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Heck, a few even got themselves ticketed by the police — a middle class badge of honour if ever there was one. Ah, but that was then, this is now.

So this is what Burnaby mayor”s now has to say: “the drug use, the drinking, the impact of the facility on traffic and some of the things said to people that have been going through the neighbourhood, have been offensive.”

He went on to explain that while Burnaby citizens were prepared to tolerate a small presence as a symbol (don’t we all just love a symbol) of the fight against Big Oil, well, these days, that’s “escalated” into something totally unexpected.

Oh yes? Did you not realize that welcoming into town these protesters hoping to happily join hands at the barricades wasn’t just some passing fancy to later regale your yoga buddies about? Or to which you can politely call a time-out on some given evening, because you want a peaceful backyard barbecue?

“Oh Dave, aren’t they so sweet? They’ve stopped chanting so we can eat in peace. I’ll drop $20 into their bucket tomorrow. Pass the Merlot.”

No, life rarely works out like that.

But we aren’t finished with this ongoing truly Canadian farce. Not only do these environmental stalwarts refuse to pick up after themselves, but the ramshackle places they’ve erected are now deemed a fire risk to those forests around Burnaby they claim to earnestly protect, as well as nearby oil storage tanks.

Yes, reality is settling over Burnaby and it has an unpleasant odour. So now the lawyers who tried to put legal hurdle in the way of the pipeline expansion are now working on getting these protesters kicked out of town so the place can be cleaned up. Residents no doubt are hoping they will have more success in this latest legal manoeuvre.