Ecology Ottawa disrupts Energy East pipeline speech at Château Laurier
Ottawa Citizen

By Vito Pilieci, Ottawa Citizen, February 2, 2015

A group of Ottawa environmentalists interrupted a presentation given by TransCanada Corp.’s Energy East pipeline president François Poirier at the Château Laurier on Monday. Poirier was due to speak at 12:50 p.m., but had barely taken the podium at the luncheon meeting of the Canadian Club of Ottawa when four members of Ecology Ottawa walked to the front of the room and silently unrolled long banners protesting the pipeline. The banners read, “We can’t drink oil!” and “Stop Energy East!” Two other pipeline opponents remained in the audience and photographed the protest. The Ecology Ottawa members paid $75 each to enter the event. The banners were small enough that they could be rolled up and stuffed in the arms of coats that were carried into the dining room at the hotel. The protesters were escorted out by hotel security guards. No charges were laid. For Ben Powless, a pipeline community organizer with the Ottawa group, the demonstration was meant to remind TransCanada of the stiff opposition the pipeline faces. “It’s about sending a message to TransCanada that as citizens of Ottawa we don’t want the pipeline coming through our city,” he said. via Ecology Ottawa disrupts Energy East pipeline speech at Château Laurier | Ottawa Citizen.

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