Rally to voice opposition to coal mine proposal
By Lethbridge Herald on January 10, 2025.
Demonstrators gather in Fort Macleod earlier this week to protest the potential opening of the Grassy Mountain coal mine. Another rally is scheduled for Lethbridge on Saturday at Sik-Ooh-Kotoki Friendship Centre.
Submitted photo by Deb GregorashAlexandra Noad – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A rally in opposition to the Grassy Mountain Coal Mine is planned for Saturday morning at the Sik-Ooh-Kotoki Friendship Society.
Nicole Johnston, an activist from the Piikani Nation, is the organizer of the rally and was impressed with the turnout of the previous rallies in Pincher Creek and Fort Macleod.
“In Pincher Creek, when we ended, we had nearly 200 people come out for the rally,” she says. “And again, over 100 people came out for Fort Macleod, so I’m expecting, hopefully, more will come out in Lethbridge as I know they’re very aware of what’s happening.”
Johnston adds she has been overwhelmed with the support she has received and believes working together is how opponents of the mine are going to win their fight.
“We all need to stick together and fight this off, because this is going to destroy our land.”
Johnston says many members of the tribe are not in favour of the proposed mining, and she accuses Northback of not telling the truth about the economic boost the company claims it will give members on the reserve.
“All the lies Northback is putting out, especially to the Peigan Nation, they’re telling (us) that we’re going to be millionaires and we’re going to be prospering so much.”
Johnston says she believes Northback is making promises to get members of the nation to trust in the company, but people don’t realize the ultimate goal is to take over Grassy Mountain.
Johnston compared the situation to the battle of Little Bighorn, a significant battle between three combined tribes and the U.S. cavalry in 1876.
“One thing I put out there was did Custer feed and eat and pray with the people before he opened fired on them?” she asks. “That’s exactly what’s happening here. They’re coming to eat today and pray with our people, walk away and bring destruction on the nation.”
Johnston also says she believes Chief Troy Knowlton isn’t listening to his nation and could cause irreparable harm if he continues down that path.
She hopes through her advocacy work that more people will wake up to the potential harm the Grassy Mountain Coal Mine can cause.
“When we first started, (our goal) was to wake up as many people as (we) possibly could to get the information out to as many ears that were willing to listen and understand.”
The rally is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Johnston also plans to host a rally at the Alberta Energy Regulator hearings in Calgary next week.
16-15
Sparwood Elk Valley, 2 mile long coal trains to WESTSHORE terminal, China. No problem, NDP, EBY. Mining in Alberta, big problem, Smith, UCP, NIMBYism. All scare tactics and politics.
why keep referencing a province over which we have no say? the issue at hand regards our province, and by extension, our province.
I am not impressed with the comparison with Custer to this, but I do support the protest against this Grassy Mountain project. I know there are some legal implications that would cause the mining company to sue the Alberta government if they shut down the operation, which could be several billion dollars since the preparations for this mine began several years ago, with the golf course in Coleman having to move higher up the mountain to make room for the proposed rail lines for the mine, as one example.
There are ways that this mine can be shut down, which would not allow a lawsuit against the province, and that is through public pressure and environmental and safety concerns.
I support this protest and understand the agreements for this mine began several years ago, putting the province in a difficult position, but it should not be allowed to operate, period! We just shut down all of our coal powered generation stations because of the coal, which has brought over $11 billion in lawsuits from the companies, but we need to end this Grassy Mountain project as well, it just makes sense!
indeed, put in place real environmental/water preservation controls and one of two things happens: either the coal gets mined without fallout, or, the project becomes too expensive to mine safely. but, shucks, the ucp cares not about any of that.
thanks for all the downvotes. Must be on to something. lol. Don’t forget to protest water from Haig Creek being used to make snow for your nirvana.
I saw a family camping by a wood fire. That means: Everything is permitted!
You haven’t invoked the China-does-it-too strawman for a while, buckster. Anything wrong?
But, really, you should learn the difference between making snow (that melts back into the creek) and contaminating our creeks and rivers with heavy metals and other pollutants – contamination that will long outlive the mining project.
Go Nicole!
i want to know how the sparwood mining affects my supply of charcoal.
come on – i know you are wiser than the poor contrasts upon which you build a poor case.
It doesn’t matter how many are apposed to it. We still have these mindless seniors believing every lie they feed them. Reformers trying to pretend they are Conservative showing no respect for our children’s future or the well-being the Conservatives created for the good of the people. Deliberately helping them destroy everything the Conservatives under Lougheed and Getty created for us and not showing any concern for the $1.2 trillion Albertans have been cheated out of by the Reformers starting with Ralph Klein by slashing Lougheed’s Oil Royalties and Corporate Taxes while Norway and Alaska continue to reap the benefits of their oil wealth we are in financial ruin and these idiots don’t care. As oilmen friends point out there isn’t another oil rich area in the world that’s in the financial mess these Reformers have put us in. Now they are willing to support Pierre Poilievre and let him destroy the Carbon Tax and likely our Public Healthcare System like these Reformers have always wanted to do. Add that to a 25% cost of living increase thanks to Donald Trump and there is going to be a lot more people, seniors, needing Food Bank help and who’s going to be able to help them ?
I lived in Lethbridge during the drought of the 1960’s and we were constantly concerned of a situation like L. A. is going through with fire fanned by high winds and to try to do nothing to fight it like these Reformers want to do is just plain stupid.