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In the B.C. legislature in recent days, Liberal MLAs have called out Environment Minister George Heyman for attending a retreat on Bowen Island on Jan. 30 with about 40 environmentalists to kick off “opportunities for mass action” such as those proposed in the document.

Photo by Canadian Press

On the same day, Heyman announced the province would limit the amount of diluted bitumen that can be transported by pipeline or rail until it can do further research on spill cleanup, triggering a trade war with Alberta because it would have further delayed construction of the project. Reaction from environmental organizations like Stand.earth praising the move was almost immediate.

Over-sharing information

Heyman toned down the bitumen plan this week after meetings with federal government officials, but the Liberals still accused him of “reporting back to his activists and agitators” and over-sharing information with “his Bowen Island buddies.”

The four-page KM Action Hive Proposal shines a light on how environmental activists work together for greater impact.

“This group is coming together to support mass popular resistance to construction of the Kinder Morgan pipeline,” the document says. “This is being organized to seize a specific political moment, with construction of the pipeline already underway and requiring mass opposition.”

At the core of the campaign is a supervisory group called the Hive. It has representatives from organizations and grassroots groups and provides support for and shares information about “mass, creative and non-violent direct actions.” It also brings “resources, money, action experience and technical know-how, capacity and coordination experience.”