extensive assessment work which has been conducted. As well, the CBC has used every opportunity to sympathetically profile the radical leadership among the protesters. The CBC did not report the news; they made every effort to influence, agitate and shape the news.
In February, with national focus on the truckers convoy, protesters saw opportunity to get violent at the pipeline. A month prior to the violence the CBC acknowledged that it had funded and will air a film produced by a self identified radical anarchist. This film will highlight the conflict over the pipeline and will profile anarchist and anti=capitalist ideas. The same producer has produced films which encourages shoplifting and a film " Beat the Pig" which promotes violence against the police. What purpose would the CBC have, other than to promote discontent and violence? Is this criminal conduct? I think so.
What will be interesting is when perpetrators are brought to justice, how will the CBC profile the accused; victims, warriors, aggrieved, protectors of the land?
The CBC has violated every canon of journalism. In future I intend to hold a one-man protest of the CBC's duplicity. My protest will be in front of the CBC office at 9th and Victoria.
Honk your horn, as you pass the CBC office if you think it is time to defund the CBC.
Rolf van Driesum
Prince George
